What is a high-performance material? In this studio, we will look at material performance as a vehicle for design exploration and inquiry.

Looking back at the long and rich history of textiles and aligning it to the latest breakthroughs, we will design innovative applications in which advanced functional fabrics can transform the way we communicate and interact with our environment. 

We will be collaborating with the Advanced Functional Fabrics of America, a non-profit Institute headquartered near the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and one of the latest members of the National Network of Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI) Institutes. Students will learn about specialized fibers with optoelectronic diodes amongst other leaps in advanced fiber technology.

Advanced Functional Fabrics can see, hear, sense, communicate, store and convert energy, regulate temperature, monitor health and change color- giving us a plethora of options.