Challenging Textiles - A study of self-supporting and translucent upholstery in the field of contract textiles

Abstract

In my thesis I am investigating the field of contract textiles from the perspective of a textile designer. My focus is on the specific area of self-supporting upholstery for seating furniture. The research is linked to a cooperation project with the doctoral student Bogdan Chernyakevich who researches at the Aalto University Furniture Design Department. In this project a fabric for an armchair will be developed. Driven by the search for a textile material which is translucent, self-supporting and suitable for the use within public spaces, different research approaches are undertaken to support the design process. First, a background of the requirements for upholstery fabrics is provided. Second, the different possibilities and solutions are illustrated by introducing existing concepts of self-supporting upholstery within the design and industrial fields. Third, fabric samples are used to investigate in practice the selection of materials and structures. The complex interplay of materials and structures in the design of contract textiles is presented in the description of the design process and leads to conclusions and suggestions. The outcome of my thesis provides, besides a collection of textile materials, further ideas and suggestions for the development of a self-supporting upholstery to the chair design of Bogdan Chernyakevich.