IMPACKED Research Project investigates the possibilities of pressure packing fabrication methods in order to produce an architectural matter, capable of manipulating its density according to its application. The Project also explores questions in material usage, by rethinking textile waste in order to sustainably combat its negative implications. IMPACKED was developed in an effort to expand material reuse, rethink processes and methods of fabrication, as well as produce applicable products at a variety of scales. TITLEIMPACKED: PUTTING THE PRESSURE ON WASTE TIME 2023 - YEAR IV PLACEBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS PROJECT TEAM RESEARCH PROJECTSIERRA TORRESTextile waste is among the largest disposed and environmentally damaging resources accessible today. Considering the overabundance of textile and fabric waste, there is a demand to rethink the waste cycle for innovation of material and fabrication practices to counteract its negative implications.Utilizing fabric fibers for its material properties combined with inflatable pressurized method of fabrication, designers can rethink architectural material not as a fixated component, but rather as a densely packed architectural matter. Developing a pressure-based method to pack fiber particles into surfaces and structures relative to density creates architectural components that enhance the materials' original properties to their fullest values and capabilities within a variety of usages.-Textile production requires significant amounts of chemicals, water, energy, and other finite resources. -It can take 200+ years for the materials to decompose in a landfill.-The volume of clothing Americans throw away each year has doubled in the last 20 years, from 7 million to 14 million tons.-85% of all textiles end up in landfills on a yearly basis which takes up about 7% of the total amount of waste in global landfill space.TEXTILE STATS
-Fiber Based Material make up allows fabric to be compacted and loose in its relative density -Textile as a weave or woven material has a tensile structural composition.-Its ability to particle pack allows fabric fibers to form stiff connections amongst pressure.-Fabric particles are often light in weight-Material can be recycled and repurposed easilyTEXTILE MATERIAL PROPERTIES
PARTICLE PACKING
Within architecture and its surrounding disciplines, particle packing as a method and principle embodies the effort to compress multiple units into a designated space. As a material science or social-spatial relations exploration, particle packing practices compact similar or different subjects to accomplish different solutions. Particle packing can be seen in material sciences to create more rigid variations of specific material types or can be experimented with in the way geometry and organization are balanced, mixed, and collected into an area.PRESSURE PACKING
The Pressure Packing method utilizes the same particle packing principle when compressing material to a higher density level, however utilizes a series of inflatable units to apply the compressive force to the particles. By using an inflatable one can pack particles multi directional to create far more elaborate and customizable geometries. Multi directional inflatable compression always the relationship between densely packed material and negative pockets of space to be rather experimental.PRESSURE PACKINGsS VALUE (ARCHITECTUAL MATTER)
Traditional material, components, and assemblies in architecture relay on a subtractive or additive process to solve for a variety of different design complexions. When assembling a system we traditionally limited to designing tectonicly or stereotomic. By innovating a material and fabrication method that allows designers to address the specifics of a build through the customization of a component or materials density level, one could achieve a far more efficient, specified, and optimizable system.FIBER SOLUtiON
PLANAR VS. VOLUME METHODS OF TESTING
COMPUTATIONAL SIMULATIONS
Fabrication Tools
COMPUTATIONAL SIMULATIONS
Fabrication Tools
iterations
Different textiles hold different sound absorption coefficients ranging anywhere from 0.49 to 0.98. These fabrics include, cotton, wool, denim, polyester and more. The closer a coefficient is to 1.0 means it absorbs the most sound so when combined, they hold a greater acoustic value. Textiles also have a higher thermal conductivity and resistance which is caused by the ability of the fibers to minimize heat accumulation. This is especially important when choosing fabrics to make clothes out of and also poses the ability to function as a thermal resistor in a space.