Architecture and Fashion

Research paper by Uttara Rajawat

Under the guidance of Prof. Bhanu Marwaha

Abstract

How may the basic principles of fashion design – pleating, folding, and layering be used as an approach to both
aesthetic and structural aspects in modern architecture?

The aim of this research is to acknowledge the ever-changing nature of fashion and how it relates to architecture
not only in terms of aesthetic principles, but functional and spatial ones as well. This paper also explores the
similarities between architecture and fashion and the fact that both the fields converge towards human comfort
and convenience. Moreover, it shall focus on the techniques of pleating, folding and layering used by fashion
designers which has been incorporated by architects in building facades.

Introduction

The relationship between architecture and fashion is not as far-fetched as one may imagine. Although architecture
seems more static and permanent as compared to the transient nature of fashion, both cater to the needs and
demands of humans. Both the industries are based on structure, shape and aesthetics. These parallel relations, thus
form the starting point of my research.

Contemporary fashion designers and architects are creating innovative designs that are trend setters in the society.
I propose to explore the principles of fashion design and translate them into architectural language.

Methodology

This is a qualitative study based on documentation survey. A theoretical framework has been drawn and enriched
with personal experiences and observations in the fields of fashion design and architecture. Since the topic is quite
vast, the study mainly deals with the concepts of fold applied in both fields.

The Amalgamation:

Fashion houses have commissioned famous architectural firms in order to design their retail spaces. For example,
when Rem Koolhas designed a store for the famous fashion house Prada, he studied everything from their clothing
construction to their display mechanisms and even their global distribution and branding. Now, Koolhas has
revolutionized the Prada empire by designing unique display spaces and even façade that was inspired by a certain
kind of textile patterning.

New York’s Prada Epicentre is not just as

exclusive boutique, it is also a public
space, a gallery, and a performance
space.
  Shelter and identity:
The façade provides a unique identity to the building. In fashion, when clothing is worn aside from the
purpose of “sheltering the body”, a unique identity is created for the person wearing it. Therefore, the
role of façade in architecture and that of fabric in fashion are responsible for providing not just shelter
but also to create an identity for an individual or a group of individuals.
 Creativity:
Both fashion and architecture use the principle of sketching and model making to create new designs,
test the materiality and structure of the building or garment. The two fields initially formulate an idea
which is reached upon by working out its practical requirements. Architects and Fashion designers place
great emphasis on working with model at an early stage, spending hours working on it and making and
re-making until the product seems precise enough.

Fashion designer Yoshiki Hishinuma is

known for using innovative textiles and
unusual shapes in his designs. His Inside-
Out 2-way dress was shown in 2004 the
same year that Toyo Ito’s wonderful
Omotesando building for Tod’s was
completed in Tokyo.

Folding and Pleating

In his book “Complete Pleats” Paul Jackson explains the word ‘pleat’ to be derived from the Greek word plectos
and the Latin pli, plicare, or plex which means to fold. Therefore, the words pleating and folding seem to be
synonym to each other. Pleating is the subset of folding in which regular spaced folds or creases occur at close
intervals.

In simple words a pleat can be explained as a piece of thin material or sheet that is folded back and forth which is
used to create a three dimensional surface and can be made once or in an endless repeat.

A basic pleat showing the mountain and

valley folds respectively.
Source: Complete Pleats by Paul Jackson.

Folds in Architecture and Fashion

The strategies of pleating and folding may be the most shared ones used in architecture and fashion in which one
flat piece of material provides a volumetric form through the addition of creases.
  Architecture
The Eli- Edythe Broad Art Museum designed by Zaha Hadid Architects features a perforated aluminium
surface wrapped around the building inspired by origami folds. The façade gives the appearance of a
folded piece of “clothing” on the building the same way fabric is folded to form pleats in a garment. Thus
the architects have successfully created a façade that develops a greater visual interest through the
dramatic effects of light and shadow on the folded skin of the building.

The Eli-Edythe Broad Art Museum

designed by Zaha Hadid Architects.

 Fashion
Japanese architects Issey Miyake, Junya Watanabe and Rei Kawakubo are famous for their
experimentations with pleats in the field of fashion design. In Issey Miyake’s well known “Pleats-Please”
line, he was able to introduce new sculptural volumes through his pioneering works with pleating
techniques. Traditionally pleated garments are created by pleating and pressing a flat fabric before its
sewn, but Miyake reversed the process which resulted in creating oversized garments which shrink after
pleats are applied. Similarly, fashion designers Junya Watanabe and Rei Kawakubo designed and created
radical, oversized, asymmetrical black garments with intentional holes and unfinished edges for their
avant-garde collection.

Left: Issey Miyake’s design from the “Pleats-Please” collection.

Right: Junya Watanabe for Comme des Garcons – Spring/Summer collection 1990.

Tectonic Folding in Techniques

In the late 20th century, the study and construction of reinforced concrete shells reached its peak. Within this
category, folded plate structures should be given special accreditation for, while being fairly thin, their surfaces
are flat and differ from other thin shell structures in the case that they neither possess the properties of curvature
nor do they exhibit full membrane behaviour. These folded plate structures seemed to be economical for large
column free spans since they have high load carrying capacity and required much less materials as compared to
conventional systems. Their construction costs are also usually low as compared to other shell structures.
 Church at Hoensbroek, Heerlen, Netherlands.

These structures were the inspiration for the initial ideas of pleating and folding in building facades. Modern
buildings are experimenting with various pleating techniques and materials to create folded facades that are not
only eye catching but also have certain functional aspects such as energy saving, natural light intake, etc. The
advancement in technology has also given rise to dynamic facades that are programmed to function according to
the climatic conditions of the place. The example shown below depicts how a particular pleating style has been
used to create a gown as well as a building façade.

Left: Designed by Anthropogie, USA this fancy wedding gown makes extravagant use of knife pleats.
Top right: A basic knife pleat. Bottom right: Pleated façade of Dior studio by Barbarito Bancel Architects.
Architects and fashion designers, both, have used the techniques of pleats in creating master pieces and have now
reached a stage where technological interventions are taking it to a whole new level. Fashion designers are now
creating innovative designs using digital fabrication the same way architects use equation based Rhino software
in order to design unique façade.

Left: The Al Bahar Towers in Abu Dhabi designed by Aedas Architects boast a climate responsive façade.
Right: Nervous system, an innovative designer firm creating 3D printed Kinematic fabric designed a
sophisticated dress inspired by petals for exhibition at The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Materials

 Concrete:
The earliest material that was experimented with for the purpose of creating pleated structures was
concrete. A fine example of this is the Church at Hoensbroek, Netherlands mentioned above. Made with
13 precast members each, 25.5m long and 2.8m wide, they covered a span of 21.4m. These components
were manufactured in a shop, Venray and assembled on site. The V-section joists of the roof interlocked
with its respective niche that was created by the panels in the façade. The façade panel is 20cm thick and
poses a smaller angle as compared to the roof structures.

Left: Prefabricated units being brought to the site. Right: Dimensions of the prefabricated units.

 Glass:
The property of transparency in glass led to its usage in modern buildings that wanted to dissolve the
separation between the inside and the outside. Presently, it is seen as a material that can not only be used
to provide transparency and increase natural light intake but with excessive bending and casting its
properties can be modified in order to create a stronger, durable material. One such modification was the
transformation of curtain walls from 2-D to 3-D surfaces. The Trutec building designed by Barkow
Leibinger Architects in Seoul, utilizes the modular and the folded by taking a regular rectangular grid
and infilling the cells with prismatic pattern of triangular and trapezoidal glass panes.
 Left: The Trutec building in Seoul, South Korea. Right: Detailed section of the façade.

Such a combination of rectangular grid with prismatic highly reflective panels create an irregular pattern
of the sky and the surrounding areas.

 Stainless steel:
The iconic Eli Edythe Broad Art Museum designed by Zaha Hadid boasts an entire façade of pleated
stainless steel and glass that certainly contrasts its surrounding buildings in red brickwork at Michigan
State University’s Collegiate Gothic campus. The pleated façade suits well by giving a contemporary
look since the museum houses exhibits dedicated to modern art and photography. The architects drew
inspiration from the topographic and circulatory patterns of the surrounding landscape which resulted in
the formulation of sharp, directional pleats.

Models for form generation by Zaha Hadid Architects inspired from paths and connections in the
surrounding areas.

The above images depict how the pleating and folding techniques such as accordion and knife have been
used to create the façade of the Eli Edythe Museum. The stainless steel folded elements with varied
directional folds give the building a curiosity driven appearance which is constantly changing.

Conclusion

The basic approaches of pleating, folding and layering used by fashion designers is a growing inspiration for
architects in creating building facades. The outcome of such an influence is a dynamic and provocative one, which
ends up captivating the observer’s attention. Moreover, these techniques, if used thoughtfully, can add to the
functionality and resourcefulness of the building.