Three-dimensional (3D) textiles prove characteristics in structures and performance which can be as attractive as to be the main object of a high number of research and applications in specialist markets (from small medical devices to large engineering structure) where the performance demands are severe ([1] in J Eng Fibers Fabr.). Nevertheless, much of the research has come from academia and there are few relatively small companies that, even if have expertise, lack the resources to develop R&D programmes. This prevents to broaden their application and to consolidate their use in new markets ([2] in Advances in 3D Textiles, pp 1-18). The paper aims at exploring the potentialities and future implementations of 3D textiles in architecture and fashion design. Both are fields where the demand to balance requirements of environmental sustainability, low time-consuming production and high performance is emerging, in their own respective scale. A set of more than 10 real case studies are collected and analysed with the aim at underlining the potentialities and the limits of 3D textiles in practice. The overview suggests that a more integrated workflow among modelling and simulation tools and bigger effort from industry to enhance manufacturing options and increase the interest on new material systems, bring about new application such as indoor environmental quality (IEQ) or human body protection.

No abstract

The acoustics of architecture has a large influence on the physical and psychological state of people, impacting on their communication, concentration and behaviour. Nevertheless, the sound issues of the interior of common spaces are often faced in the last stage of the design process, as an accurate acoustic design requires a high level of expertise. Owners, companies, public administration, and so on face this issue by selecting off-the-shelf acoustic panels or furniture, which might not always respond to the acoustic requirements, specific for each space. This leads to unsatisfying acoustic conditions, consequently increasing the initial investment. Nowadays, a new awareness on the topic of architectural acoustics design has pushed towards finding new integrated methodologies able to deliver tailored solutions for the design with sound, which embed performance criteria early in the design phase by means of simulation and computational techniques. This paper describes a workflow developed in the frame of the research project: "EcoAcustica. Sustainable and innovative surfaces for adaptive acoustics", aimed at creating acoustic surfaces and customised to improve the interior acoustics in a global geometry scale. The design of the new ABC Department Digital Fabrication Lab at Politecnico di Milano is used as a case study for the proposed methodology.

No abstract

Persistent poor acoustic conditions can imbalance humans’ psychophysical capabilities. A good acoustic project starts with either correct measurements of the existing acoustic parameters or with the correct hypothesis of new sound conditions. International standards define invasive measurement conditions and procedures that can disturb user activities. For this reason, alternative methodologies have been developed by mounting real-time sound-monitoring devices. Most of the research on these aims to decrease their dimensions in order to be placed in the tight service spaces of modern architecture and to reduce their aesthetic impact on interiors design. In this perspective, this article explores the features and potentialities of textile-based sound sensors (TSS) as they can not only fulfill these needs but can also be used as architectural ornaments by partially wrapping interiors. The ubiquitous of e-textiles for wearable applications has led to increasing the performance of TSS. Therefore, a comparison of the sensitivity values, signal-to-noise ratio and noise floor of sound TSS with sound sensors is presented, which is still missing in the literature. The paper demonstrates how these can be exploited for sound monitoring and can provide valid opportunities for new smart acoustic textiles.