EMBRACINATOR

If walls guide us in the way we walk, than why are we guided in such a static way towards places, described by dynamic factors, such as crowds of people? Imagine walls that could guide you towards the less occupied spots during a major event. Imagine walls that could lead people towards the emergency exits more effectively when needed. Imagine walls that could impose a hug between two people. A kinetic wall we call "Embracinator".

The Embracinator is the result of a one-week-workshop, where the interaction between human and spatial environment was the main focus. Further than normal adaptation in nature, the workshop proposes the space itself becomes a living creature.

In conventional architecture walls are static objects of prescription as they define and separate functions when forming space. But what if walls could have a dialogue with its users and constantly communicate a mutual expectation? The aim of our project is to put the absolute function of the walls up for discussion in relation to their user. The compelling function of a wall imposed by the designer upon the user can be taken beyond the static prescription of separation and extended into a dynamic guide, prescribing movement, interaction and direction. Herein the emphasis will continuously lay on defining space to evocate the interaction between separation and unity, between confinement and guidance. On the one hand our walls could embrace the users that pass through it or conduct a conversion towards an embrace amongst several users. On the other hand the walls could direct movement as a guiding element.

Two fabric walls make up a corridor space. On the four ends of the walls motors are situated to drive the horizontal twisting motion of the walls. The different angles of twisting compose the different messages the walls propose to the users.

When twisted a certain direction, the walls can express an embrace towards the user within the corridor by wrapping itself around him. In the case of a person passing through, the walls twist themselves to wrap the person as he walks in the corridor, to unfold again as he passes further though to let him out. When two people are in the corridor simultaneously the twist of the walls depend on the proximity of the people. When the people come together the walls enhance their unity by closing in on them and perhaps even inducing a hug between them. As they walk away from each other again, the walls open up to let them leave.

The corridor that the walls form can also twist to take a funnel shape in either linear way. This can express a convergent or divergent movement through space. The ends can also twist into a bended exit towards either left or right, which suggests lateral movement toward a side. In this way the corridor guides a directive flow of movement.