" According to Cynthia McQuaid: "Textiles are an incredible part of our world in ways we don't understand. Plastics were extraordinary and still are. Textiles have been overlooked." (Hales, 2005) Hales further relates the familiarity of technical textiles in the form of "Kevlar, Mylar, Gore-Tex, Teflon and Velcro." (Hales, 2005)
New on the textile scene is 'Vectran' a "muscle fiber made through a process of melt extrusion using liquid ctystal polymer pellets." (Ibid) Another newcomer to the textile industry is "Superline" which has a mass of 36.5 million polyester filaments and has enough strength to hold 4.4 million pounds. The Superline was designed for mooring an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico. Peter Testa, an architect from Santa Monica, California as well as the founding direction of MIT's Emergent Design Group has designed a carbon fiber building. Carbon fibers are being used for various purposes including the design of earthquake-resistant highway overpasses. Testa has designed a 40-story office tower that will be "knitted...of carbon fiber and composites." (Hales, 2005) According to Testa: "We are at a turning point...The science is clear in terms of the environmental consequences of the way we are building." (Hales, 2005)
In an article published by Market Research entitled: "Architectural Textiles: World Cup Showcase in 2006 and Beyond" it is stated that the 2006 World Cup 'served as a showcase for the extensive use of architectural textiles in Germany and in fact, many of the stadiums hosting the matches for the world cup "feature roofing and support structures made from high performance textiles." (Market Research, 2006) Hightex and Covertex, two of the world largest designers of buildings using textiles are headquartered in Germany. Architectural textiles are generally produced from woven polyester fabric coated with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) however; other synthetics and coatings are also used. In cases needing extra durability fiberglass fabric is coated with plytetrafluoreethylene (PTFE).
III. The FUTURE of TEXTILES in ARCHITECTURE
The report entitled: "Technical Textiles and Nonwovens: World Market Forecasts to 2010" states that: "Textiles are increasing their market share in construction and architectural applications, where their mechanical properties are equal, or often superior to traditional materials....
They offer desired characteristics such as lightness strength and resilience as well as resistance to many factors such as creep and degradation by chemicals and pollutants in the air." (2007) Additionally related is that the use of textiles in buildings in on the increase as well as the use of textiles for design of complete structures. Textile use is expected to be particularly high in developing regions of the world. Restraint in the use of these materials is due to "lack of experience with these products and controls placed over their use in some countries." (Ibid, 2007)
SUMMARY & CONCLUSION
While the use of textiles in architecture is not new it is a fairly new industry in the world market, which is clearly growing by leaps and bounds and driven by necessity and the practicality of the use of textiles in architecture in today's world. Woven fabrics are being used to construct buildings and highway overpasses and in view of the changing face of the world in terms of the climate change and the accompanying effects it only makes good sense to construct buildings and other structures that are more resilient and resistant to environmental factors.
Bibliography
Prvacki, M. (2003) Brickyards and Beehives. Online available at http://www.ulus.org.yu/ENGLISH/Exhibitions/Prvacki_english/Milenko_Prvacki_e.htm.
Rimmer, S. (1997) the Symbolic Form of Architecture. Online available at http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:Yigycmfoc0gJ:scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-494114149741201/unrestricted/etd.pdf+architecture:+textiles+influence,+Gottfried+Semper&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=60&gl=us.
Hales, Linda (2005) When Textiles Go to Extremes. Washington Post. 17 April 2005. Online available at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A56477-2005Apr15.html.
Architectural Textiles: World Cup Showcase in 2006 and Beyond (2007) Textiles Intelligence. Market Research. Online available at http://www.marketresearch.com/product/display.asp?productid=1422175&g=1.
Technical Textiles and Nonwovens: World Market Forecasts to 2010. Fibre 2 Fashion 6 Mar 2007. Online available at http://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article/textile-industry-articles/technical-textiles-and-nonwovens/technical-textiles-and-nonwovens9.asp
Textiles Influence on Architecture
