What and When Is the Textile? Extending the Reach of Computation through Textile Expression

The authors of this article argue for 'making time appear' in computational materials and objects so that it can be used to help people become aware of their relation to their environments. [Hallnäs & Redström 2001] As more computational and responsive materials come into play when designing architectural spaces designers might consider opening up the dimension of time to 'make time appear' rather than disappear. [Hallnäs & Redström 2001] Computational materials are materials which transform expression and respond to inputs read by computer programs. Making time appear can have many uses particularly in applications where people can be helped by the awareness of unfolding of time, where the temporality is linked to transformative body experience rather than project efficiency or collapsing distance. If architects, designers, engineers and others could begin to consider and use time as a way to promote reflection then it would be possible to design materials which could expand human thinking through the material itself.