Reactive Architecture, Augmented Textiles, Domotics and Soft Architecture Fabrication: On Electronic and Reactive Textiles in Domestic Contexts

Abstract

The present paper interrogates the status and the role of electronic and reactive textiles in domestic contexts. After a preliminary incursion into the modern definition of home and homing, the paper addresses the changes that took place in the domestic space due to the development of digital and communication technologies. Defined as a “sensing home,” as a “communicating domestic space,” smart homes are challenging the traditional understanding of home, defined in terms of intimacy and privacy. In this context, electronic and reactive textiles are asked to overcome the low acceptance of smart homes, through their technical, sensorial, and cultural dimensions. The paper highlights some of the pros and cons in accommodating the latest technological advances in the field of textiles, analyses the way physical computing allows textiles to transform into domotics (robots for domestic environments), presents some of the latest developments on soft architecture fabrication and argues in favor of a much more critical approach to the development of sensors and actuators in textile objects.

Keywords:

• electronic and reactive textiles
• domotics
• smart homes
• textiles in architecture
• domestic context
• ubiquitous computing
• intelligent environments
• soft architecture fabrication
• soft furnishing

Acknowledgements

This study is indebted to Pierre-Damien Huyghe’s seminars held at Paris 1 University during 2004‒2012 on what defines a technical conduct and a technical attitude, and how a certain artistic conduct can help us to escape the limits of ever present innovation discourse. Started during my research in the framework of a UHCI project at Berlin University of the Arts, this paper presents my own personal perspective on the issue.

I would also like to thank the reviewers of this paper for their very pertinent comments and suggestions.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Tincuta Heinzel

Tincuta Heinzel is an artist, designer, and curator interested in the relationship between arts, science, and technology with a special focus on electronic textiles and smart materials, as well as processes of fabrication and social innovation. Recently she has worked on several projects related to the integration of electronic textiles in domestic environments (UdK Berlin, Germany and Nottingham Trent University, UK). Currently she is Visiting Professor at the Doctoral School of “Ion Mincu" Architecture and Urbanism University Bucharest, Romania and Research Fellow at Nottingham Trent University, UK.

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