From the Bazaar to Space Architecture: Fabrics Reshape the Human Habitat

This paper is a study of new possibilities for creating and transforming the Human Habitat made feasible by recent materials research characterized especially by lightweight and hybrid textiles. The purpose is to discuss the use of soft cladding materials as significant, Integral components of built spaces and to challenge typical assumptions that textiles only serve as decorative or as add-on elements to the hard or solid surfaces of architectural spaces. The paper discusses examples of interdisciplinary research in art, interior design, and architecture within an historical and theoretical context of the significance of textiles and built environments.