Radically Relational Tools: A Design Framework to Explore Materials through Embodied Processes
Bruna Beatriz Petreca, Carmen Saito, Sharon L. Baurley, Douglas J. Atkinson, Xuemei Yu, Nadia Bianchi‐Berthouze · Archive of research processes and output produced by RCA (Royal College of Art) · 2019
In a context where fashion design and retail activities are increasingly transferring to the digital environment, mediating touch has become a matter of concern for the field. However, as literature shows articulating our sensory experiences with materials is a challenging task. This position paper explores the experiential knowledge observed through embodied design processes. This is done by analysing our diverse approaches to introduce tools that support designers to interrogate people's perceptual experience with textile materials. We build on our previous research that identified relevant embodied processes to textile selection, and reflect on how we have explored how sensing technology can augment and empower each of these processes, and thereby support design. We conclude by discussing the learning outcomes of analysing such tools, in order to reflect on the future of our research applied to the digital realm.