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Weaving Architecture

Part 1 Project 2014
Reema Abu Hassan
 American University of Sharjah | UAE
There are many things that have become a part of our everyday lives, things that we don’t appreciate or ever take a second glance at. Despite the hard work and intricacy which goes into weaving an item, we seem to take it for granted.

Weaving is one of the most widespread and traditional crafts in the world. It has been employed to create shelters, baskets, containers and so much more. It has been practiced for thousands of years, and the wide variation of weaving is remarkable.

We were given the site and asked to design a workshop and a gallery for a chair designer in the densely woven, historical fabric of Sharjah’s heritage area, in the United Arab Emirates. I decided to explore the structural possibilities of weaving due to its relativity to the context. The UAE’s historical weaving traditions have been present for thousands of years. Locals employed the ancient craft to create many different items which they would use throughout their daily lives, particularly to store food, such as dates.

I employed the weaving throughout the project in order to create a spatial experience of ambient light and shadow. The different densities and tightness of the weave allowed for a change in the amount of light which enters the space, as well as the visibility through the surfaces, but throughout my explorations, I came across the problem of creating enclosure. The solution I found was to apply concrete onto a tightly woven surface, thus using the weaving as formwork which does not need to be disposed of. It becomes an integrated part of the architecture, rather than part of the process of creating the architecture.

As for the structure, three layers of beams, each layer going in a certain direction, are used. The woven surfaces are inserted between the top and second layer in order to shade the glass, which is placed between the two bottom layers.

Thus, the aim of this project was to explore the spatial and structural possibilities of weaving to create a novel yet regionally specific architectural condition.
Reema Abu Hassan
Tutor(s)
2014
Weaving architecture: the aim was to explore the spatial and structural possibilities of weaving to create a novel yet regionally specific architectural condition.
Weaving was one of the traditional crafts which the local residents of Sharjah practiced. They employed the ancient act of weaving to create many different items which they would use throughout their daily lives.
The site is the historical and cultural center of the emirate of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. The program was to design a workshop and a gallery for a furniture designer.
Through a series of study models, I explored the numerous possibilities and techniques of weaving.
One of the greatest challenges i faced was to figure out how the system of weaving could create enclosure. Thus, I came across the idea of applying concrete onto a tightly woven surface.
Using the woven surface as the formwork discards the need of disposing it. Thus, the formwork becomes integrated with the building rather than separated from the building.
As for the plan, I chose an opened plan in order to allow the visitors to view the furniture on display as well as watch the process and work which the artist goes through in order to create his pieces.
As for separating the ancillary spaces the ground would come up in order to block the visitors from accessing certain areas, but still be able to get a glimpse at what goes on within the space.
The plot was divided into hexagons in order to aggregate and to create a whole.
The build-up of the columns consists of beams going in three different directions and having the woven surfaces inserted between them. Furthermore, the density of the weaving allows different amounts of light to enter. For example, densely woven surfaces
The development of the three columns within the gallery space began from hexagons which underwent a series of generative steps.
e gallery consists of three columns with exposed weaving on the ground, which creates a unique display area for the furniture pieces.
Revealing the weaving, not only, creates a zone for the furniture pieces, but it also gives that space hierarchy within the project and draws attention to that zone.
This is the view from the entrance through which the staff enters, which shows the openness of the project.
As for the facade, there is an opportunity of employing the weaving in order to create receptacles in which plants could grow and could eventually become an integrated part of the architecture. Another possibility is to create seats on the façade using th
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