An exploration to integrate pliable textile and rigid metal properties within hybrid self-supporting woven forms using selective finishing

This practice-based research aims to integrate and control pliable anisotropic textile properties with rigid isotropic metal properties in self-supporting three-dimensional woven forms. When constructing self-supporting form using textiles, the drape and pliability can become compromised, for example, when placed under high tensile force, or a rigid finishing process is applied. This inquiry aims to improve the integration and control of the pliability and rigidity within metallised woven hybrid self-supporting forms. The methodology uses woven textile design methods and thinking, combined with industrial textile production and engineering techniques, to form integrated cognitive problem-solving spaces during practice-based experimentation and reflection. The design and making of the woven textiles are inextricably linked with the finishing process. This extends Seitamaa-Hakkarainen and Hakkarainen's (2001) dual-space parallel processing to incorporate a third specific thinking space: finishing. This is described as a Design-make Tri-space that is used as a research framework when problem-solving during this material investigation. My research question explores my hypothesis that using an experienced weaver’s parallel processing method could offer an alternative finishing technique to previous metallisation of textiles. This approach simultaneously considers the composition and construction of a woven textile with the finishing process. In my collaboration with industry a second research framework was used: Tri-space Roles. The roles of academic researcher, designer collaborating with industry and apprentice were integrated to become one interconnected role. Three case studies demonstrate how using different making and finishing sequences control and refine the properties of the hybrid forms. Qualitative haptic interaction was used to evaluate the relationship between the pliable fabric and the rigidity created by the finishing process. This research contributes new knowledge to the metallisation of textiles by establishing a new making process that enables the control of selective finishing on anisotropic woven textiles. It also proposes that the Design-make Tri-space and the Tri-space Roles problem-solving approaches are frameworks that facilitate parallel processing. These method frameworks have the potential to be modified and used by other design researchers using alternative textile processes, such as knit or embroidery, or other materials focused disciplines, such ceramics or glass

Knowledge in action: blurring the distinction between tacit and explicit knowledge

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