3D textile facade for Hermès | Samira Boon

The 3D textile facade creates the intimate atmosphere that expresses the brand's exclusive style. While being progressively transparent towards the sky to let natural daylight in, the gradient of denser weavings and folds mantles the clients in serene privacy. The adaptive architecture changes the sound, light and space that customers experience. At the same time, the appearance of the seclusion screen itself changes when clients move through the space and look from other perspectives.

The Hermès Shanghai Qiantan Taikoo Li store recently opened its doors in Shanghai, China. Studio Samira Boon was commissioned by the Parisian architecture firm RDAI, responsible for the interior design of Hermès worldwide, to design and produce a site-specific artistic facade that enhances the sense of luxury. Architect Samira Boon “I approach our built environment not as static, but dynamic. Light, sound, temperature and the presence of people are our tools that change the underlying fixed base that is architecture.”

The textile facade consists of a double layer of origami, folded in multiple directions. This technique, engineered by architect Samira Boon, who specialises in textile folding architecture, produces a unique structure. Each panel is different while together they create a landscape of layered facades. Light changes the folded facets and surfaces that show a random yet mathematically calculated pattern. The amount of folds, size of the folded surface, and the depth of the double layer are meticulously engineered to reach an intricate pattern of privacy and acoustic perfection.

Technically textile architecture is a very specific trade. “Apart from the design of effect and aesthetics, it’s an optimisation between structure, material and weight and on site assembly. The tools to make this work are structure pattern (relief) and yarn pattern. A higher facade has an extra characteristic to work with; the weight of the lower materials affects the part above. We’ve engineered a gradually densifying folding pattern in which the folds support the progressive weight, without changing the outline of the screen. It’s been a quest to find recycled and bio-based materials with the highest fire retardant specifications. A double layered multi directional folded 3d printed base to allow the curtain to slide sideways has been specifically created for this project.’’
Nature based living architecture is what Studio Samira Boon sees as our future. Architecture needs to be sustainable, future-proof, adaptive, flexible, interactive; all aspects that nature already has. Nature is a mathematical optimisation of forces like wind, gravity, sunlight. With parametric design, the studio follows the laws of nature to produce sustainable sensory architecture.