Adaptive knit

Adaptive Knit envisages a future in which buildings adapt to rising temperatures in a manner that minimises the consumption of resources and maximises aesthetic freedom. 

The installation is a kinetic textile structure created by ribbed, CNC-knitted patterns in natural materials to serve as flexible solar protection without wasting resources.

An interdisciplinary team of fashion and architectural professionals have developed the project. By testing the material, making drawings and setting up a full-scale installation, they challenge the idea of static facades and propose instead a living, responsive facing. The expanded prototype comprises five panels which react to the surroundings and capture visitors’ attention through changing geometrics, colours and textures.

The project draws on a rich tradition of knitting techniques and focuses on the material’s inherent properties, instead of complicated mechanics. By prioritising environmental considerations and circular design, Adaptive Knit provides a sensuous, hopeful vision of a sustainable future where buildings can breathe, adapt and establish connections to both people and their surroundings.

External Partners:

• Alessandra Zanelli, Professor Politecnico di Milano. 
• Martina Motta, Associate Professor Politecnico di Milano. 
• Diego Dani, Michele Fumagalli and Luca Medioli, Junior Researchers Politecnico di Milano. 
• Unai Artola Alduntzin, Victoria Esquivel Castillo, Maria Paz Delgado Orlando, Martyna Zychowska; Students from Politecnico di Milano.