Stretching your imagination

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Stretching your imagination

Singapore, 3^rd September 2013

While in general our practise designs around architectural lighting solutions using pure lighting systems which are integrated in an architectural environment, some of our lighting designs are also developed in conjunction with specific materials, finishes and architectural structures. One of these materials are the so called stretched fabrics; materials that can be stretched into various shapes and forms. We are currently looking at applying this as an illuminated element in our lighting design and spent some time exploring our options, materials and finishes. Besides the fact that these materials are stretchable, they also come in various colours and finishes including reflective and transparent variations. So plenty to choose from.

Of course as we look at it from a lighting point of view, our prime interest is the lighting properties that the material carries. The most interesting one being the translucent variety that allows you to light structures from the inside and create illuminated objects, bulkheads and ceilings. It requires quite an expertise to create these structures as they are too be built in such way that the structures are as little visible as possible so that it really is the stretched fabric that sort of floats in the air. Not easy! Then on top of that there is the need most of the time to have the inside of the structure accessible for maintenance meaning that somehow the stretched fabric needs to be removable and openable for access.

I am a creative designer at heart so I really like these kind of challenges and I spent a good time going through the various options and solutions. Some materials come in limited dimensions so when the supporting frame structure needs to be developed accordingly…I think that these kind of applications help “stretch” your imagination and contribute to our overall sense of creativity and solution finding!

Light Watch 4-147: While I can’t really show you what I am working on, here are some examples of this stretched fabric applied in a diversity of projects. Images courtesy of Barrisol.