Wicaksono, I., Rubio, A.P, Cichocka, J.M, Advincula, G., Chin, S., Yu, T., Mishra, M., and Paradiso, J., 2024. Living Knitwork Pavilion: Soft Responsive Architectural Space with Functional Textiles and Integrated System. In Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Association for Computer-Aided Design in Architecture (ACADIA) 2024.

Abstract

 The Living Knitwork Pavilion is a responsive, soft architecture featuring a modular and distributed textile facade supported by a central discretized asymptotic lattice structure, situated in the vast desert landscape of Nevada. The pavilion incorporates 66 m² of total textile area, with 25 m² dedicated to active sensing area, which operates up to a distance of 3m leveraging e-field sensing technology to detect the presence and activity of occupants. This spatiotemporal sensor data is used to control an interactive audiovisual system in real-time. The modular 3D-knitted textile panels, fabricated from recycled polyester and functional yarns such as conductive, photochromic, luminous, and thermoplastic fibers, demonstrate a fusion of aesthetics and functionality. Structural analysis and simulations have confirmed the pavilion’s ability to withstand wind loads of up to 70 mph, and it successfully survived a real-world scenario with winds reaching 36 mph. Modularity, portability, and ease of installation were prioritized to meet the logistical challenges of its remote desert location.

This paper will discuss various aspects of the Living Knitwork Pavilion, including textile design and fabrication, structural analysis, electric-field sensing, hardware systems, motorized lighting design, AI-driven sonic environment, and the logistics of construction. The project demonstrates innovative applications of large-scale 3D-knitted functional textiles, not only for protection and artistic expression, but also as a vehicle for collective experience through immersive multi-sensory space and interactive systems.