Blend: Events

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Taction: Using Expressive Touch

Looking at a different interactive experience for your next brand activation PAGE 28

Speaking of Noise

Pure Tension A story about collaboration and innovation in the world of portable sustainable architecture

Learn how fabric based architecture was used in the forefront to create a memorable event BLEND

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PURE Tension Volvo Pavilion

CONTENT

Combining Finishes to Create Effect

Layering different personalities of materials to add a unique component to environments.

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Why are textile based designs SAY YOUR the hottest MESSAGE LOUD trend?

Creating brand association with larger than life connections

A look at trending solutions utilizing textiles for experiential events

Design Anything.

JUST RENT IT 2

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The Singapore Sling 26

Materials that Spark Creativity

Dressing a Blank Slate

Sometimes finding the right fabric for an environment takes a spark of inspiration.

Structural fabric arches and graphics acted as a shroud within this brand’s event space, hiding the unadorned interior architecture.

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The Singapore Sling PURE Tension: Collaboration in Effect

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Speaking of Noise

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A New Level of Brand Activation

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EDITORIAL

Design Advocate+Trouble Maker= Leo Boczar

When I got into this business, it was for the love of design. It still is the reason I stay. However, over the last several years I have witnessed an alarming trend in the decline of emersive, experiential design solutions. Companies are dumbing down their sophistication of their brand space and experience for ROI that is pushed by some beancounting CFO who never leaves his desk. The sad part is what utimately suffers is the very brand you are trying to enhance. Consumers are increasingly more knowledgeable and skeptical of what they are being told and sold.

I get the world is temporary, and we have the attention span of a gnat so we must make wise investments in our brand activations. Let’s not forget that creating memories is a lasting brand vehicle for future buying and interacting.

IF WE ARE CREATING MEMORIES, then we are wasting our money. Buy-in of a brand doesn’t always take place at the end of some presentation/commercial or fake wayfinding journey in a space. It happens when the consumer is comfortable in connecting, this is why a creating a memorable experience is the key. The money WILL come, just not when the CFO wants it to. If the experience is paramount, the consumer will engage. We are curious creatures by nature. I hope this latest find in fabric architecture highlights that you can still design a memorable experience.

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Sing-apore SLING

Who said a projection backdrop for your next corporate event or meeting needs to be some boring-ass flat projection screen. Live a little.

The structure was created with portability in mind. The frame was engineered for air freight and fast assembly.

While taking part in the annual convention of Vidanta, located in Singapore, attendees experienced an awe inspiring environment.

Early on, a piece of architecture was requested that would be spectacular and would achieve a special environment where lighting could be played with to create different atmospheres throughout the event. To achieve this, an undulating 3-level spiral, 452ft in overall length, was placed within the space. The spiral is a single element which begins on the

ground, makes a complete circle, and then returns to the ground. To achieve the design, a lightweight aluminum structure was covered in a white Celtic fabric. The nature of the fabric allowed for a smooth, taught finish while permitting for projection. Created as a backdrop for the speakers, the unique architecture added interest while handling the practical aspect of holding the projections of the speaker’s presentations.

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Writer of the story Allison Pocewicz

Going White, Being Green Breathing new life into an annual meeting isn’t just about changing the venue, but also the mindset.

What happens to tension fabric architecture in its after life is just as important as the experience it creates.

Creating architecture utilizing aluminum tube and polyester fabric has its benefits.

One of those benefits- the recyclability of the materials.

Creating the backbone of a tension fabric structure is a frame made of aluminum tubing. Aluminum is light weight, bendable, durable and infinitely recyclable. Aluminum is the third most abundant element and most abundant metal in the Earth’s crust. According to The Aluminum Association, “people use more aluminum today than at any point in the 125-year history of the metal’s commercial production.” While that seems excessive, “aluminum is 100 percent recyclable and retains its properties indefinitely” (The Aluminum Association). So, doesn’t it seem critical that we should do everything possible to keep aluminum out of the landfills?

The Aluminum Association stated that, “recycling aluminum saves more than 90 percent of the energy required versus producing new metal.” Recycling aluminum also allows the natural 6

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resource of new aluminum to stay intact. When aluminum is recycled, it is given the chance at a new life; as a new product. Recycled aluminum can come back in many forms, from fittings to computers to automobiles and of course the infamous aluminum can. And when that life is over, aluminum can be recycled AGAIN. Now, doesn’t it seem foolish to toss that aluminum structure?

Aluminum is just one half of a tension fabric solution. The other half is the fabric covering. For many solutions, polyester-based fabric is used. Polyester is a synthetic resin in which the polymer units are linked by ester groups, used chiefly to make synthetic textile fibers.

Or, in layman’s terms, it is a plastic-like substance that is spun into fiber form.

Polyester fibers are extremely strong and durable. The fibers can be used to make a host of fabrics, varying in density, opacity and rigidity. When integrating graphics into a tension fabric solution, polyester fabric is used due to its ability to accept the dye sublimation print process.

After a one-time use, this display was recycled.

Roughly 2,700 pounds of aluminum and 270 pounds of polyester fabric were kept out of the waste stream.

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Setting sustainability practices for temporary fabric solutions is a critical aspect to any business plan.

Obviously, there are many great benefits to using a polyester-based fabric for tension fabric solutions, but one value that is often over-looked is that polyester fabric is recyclable.

Polyester, or polyethylene terephthalate (PET), is derived from petroleum-based chemicals; its raw material is crude oil, which is the same source as gasoline.

This is the same make-up that creates products like plastic water bottles, plastic containers and poly pellets. Just like a water bottle, polyester fabric is able to be recycled at the end of its use. In its new life, these polyester fibers can become water bottles, toys, carpet or a host of other polyester infused products.

While customers can take part in recycling programs for their tension fabric and frame properties, there are many practices that take place behind the scenes in the manufacturing process.

For example, paper that is used for the dye sublimation transfer process, craft paper, scrap polyester fabric and metal are all recyclable. As an example of the impact recycling can have, in 2013 Fabric Images, Inc. recycled 42,000 8

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pounds of aluminum, 39,000 pounds of polyester fabric and 134,000 pounds of paper. All of this recycling allowed for the preservation of natural resources, while keeping our landfills 215,000 pounds lighter.

Giving your tension fabric properties a new life is something that only YOU can control.

“...ONE VALUE THAT IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED IS THAT POLYESTER FABRIC IS RECYCLABLE.�

Setting sustainability practices for temporary fabric solutions is a critical aspect to any business plan. By keeping these properties out of the waste stream, we are helping to preserve our limited natural resources. Sold yet on recycling?

RECYCLING PRACTICES LEAD TO NEW LIFE THE SUSTAINABLE BENEFITS OF FABRIC ARCHITECTURE CAN BE REACHED THROUGH PRACTICE AND COMMITMENT.

ASK ABOUT INCORPORATING TEXTILES CONTAINING RECYCLED FIBERS INTO YOUR NEXT SOLUTION.

Taking advantage of recycling programs is critical in aiding the fight against trash. As a manufacturer, Fabric Images, Inc. has set benchmarks for environmental sensitivity in their processes and procedures falling under their Environmental Stewardship Initiative. Within this program falls ReLife Recycling, a program dedicated to the recycling of out-of-use Fabric Images’ properties. This program is a tool to support their customers’ efforts in helping the environment. The ReLife Recycling program gives new life to old products, by keeping tension fabric properties out of the waste stream.

Recycling is a two-way street. Yes, you should recycle your tension fabric solutions, BUT it is also important to include recycling in your everyday practices. The aluminum cans you drink from may just end up in the stick of aluminum supporting your architecture. Or, the plastic water bottles you go through daily might start their next life in the fibers of your clothing or in the skin of your tension structure.

There are many polyester textiles available that contain a blend of recycled PET fibers. These fibers originate from items that YOU recycle. By incorporating recycled fibers into fabric, rather than relying solely on virgin fibers, the use of our natural crude oil resources is minimized. Ask about incorporating textiles containing recycled fibers into your next tension fabric solution. This one step goes a long way in preserving our natural resources.

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DESIGN ANYTHING?

JUST RENT.

Customization of one-off solutions doesn’t mean that a brand must purchase custom or rent a less then desirable stock solution. The FreeStyle Rental program challenges the event establishment.

Every designer knows that they put their fingerprint or unique signature on everything they do. Creative individuals are driven to produce experiences, graphics and environments that are compelling and memorable solutions to both their target audiences and the clients they are designing for. Today’s design landscape has been compromised by the “easy”, thoughtless, budget-driven scenarios of the ready-made industry of stock fabric structures. Brand managers are demanding individualized ideas and solutions, not canned responses or out of touch pre-designed elements. This is the most forward thinking benefit of the FreeStyle Rental program. You now have back the control you once had, designing what is in your mind, and not what is in some vendor’s catalog of cheaply copied knock-offs. Memorable experiences should be talked about and have those AH-HA moments, using FreeStyle Rental you can create the amazing, the memorable and the extraordinary. If you are able to deliver those types of descriptions in your next design solution, why would you reach for a stock product that someone else has already used to death?

Stock vs. Custom

In a generation where it pays to stand out, it has become more and more difficult to do so in the event and exhibition industries. Budget so often dictates design that many brands have become dependent on stock, off-the-shelf, display products. While many times this is a necessity due to budget, it also pigeonholes the brand into a corner of mediocrity.

With the shift that has taken place in the way consumers / audiences now expect to be marketed to, the influence of the stock environment does not stand out. For a brand to be noticed, it must 10

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capture the audience in a unique and unexpected way. That is where Fabric Images’ FreeStyle Rental program comes in.

The FreeStyle Rental program was developed to allow designers to design and brands to differentiate themselves. The premise of the program? Any material; Any metal; Any design. Combined, the result is a truly unique experience that speaks to the brand persona while capturing the attention of the audience. That is an obvious benefit for any brand, but the most notable facet is that although

Improve ROI on your program

Ship globally

Put your dollars where you want

Optimize manufacturing

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custom, the FreeStyle Rental program saves up to 40% on cost compared to purchase.

Brands are taking advantage of this cost-effective method of custom, self-expression based, rental.

It is allowing for a higher quality of connection with the audience and is setting a precedent for the brand. Individualized environments are critical in representing a brand and creating connection points with the audience.

Stock shapes? I think not!

I am not sure when ordinary became extraordinary, but it must have with the emergence of the abundance of companies that carry stock fabric displays. Yes, I mentioned “carried� because there is only a handful of companies that actually produce the fames. Someone else is printing and someone else is sewing and fitting the skins to the frames, so what are you really getting? I am willing to bet that it isn’t quality when you sell in mass quantity.

Only you can decide what is best for your brand.

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POLY BURLAP

RELINK 10

SUNBRELLA UNITY

CRUSHED GEM

66” wide woven fabric made from 100% polyester. Offered in a number of standard colors, the tan and grey colors provide the look of real burlap while taking dye sublimation printing beautifully. Poly Burlap is a material utilizing modern yarns while maintaining a beautiful heritage feel.

124” wide knit fabric with a subtle luster on the face, resulting in printed graphics that really pop! Constructed from a blend of Reprieve ® and virgin polyester yarns, this material meets the FTC guidelines for a recycled product and has a great luster on the face.

60” wide acrylic material made from 50% recycled post-industrial waste. The five beautiful vintage-inspired heathered colors can bring an element of sophistication to your outdoor shade environments. The canvaslike hand implies durability and strength.

105” wide, lightweight fabric with a fantastic crushed finish that adds interest. Able to be used with a number of finishing techniques including pole pockets, pillowcase, SEG, and zipper pockets; this material makes drapes beautifully with a slight luster that really shimmers with lighting.

Material SPARK ALWAYS ASK: Textiles don’t just come in white for printing. In our RESOURCE CENTER we have a host of options and colors to choose from 12

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Ask and you shall receive, via email or phone. We are happy to send out samples upon request.

The Material SPARK is the translation of the characteristics held within materials to the environments which they decorate. From rugged to sleek to timeless sophistication, our hope is that the Material Spark will ignite the spark in your design.

A spark is caused when two objects touch together with a flow of energy to ignite a fire. A spark can also be a passion that gives your life meaning or purpose. It helps unleash energy to make a unique contribution to the world.

Material Sparks strive to create this same great energy within unique environments. Designing with these textiles in mind will help elevate your solutions in a sophisticated, bold, fun, inventive, socially conscious, or edgy way. Experiential branding for distinguished clients is an innovative, growing field of design and your materials need to keep up pace.

The team at Fabric Images is on an unending quest for great textiles to fit every type of environment. Because of the multi-sensory nature of fabric, each embodies lots of personality. From rugged, natural to sleek to timeless sophistication, our hope is that the Material Spark will be the flint to ignite the spark in your design.

There are thousands of fabrics available and we anticipate that just the right custom collection awaits your project. If you see a material that sparks an idea, contact Fabric Images to get more details, options, and samples to keep the energy flowing.

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5 Reasons textile-based designs are the hottest trend in Experiential event solutions?

Custom Organic Shapes

Tension fabric structures have the ability to abstractly morph to the needs of the brand or environment, a characteristic that not many construction methods have. Adding curvature to a space allows for fluidity and visual interest.

Interactive Spaces

Many technologies can be easily integrated with fabric architecture. Incorporating interactive projections and projection mapping is becoming more common in environments. Textile offerings are available that present an ideal surface for accepting many technologies all while being presented as visually stylized architecture.

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Custom Organic Shapes Interactive Spaces Material Enhancement Experiential Appeal Logisitcal Flexibility

Material Enhancement

Fabric selection has the ability to greatly enhance the overall brand experience. Fabric is available in a vast range of opacities, textures and visual personalities.

Choosing a fabric that speaks to the brand it is representing creates an added level of connection with the participant.

Experiential Appeal

What every brand desires is for a participant to have a positively memorable experience. Defining those distinctive experiences can be done through the incorporation of unique textiles, technology integration and even the architecture itself. The possibilities for connection points are endless.

Logisitcal Flexibility

Fabric architecture allows for easy transport between venues. The structures break down for shipment, and the combination of aluminum and fabric has significantly less weight compared to other substrates. The space and weight saved during shipping saves on shipping costs and has less environmental impact.

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STRETCH LACE: FINESSE PATTERN

STRETCH LACE: CHARMING PATTERN

STRETCH LACE: ROMANCE PATTERN

The larger scale lilly pad flower pattern on this material looks great in a neon green shade, layered over a turquoise spandex with similar stretch. It provides an unexpected, yet welcome design element when natural whimsy is desired. The Finesse pattern has an extra embroidered layer, giving extra texture and depth.

Classic elegance, with a little bit of intrigue, the Charming pattern of stretch lace has a vintage daisy pattern that allows for some see through to more private spaces. The pattern has a great country, southern charm wihile still maintaining grace. It is avalible in an array of colors.

The miniature leaf and flower pattern becomes especially entrancing when used double thick in the Romance pattern. It has a delicate look, but also a great stretch for forming around unique shapes. Offered in neon pink, bright blue, neon orange, bright green, black, ivory, and white, the possibilites go on.

“Every material does not work for every application, but each unique material is perfect for specific applications. Find those and your space will truly rise to the next level�

-Valerie Cuchna, Material Resources Liaison

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TRENDING

What’s your

Number, Letter. Statement Trending in fabric architecture. BIG IDEAS, DIMENSIONAL Visual Statements Sometimes we have to raise our voice to be heard. For marketers, this takes a little creativity, and for brands it takes boldness. We live in an age where we are oversaturated with flashy technology and loud noise. Where this was once mesmerizing, it now no longer phases our senses. What will work for a brand experience is not written on the wall. It’s in the ideas that will generate an emotional connection.

What is working for events is creating impactful brand association. This does not mean wallpapering with logos, but instead incorporating discrete connection points that differentiate the brand experience.

That is where fabric architecture comes in.

Frame and tension fabric allow a brand to tell a story. Sometimes to drive a message, that story has to be shouted. Case in point, large numerals. These over-sized statements are an unexpected form of

brand association. They play off of this fascination we have for objects that are unconventionally large. The shape, color and message all reflect the personality of the brand they represent. This experiential form of design has the ability to tell an extraordinary story.

Don’t let fear keep you from dialing in that statement for your event. Take a risk, go big and be heard.

Giant’s Giant launch of a new wheel For their annual event and launch or their newest wheel, Giant went all out in the dressing of their space.

Designed by BHawkins for Giant, these free-standing numerals stand at 10 feet in height. The numerals were stylized after the brand’s font and depict new product messaging in an unexpected, larger-than-life way. Although the space was filled with a plethora of fabric graphics, the ’27.5’ was a show stopper. The design showcases using fabric architecture, without graphics, as messaging. Although slated for just one event, Giant quickly decided to integrate the architecture into additional events to allow a larger audience to be impacted by the experience.

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Say it loud MAKE A POINT As part of a product demo for the BMW Mini Cooper, the “YOU” acted as a sculptural icon where participants were encouraged to write their comments.

Artistic Attruim HANGING 5’S The illuminated 555’s were located in the atrium for a new corporate high rise in San Francisco, acting as an identifier from the street view below.

Store Front WINDOW DRESSING Opening to the public with a gift-wrapped experience was Louis Vuitton’s approach to their latest store opening in Mexico City.

Intentionally Bold 1 BIG ASS “A” Attendees could not miss the event for the Audi test drive with this architecture marking the way. Soaring at 22 feet high, the ‘A1’ set the precedent for the event.

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FEATURE+

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Writers of the story Valerie Cuchna & Fabu Fi

PureTENSION The “PURE Tension� Volvo Pavilion, a solar powered, temporary charging station created through a collaboration with Synthesis Design + Architecture (SDA), Buro Happold (BH), and Fabric Images (FI), is a lightweight, rapidly deployable, tensioned membrane structure and portable charging station commissioned by Volvo Car Italia to showcase the new Volvo V60 Hybrid Electric Diesel car. This structure was developed through a collaborative process of rigorous R&D that investigated methods of dynamic mesh relaxation, geometric rationalization, membrane paneling, and material performance.

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178 strategically placed Photovoltaic cells were incorporated into the architecture via removable leaflets.

Architectural Patterning & Forming

Wire management for the main power to the battery source was run down the center spine of the fabric covering.

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The collaboration between SDA and Fabric Images proved to be a match made in heaven.

While SDA and Buro Happold focused on digital methodologies for determining the pavilions shape and engineered form, Fabric Images focused on a hands-on approach to form-finding through the development of scale mock-ups and prototyping the integation of materials and technology. The process relied heaviliy on the personality for the material and fabrication techniques that FI has developed through their years of experience in fabric architectural solutions.

A very hands-on approach was applied to a highly empirical process of physical formfinding through these prototypes that allowed Fabric Images to use the digital models supplied by SDA and BH as the foundation for a series of fabricated form-finding tests where FI recreated the digital geometries in physical form to test them for various methods for identifying seam locations, connection details, and integration of the photovoltaic panels onto the shape of the overall form.

Fabric Images’ team of material engineers and designers utilized a tried and true material called Miller Mesh for the formation of the inital shape and the project’s requirement of a photovoltaic grid to be incorporated or applied within the patterning of the Miller Mesh. Fabric Images was unable to use traditional tensile patterning techniques for the output of the mesh panels. Because

of this dynamic, Buro Happold and SDA’s digital form was exploded into non-uniform quadrilaterals to allow for the digital mesh to become successfully unrolled into hundreds of “quilting” tiles that were then cut on FI’s CNC fabric cutter. The tolerances were critical to holding the shape properly so small variances were built into each tile so that sewing adjustments could be made on the 1:1 scale mock-up.

Once Fabric Images had the 3” round aluminum frame erected, the technologically infused textile tiles were sewn together and stretched onto the frame in two mirrored sections. Once the slack of the funnels was

THE PROCESS RELIED HEAVILY ON THE PERSONALITY OF THE MATERIAL AND FABRICATION TECHNIQUES THAT FI HAS DEVELOPED THROUGH THEIR YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN FABRIC ARCHITECTURAL SOLUTIONS. shored-in through sewing modifications, and the envelope around the V-60 was achieved, Fabric Images dismantled the mesh skin in order to make offset measurements that defined the proper parameters for the amorphous photovoltaic panels to be fabricated.

The photovoltaic panels were produced in tandem with the production of the reengineered mesh skin. The photovoltaic panels were attached to the skin via a substrate of a scaled-down series of “quilting” tiles cut from black mesh. The photovoltaic panels were then wired together in parallel and it’s appendages fished through and concealed by fabric “conduits” along the perimeters of the “quilting” tiles.

Material Selection Textiles selected for the project were chosen because of their balance of performance and aesthetic appearance. The base material is a white mesh knit textile with ¼” hope openings named Miller Mesh. The 100% polyester fiber makeup of Miller Mesh means that the material is naturally resistant to microorganisms and insects. This version of the material has a #3 stiffner finish applied to provide additional dimensional stability while still maintaining some flexibility for transport and handling. The hole size allows for easy viewing through the space, allowing plenty of light penetration while still allowing for the creation of a dramatic flowing form.

A secondary material that is sewn to the solar panels and affixed to the Miller Mesh is a 15 oz/ linear yard fabric designed for long term outdoor awning use. Made from a vinyl laminated on a weft insertion scrim base of high tenacity filament polyester, Coastline Plus offers a high level of strength and dimensional stability. Coastline Plus will not shrink, sag, stretch, or start to pocket, unlike other awning fabrics. It is mildew, stain, and dirt repellant, also critical for a traveling outdoor environment. Coastline Plus in black has a similar luster and pattern on the backside to the solar panels. Given that all the panels were the same square size while the design called for skewed rectangles of a variety of sizes, the precision cutting of Coastline Plus allowed for replication of the design without compromising the performance of the solar panels.

A final textile that plays an important, though not as noticeable role in the completion of this project, is 45” Super Stretch Spandex. This material is utilized around the entire perimeter of the shape. Because of the organic nature of the structure, this pocket material allows a slight amount of elastic stretch for ease of fabric application. Made from 90% nylon and 10% spandex, this 9.9 oz.sq yard fabric acts as a large rubber band, snapping the piece in place around the perimeter frame.

The frame used for this project was remarkable in its simplistic design. All typical cross bracing was eliminated in the design

A total of 518 tiles of Miller Mesh fabric were essentially quilted together, combining tension and shape.

To secure the Photovoltaic cells to the architecture, each was mounted to leaf-shaped panels of black vinyl.

Along the perimeter, a pocket of Spandex was in place to allow the fabric to easily attach to the perimeter framework.

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stages and the frame was used only to hold the perimeter shape while the tensioned fabric made up the rest. A 3� round aluminum tube was selected for the strength of the wall thickness, the inherently lightweight nature of aluminum, and the ability to dissemble into smaller pieces easily for transport.

Patterning and Planning Without careful, detailed patterning, this project would not have been possible. Using Rhino, the design rendering was broken down into 600 pieces to essentially create a grand scale three dimensional quilt shape. The direction of the fabric for each of the pieces cut was important to insure even and accurate stretch. The shape of the pieces was vital to creating an implied grid pattern as part of the overall design. Each piece was given letter and number combination within the program that carried over into the actual assembly to keep the pieces organized.

Team members tirelessly worked with our modern manufacturing equipment to meticulously cut the pieces and label for sewing. The precision cutter insured that the tiles were all cut to exacting specifications, allowing for future duplication. A paper copy of the layout helped operators locate and label pieces correctly.

Construction Details Given the outdoor nature of the project, certain details were put in place to increase the strength and durability.

A bonded, twisted, continuous filament nylon thread was selected for the stitching. The Tex 70 thickness was carefully chosen because of the combination of physical strength while being engineered to withstand needle heat and abrasion. This nylon thread is unaffected by mildew and rot. Beyond the butt stitching to attach the pieces together, a second top stitch was applied to provide additional seam reinforcement.

One detail that could easily be overlooked was the wire management. Each solar panel had to be hard wired together into a grid which could power the Volvo automobile. Since so much care was taken in the construction of the fabric and frame piece, it was extremely important to maintain a specific appearance which did not include clusters of white, blue, black and red wires running over the surface. To address this, the team constructed decorative, functional wire housings using a clear vinyl with an outer layer of Miller Mesh. The Miller Mesh outside provided a chameleon effect while the vinyl allowed the wires to easily be run through.

Always mindful of the need to assemble and dismantle the tensioned architecture, a zipper was placed along the entire run, dividing the cover into two pieces. Not only did this allow for easier assembly with only half the fabric lifted at a time, but also for easier packaging to reduce the chance that folding would occur in the solar panels.

Also taken into consideration was the need to replace or remove the solar panels. Because of this, a special hardware piece was attached at the four corners of each vinyl panel and was inserted through the Ÿ� holes of the mesh for a secure, yet still flexible attachment.

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The success of the Volvo Pure Tension Pavilion was the fusion of textiles, metal & tech.

MEMBRANE SKIN

PAVILION METALOLOGY

Typically used for ceiling applications, 120” wide Miller Mesh with ¼” openings is a versatile textile. At a sharp angle, the fabric looks more solid, while straight on there is a high level of transparency; creating unique visual interest.

Even further, a playful moiré effect emerges when viewing two or more layers together.

To meet the structural integrity required to be self-supporting, the perimeter frame structure was formed using 3” diameter aluminum tube. The frame was bent to shape based on engineer drawings that pre-determined the curvature and cut points. After broken down for shipping, the frame reassembled with a tight sex-bolt connection.

RENEWABLE TECHNOLOGY Paper thin flexible solar cells that use CIGS (Copper indium gallium selenide) technology were integrated into the architecture.

These cells were laminated to a durable non-woven vinyl substrate and then attached to the Miller Mesh fabric. Although their sun to electricity efficiency ranges around 16% to 21%, their paper thinness, durability and adaptability to flexible organic shaped materials such as fabric, make up for this.

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Transforming the

OLD into NEW

In with the NEW

The space that was chosen for this particular event was a blank slatedrab and rustic in appearance.

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Debuting at EIMA in October of 2012, this space consisted of four 21ft tall arches and a graphic 60ft in length.

Utilizing fabric architecture allowed for a cost sensitive solution that would hold up to the desired integrity of the brand. Each custom designed structure was carefully crafted using 2� diameter tubing. The arches, averaging 21ft in height, were built with minimal internal support to minimize the visibility of structure when lit. To meet the color requirements, all fabric

was printed using a dye sublimation print process. The end result provided a classic ambiance and memorable experience for the attendees.

Purposeful Scale

The event incorporated a press conference, which the end user organizes within every larger-scale show they take part in globally. The space that was chosen for this particular event was a blank slatedrab and rustic in appearance. It was up to the architecture inside to dress

Project Descriptive: Illuminated Event Space Date Completed: October 3, 2012 Approx. Sq. Footage 2400sf Project Location Bologna, Italy Fabrics Used: PES Stretch (Celtic) Design: Francesco Mansueto Architect Fabrication: Fabric Images Europe Project Manager: Fabric Images Europe / Tecnolegno

and define the brand, while shrouding the internal facade of the building itself .

Simply Covered

To accomplish the re-dressing of the space, four dimensional arches were incorporated into the main space that would shroud the space both vertically and horizontally. By utilizing fabric over frame, the outcome was serene and popping with the incorporation of internal up lighting. Even with the added lighting, the printed color remained consistent between lit and

non-lit areas. Across from the arches, a large, 60ft long fabric graphic, was displayed, depicting graphically the image of the brand. The design of the space, although unique, had to stay consistent from one event to the next.

There is a defined line of inspiration between the projects, but based on the venue, the architecture would require the ability to morph between events. To save on cost, the structure of each unit is designed in a way that allows for reconfiguration from one event to the next.

The Resulting Impact

The feedback received after the event regarding the dĂŠcor was very positive. After the success of the first event, we were appointed the official manufacturer for all press conference events. This will entail a fresh design in each location consisting primarily of fabric architecture, keeping the look and feel consistent from one event to the next.

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A solution by Fabric Images International

Speaking of Noise A hexagon symbolizes communication, interfacing, balance and union The Festival of Festivals

During the Festivales de Acapulco, the hexagon was a prominent symbol as it united the crowd for celebration.

Located in the south garden, this hexagonal stage faรงade visually stimulated attendees as they partook in the pleasures of the festival. With the incorporation of 60 hexagons, the 28

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faรงade was designed to decorate the stage while hiding the speakers and mechanicals and allowing a surface for theatrical lighting and projection. With big-name acts in place, the faรงade acted as a visually enticing showstopper that created new memories for those who attended.

What was the purpose of this project? What did the client request?

The multi-faceted stage faรงade remained in place for the duration of the nine day event. During the day, the honey-comb-like panels mystified the stage front by softly filtering the sunlight while shrouding the sound

Project Title: Hexagonal Façade at the Fest Date Completed: May 25, 2012

Sixty tension fabric hexagons added dimension and pizazz to the stage set at the Festival de Acapulco.

Approx. Sq. Footage 7000sf Project Location Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico Fabrics Used: Deauville Mesh Engineer: Fabric Images Internacional

system. At night it was all about the show. With lighting and projection bouncing off of the angles of the panels, playing with light and shadow, it turned into an electrifying abundance of color and excitement.

The material selection had to meet the visual requirements of translucency and surface quality for projection, while withstanding the breezy beach winds. The material that met these specifications was Deauville Mesh.

The openness of the mesh allowed for the passage of wind, while the hand of the material and minimal size of the opening gave the translucency that was desired and enhanced the effects of integrated lighting and projection.

What is unique or complex about the project?

Giving shape to the façade was the structure itself. Each of the 60 hexagons was individually crafted with 2” diameter aluminum tube. The structures were tied off to scaffolding, which kept the configuration intact in a manner that was safe to the performers, staff and attendees. By creating each hexagon as a separate modular component, the client would

Design: Juan Manuel Garcia Bernal / Televisa Chapultepec Fabrication: Fabric Images Internacional

Between events, the hexagons break down for shipment, saving on storage costs and allowing for easy transport.

Deauville Mesh is a polyester based fabric that has roughly 30% openness. Its naturally breathable personality and durable hand make it a great fit for many temporary outdoor installations.

The hexagon shapes were formed with the use of 2” diameter aluminum tube. The lightweight personality of the metal enabled the units to be easily mounted to the scaffolding behind.

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THE OPENNESS OF THE MESH ALLOWED FOR THE PASSAGE OF WIND AND PROVIDED THE DESIRED TRANSLUCENCY.

MODULAR BENEFITS OF THE DESIGN ARE FELT LONG AFTER THIS ONE EVENT. Modularity is a design aspect that allows for diversity between events by making simple modifications in the layout of already existing display elements. The Acapulco Fest facade contains a type of modularity that allows the individual components to be used in multiple fashions from event to event without obstructing the structure or fabric.

The hexagons are a combination of flat and dimensional.

These variations, when mixed together and hit with lighting, allow for endless layout combinations. Although the shape of each component does not change, it is easy to give each stage a new and interesting look.

be able to utilize them again for various events and in different configurations.

Between events, the hexagons break down for shipment, saving on storage costs and allowing for easy transport.

What were the results of the project?

During the live broadcasts of the event, the stage faรงade made a television splash. The combination of the fabric with projections added a visual interest that was experienced even by the viewers at home.

For the client, the lightweight nature of the structure and the ease of set up greatly decreased the costs in which they had become accustomed to in past years with other alternative solutions. Additionally, with the modular aspects and flexible features of the units, the set will be used in future events in varying configurations.

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tac·tion (tāk’shən) n. The act of touching; contact.

Why will UX design ultimately shift from artificial to real user interaction, because human crave stimulation and touching glass doesn’t do IT for them. That’s why! Plus our sense of sight has become watered down and it is the sense of touch that will validate reality in future brand experiences.

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TACTION: Using Expressive touch DESIGNING for Humaninteractionnot artificial touch points Charles Darwin observed in The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animal that “the same state of mind is expressed throughout the world with remarkable uniformity; and this fact is in itself interesting as evidence of the close similarity in bodily structure and mental disposition of all the races of mankind.” So from his observations he concluded that there is an incredible uniform trait that we as humans have in common; we all emote. What Darwin is suggesting is that we have common emotional reactions that guide us through life’s journeys. We are born ready to translate emotion. It is our first form of communication; it is our native tongue so to speak. This primal communication evolves as our senses are heightened and put to the test throughout our interactions with life’s experience. This basic form of interaction allows us to make contact with each other on a completely unseen level.

ENGAGE EMOTIONS Personality is a powerful engagement tool.

Combine the use of unique materials with a clever brand journey, and you will delightfully capture the attention of “Joe” public.

Emotional Design has a primary function as defined by Aaron Walter’s Design For Emotion; it is “to facilitate human-to-human communication.”

I’d like you to pause for a moment, and recall a person with whom you recently made a real connection. Maybe you met them while taking a walk, while at an event, or maybe a friend introduced you, and you struck up an ensuing conversation. It was engaging, interesting and maybe even fun. What was it about that person that made the conversation so exhilarating?

You probably had common interests that sparked discussion, but that wasn’t what made the encounter so memorable. It was their personality that drew you to them, that guided the discussion and left you feeling excited. Your personalities intersected in shared jokes, tone of voice, and the cadence of the conversation. This experience allowed you to drop your guard and start an informal trust of this person, maybe. Personalities foster these connections and serve as the platform for emotional attachment. Hold onto that memory, and carry it through this article. That feeling is what we’re trying to craft utilizing emotional design thinking.

We’ll create that feeling of excitement and we’ll bond with our audience by designing a personality that our architectural interface or experience will embody. Let’s think of our designs not as a façade for interaction, but as people with whom our audience can have an inspired conversation or emotional connection. Products are people, too.

If we are making the product our people, then we need to create a space that houses our people. We need to dress the brand in a relatable fashion as to connect to the audience that is seeking or finding this new connection. Our fashion is dictated by our

“the same state of mind is expressed throughout the world with remarkable uniformity; and this fact is in itself interesting as evidence of the close similarity in bodily structure and mental disposition of all the races of mankind.”

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Joseph Campbell wrote, “What people seek is not the meaning of life but the experience of being alive.”

material selection and the interactive platform in which you are connecting through. It is a common practice to focus on interactivity through the use of the technology because that is what the design and marketing industry deems as the primary delivery tool of interactivity. The current school of thought believes technology creates a richer more dramatic environment for the respondent, the designer and the market researcher. However, if you look at brand experiences through the lenses of science and psychology, brand emersion takes on a much more lasting and intimate connection to the audience and the memories that can become embedded permanently in the minds of the participants. The incorporation of touch with the use of materials that encourage interaction can produce a much longer lasting memory then just a few hand gestures or finger swipes on a glass screen.

MIND OVER MATTER Joseph Campbell wrote, “What people seek is not the meaning of life but the experience of being alive.” Just what is Interaction Design? Positioning people at the heart of an interactive experience always causes me to pause and wonder how they came 34

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to this crossroads of the experience.

What is this emerging profession called interaction design anyway? And in what ways are people and the quality of their experiences made an intrinsic part of the design process? You would have to understand people before you could design for them. This is a prime reason that I think designers overthink the experience. They don’t understand that people like to explore on their own and not be lead around by the nose like a cow. The driving function that designers must keep at the top of the list of experiential requirements is what will delight the customer. Hooking the audience is easy and we can accomplish that with visual cues. Getting them to attach a memory to the experience is the quest for the Holy Grail. Remember I asked you to keep a memory of that new person you met and the conversation you might have had. Now add to that the fact that you both are visually impaired. How would you interact then?

We are surrounded by visual noise all the time, so it is easy for us to overlook or treat our sense of site as a lazy connection or be put off by what we are seeing. We have lost our curiosity within most brand experiences.

BUT what if you added the sense of touch

Open systems encourage people to use their imagination to create a personalized experience.

or scent as the primary connection portal, now what happens? Visual surprise can help users by compressing emotion into a split-second reaction; anticipation— surprise’s temporal opposite—can also shape emotional engagement. The sense of touch is our new anticipation. It allows the audience to experience something on a deeper 1:1 relation, rather than being herded like cattle which is what happens when we design with the sense of sight and hearing as our hook to enter the brand experience.

“SANTA IS COMING TO OUR HOUSE SOON!” Everyone likes the feeling of anticipation; it evokes a chemical reaction that forces us to react, hopefully in a good way. In the world of gaming, anticipation is what game designers call an open system. Games designed with an open structure, like The Sims, allow users to wander and shape game play on their own terms. Open systems encourage people to use their imagination to create a personalized experience. Video games that use a closed system, like Super Mario Brothers, narrowly direct game play, forcing BLEND

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Consider the power of touch. We can smell the roses, we can see the roses, but only by touch do we know they are roses.

Interact with this or this? ...introducing alternative senses into the audience’s external world affords the experience a unique avenue to develop a lasting impression for the participant

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the user to move in a specific direction on a defined mission. The contrast between open and closed systems is what leads us so often to perceive that reading a book is better than seeing the movie. Books require our imagination to tell the story, but movies do all the imagining for us.

Utilizing tactile or sensory enhancing textiles allows the participant to develop their own interpretation of what is behind the overall experience. Textiles allow this open system anticipation that encourages us to use our imagination to form an image of the brand experience. Creating anticipation has a much greater influence on people than simply laying out the details, as tantalizing uncertainty leaves the mind to play in a manner most relevant to the individual, not the space or experience. Something special awaits at the end of the anticipation moment, which creates a powerful yearning to end the mystery and see if the outcome meets the expectations. This explorative journey before the journey requires a designer to think about the subliminal touch points throughout the experience to influence the desired expectation which should be a lasting connection to the brand itself.

TACTION - THE ACT OF TOUCHING If you haven’t connected the dots to this brand activation idea, there is another way, however on the surface you would think it is NOT related to interactivity at all. BUT

you would be incorrect. It’s called “face of the brand” (FOTB), and rather than using a logo or slick graphic visual to make a simple statement, it invites the participant into a more complex, dimensional story that is meant to be interpreted individually. Textiles offer this dimensional dialogue with the brand and the audience. By dressing the brand in a tactile sensory experience you are encouraging the journey and anticipation in and around the experience. Seamlessly broadcasting across a visual platform is easy and expected. A lot of companies have ‘relationships’, ‘service’, and ‘innovation’, and even if their attributes are unique they lack realism. Creating a higher level of interaction by embedding the use of smart textiles or tactile materials allows the participant to create a personalized connection with the experience that can only be measured by increased brand loyalty or purchase power.

Psychologically speaking, introducing alternative senses into the audience’s external world affords the brand experience a unique avenue to develop a lasting impression for the participant. In the Annual Review of Sociology, 1978, J.T Mortimer concluded that the role of touch emphasizes an advanced knowledge, emotional control, creativity and a sense of reality for any audience that incorporates the act of touching into an informational gathering exercise. Meaning, if an attendee

can touch and interact with some tactile stimulus they are more likely to connect a lasting bridge of remembrance to the place, person or activity they are engaged with. One actual application that can create a taction moment is the introduction of perceptual textured-based materials. The attendee’s sense of sight is validated by their sense of touch. Seeing is believing but touching is validating.

In conclusion, remember when I asked you to remember a recent encounter with an individual that left a lasting impression on you? Well, equate that to the expansive world of textiles. Each and every material has unique traits and personalities that evoke an emotional response. Some materials might be chameleon in nature, but once you take the leap and apply them in your experiential design you will see how pleasurable a tactile environment can be on both the sense of touch and sight. Understanding the details of dressing any brand will take a deep knowledge of what materials are relatable to the participants of the experience. You would NOT utilize burlap if you were defining an experience around Charmin tissues.

Choosing the proper materials will help ensure that the brand experience you are designing will meet the brand’s expectation.

Ultimately this idea of activation is really about captivation. You can’t do that if you are dressing your brand in the same old tired materials. Think TOUCH, Think ACTION.

Why the act of touching is paramount in experience design...

“MOST TECHNOLOGICAL EXPERIENCES—INCLUDING DIGITAL AND, ESPECIALLY, ONLINE EXPERIENCES—HAVE PALED IN COMPARISON TO REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCES AND HAVE BEEN RELATIVELY UNSUCCESSFUL AS A RESULT.” - NATHAN SHEDROFF

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RELINK 15: VARIABLE 1 Large, bold, seamless graphics on Relink 15 are great for trade shows.

The warp knit fabric is wrinkle resistant and flame retardant.

ORANGE HEXIMESH: VARIABLE 2 3/8� Open Holes make up this durable vibrant orange mesh. Typically used for ceilings, athletic gear, and even laundry bags; HexiMesh is also a great fit for creating layered effects.

DIMENSIONAL IMPACT THROUGH LAYERING: THE RESULT Layered, these two materials exponentially increase their dimensional impact. A three dimensional viewing area is created which begs for tactile interactions. Imagine this effect used as part of a stage for a race or athletic event.

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POWDER COATING: VARIABLE 1 Powder coating, a no VOC process for applying color to metal, is avalible in a number of shades including Almond. When framework is exposed, this technique really produces a finished look.

SHEER STRETCH MESH: VARIABLE 2 Designed for use in costumes and swimwear, Ivory Sheer Stretch mesh has a high level of transparency and stretch that is easily tranferable into event spaces.

SOPHISTICATED TONE ON TONE: THE RESULT Talk about ambiance, this unique structure from square powdercoated aluminum and a single layer skin of sheer stretch mesh allows for an intimate, warm, sophisticated environment to pop up in the middle of a bustling community library The tone on tone look allowed patrons to have a semi-private reading nook without feeling confined or disrupting the other architectural elements within the space.

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