The Future of Shade
Twisty8: Future of Shade 2013 Grand Prize Winner
Architect: Kevin Chu – FABLAB Design LTD., China
Description: “Twisty,” according to an article on Architizer.com,9 “provides a new spin on how fabric can be used to affect energy consumption, create a design element, and control light and air in a space. It adds a simple 'twist' to the roller blinds concept by allowing the user to adjust the degree to which it shades a space. With each twist, the fabric panels open the room to light and air and add color and a new form to the space.”
Chu describes his grand-prize-winning project in the article: “Twisty is simply a roller-blind system, with the function to twist around—it actually makes a more stable structure, as well as being able to change the light that is cast within the space.”
Photo courtesy of Sunbrella
Papillon: Future of Shade 2013 Honorable Mention
Architect: Michael Keller, Milena Vuletic, Isabelle Meister – misa:mi arckitekten, Switzerland
Description: Papillon is composed of multiple, closed, floating compression components—tetrahedrons covered in shading fabric. The 3D nature of the structure allows people to walk through and under it to enjoy the shade it creates and the story it tells. To some, the arrangement of the components appears like a swarm of butterflies passing by, while others may find it reminiscent of a person holding a yoga pose or of a dancer in midstep.
Photo courtesy of Sunbrella
The Urban Uplift: Future of Shade 2013 Honorable Mention
Architect: Denali Farrell, Jun Nam and Jon Meyer – Students at New York Institute of Technology, USA
Description: The Urban Uplift transforms one of the harshest aesthetics in any urban environment, sidewalk scaffolding, into a beautiful protective veil. Using colorful fabric panels that attach simply with hooks and metal rods to push the fabric out for added ventilation, the design provides protection and creates a compelling appearance for people on the street to enjoy.
Photo courtesy of Sunbrella
Unique fabric shade structures such as bike shelters and walkways could bring added LEED points. It's clear from the competitions discussed here that the intersection of architect imaginations and shading fabrics could produce some unexpected designs in the future.
Conclusion
In the perfect storm of a rapidly heating planet, southern population migrations, green building trends, and out-of-the-box innovations by emerging architects, the use of fabric for shading structures and strategies is sure to escalate in coming decades. These innovative structures bring a number of benefits: appealing design, functionality, UV protection, health benefits, and positive impact on performance and energy efficiency.
“Connecting to the natural environment is a growing trend,” Kushner notes. “People want it, and the design community is responding by trying to sew our buildings back into the natural environment. And shade is the in-between. Shade is the in-between concerning outside and inside. And the more that we can occupy that zone, the more we give people what they want.”
“I hope architects find new ways to create shade that's beautiful, flexible, and environmentally responsible,” notes Bernstein. “Beauty and functionality are both important.”
ENDNOTES
1. http://goo.gl/3dJy3; http://goo.gl/IG203c
4. http://www.med.upenn.edu/poolcool/managers.shtml
7. http://www.awninginfo.com/downloads/2013/PAMA LEED fact sheet July2013.pdf
8. http://specialtyfabricsreview.com/articles/0314_sw3_artbasel_twist.html
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Introduced in 1961, the Sunbrella® brand revolutionized the way the world thinks about how beautiful fabrics look, feel, and perform. Sunbrella fabrics are the leading premium choice for awning, marine, and furniture manufacturers, offering legendary durability, fade resistance, and ease of cleaning. Sunbrella fabrics are designed, manufactured, and marketed by Glen Raven, a 134-year-old family-owned company based in North Carolina with operations worldwide. For more information on the Sunbrella brand, including fabric resources, visit www.sunbrella.com. |
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