Deliverables¶
This project investigates the relationship between the moving body and water as an active spatial condition, exploring how aquatic movement can be translated into material behavior and textile form. Rather than designing a finished commercial garment, the project focuses on developing a material system that responds to specific body movements performed in water.
The development process prioritizes:
Embodied research through swimming movement
Material experimentation with flexible materials and exploration of the interaction between different textiles and 3D-printed filaments.
Translation of movement data into physical and parametric patterns
Iterative prototyping and testing in water
The project is structured to allow gradual refinement, starting from conceptual definition and material testing, progressing toward a single functional prototype that demonstrates the system’s logic and performance.
GANTT¶
Next you can see in a formal way my entire process for the final proyecto. You can see it in a more specific way the plans. Read more here
| Week | Dates | Activity | Details | Objectives |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Jan 13 – Jan 19 | Project Definition & Planning | Define project scope and focus, select one swimming movement, establish functionality criteria, draft Gantt chart and Bill of Materials | Project scope and planning approved |
| Week 2 | Jan 20 – Jan 26 | Material Research | Produce initial 3D printing material samples, test flexibility and initial water response, document material behavior | At least 3 3D printing material variations tested |
| Week 3 | Jan 27 – Feb 2 | Material Refinement | Refine selected biomaterial formulation, conduct extended water exposure tests, analyze durability and deformation | Final parameters and fabrics selected |
| Week 4 | Feb 3 – Feb 9 | Movement Analysis | Record swimming movement, analyze motion patterns, create diagrams, define movement-to-design parameters | Clear movement translation logic defined |
| Week 5 | Feb 10 – Feb 16 | Digital Translation | Develop pattern or parametric system, translate movement into geometry, design molds or scaffolds | Digital design files ready for fabrication |
| Week 6 | Feb 17 – Feb 23 | Digital Fabrication | Fabricate molds using 3D printing or laser cutting, test fabrication workflow, adjust if needed | Functional custom molds completed |
| Week 7 | Feb 24 – Mar 2 | Prototype Fabrication | Cast material using final moduls, integrate with textile base, assemble first prototype | First integrated prototype completed |
| Week 8 | Mar 3 – Mar 16 | Water Testing & Iteration | Test prototype in water, document material performance, identify failures, refine design | Prototype behavior validated through testing |
| Week 9 | Mar 20 – Mar 28 | Documentation & Presentation | Final prototype documentation, diagrams, photos and videos, write final narrative, prepare presentation | Final project ready for submission |
Materials¶
| Qty | Description | Purpose | Link | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lycra Carioca | Lining fabric | Link | 10.98 USD |
| 1 | Nylon and spandex fabric, 80% nylon, 20% spandex | Fabric base | Link | 9.21 USD |
| 1 | Elastic White Mesh | Sublimated fabric | Link | 12.73 USD USD |
| 1 | Blue Elastic mesh | Second layer cape | Link | 12.73 |
| 1 | Textile base bag (mesh or knit) | Support layer | Link | 5.50 USD |
| 1 | White TPU filament | Modul fabrication | Link | 25.60 USD |
| 1 | Blue TPU filament | Modul fabrication | Link | 33.91 USD |
Equipment¶
- Camera GoPro to record under water
- 3D printer
- Laser cutter
- Camera or smartphone (documentation)
- Water tank / pool access
Technical Support¶
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Parametric design support (Grasshopper or similar) to translate movement patterns into repeatable geometries
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Material science guidance for biomaterial formulation and durability in water
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Digital fabrication support for mold design and optimization
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Conceptual Support
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Feedback on defining and evaluating “functionality” in an experimental textile system
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Critique on clarity of narrative and documentation
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External Collaboration (if needed)
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Occasional consultation with:
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A swimming coach or athlete (movement accuracy)
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A textile or material expert (behavior analysis)
Useful links¶
-[Considerations for TPU priting]
-[3D printing on fabric]
Midterm Presentation¶
Midterm presentation de Monse Islas
Final Presentation¶
Final presentation-Fabricademy de Monse Islas
STORY TELLING NARRATIVE¶
WHAT CAN THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE BODY AND WATER REVEAL FOR THE FUTURE OF PERSONALIZED DESIGN?
NARRATIVE¶
Underwater, the body moves differently.
Water reshapes every gesture. It adds resistance, slows down movement, and makes the body more aware of itself.
When the body enters the water, movement becomes conscious and repetitive. Each gesture leaves a trace.
Even when performing the same swimming stroke, no two bodies move in the same way. Each trajectory is personal, shaped by the body, the rhythm, and the relationship with water.
These traces become lines. Lines become patterns.
The patterns are not only decorative but they are visual translations of our own movement in the space that makes us feel calm amd US.
By repeating, layering, and transforming these gestures, different expressions emerge: flows, densities, and rotations that echo the body’s behavior underwater.
When movement becomes material, it gains weight, texture, and presence. The gesture is no longer invisible.
Through material experiments, the patterns are tested in volume, flexibility, and scale, allowing the body to interact with them again.
As the body leaves the water, it changes state. But it carries the memory of movement with it.
Liquid Gestures explores this transition — from body to water, from movement to material, from gesture to wearable artifact.
PHASES¶
1. OPENING Have you ever noticed how every swimmer moves differently in the water? The way the water flows around our bodies creates invisible gestures — movements that exist for a moment and then disappear.
2. THE PROBLEM (WHY) Today most performance wear and sports garments are mass produced. They are designed for efficiency and scale, but they rarely reflect the individuality of the athlete who wears them.
But what if garments could capture something personal? What if a garment could represent the unique interaction between a person and the element they move in?
3. CUSTOMIZATION IS CHANGING
The customization of clothing has changed in recent years.
Old reality: Today we design garments based on measurements and trends.
New reality: But movement is personal.Every swimmer leaves a unique trace in the water.
4. THE IDEA (THE THROUGHLINE)
Liquid Gestures transforms the invisible movements of water into personalized wearable structures through digital fabrication.
5. THE SOLUTION (WHY IT MATTERS)
This approach allows garments to become deeply personal objects. Instead of fast fashion, we create pieces that are connected to the user's own movement and identity. When objects carry personal meaning, people value them more and keep them longer.
6. NEAR FUTURE (VISION)
In the near future, movement data could allow athletes to generate their own personalized garments directly from their performance.
This opens possibilities for personalized sportswear, interactive fashion, and new forms of human environment design.
Movement could become a new blueprint for personalized design.
7. CALL TO ACTION (STRONG ENDING)
Water movements disappear in seconds.
Liquid Gestures captures them and transforms them into something that can be worn, remembered, and experienced.
Because the future of design is not mass production it is personal expression shaped by our own movement.
Liquid gestures de Monse Islas
Mentory notes¶
--Anastasia: Very nice presentation! i would actually propose to go towards a full body suit so that we can appreciate better the design. any possibility to put some infrared lights with velcro straps on the head, legs, waist so that you can use the webcam or kinect to capture cleaner lines? better to use TPU filament.
--Cecilia: "Dear Monserrat, i feel there needs to be a deeper dive into the why of the project, it s a nice idea - but something is missing. Here the link that i put in chat https://waag.org/en/project/wearpure/ I think if you want to foster a connection between swimsuit and teh wearer you need to explore more about how people relate to their swimsuit, rather than just the movement in the water. This can help create a connection between the two - for example, if the wearer could design the pattern based on parameters, it could be about personalisation - creating a deeper connection between the two."
--Claudia: I think creating something static would limit your project quite a lot, It is not a logo that you want to add to your swimsiuts, but a stronger way to connect the body with personal feelings and movements. check out the previous student who also made a swimsuit https://class.textile-academy.org/2022/vicky-luan/Final%20Project/The%20Final%20Product/ // you could start with filaments that change colors at a certain temperature, to also add sort of dynamic elements in water, that also react to the different body temperature, but perhaps you can also think of creating additional layers to make your swimsuit more playful in specific situations, that you can just detatch if needed.
--Louise: Thank you for your presentation Montserrat! I am wondering if you could specify the movements that are linked to water throughout your process: to which extent are they different from the ones in the air? I am wondering how you can keep the “flowyness” of water movement into your 3D printed pattern. The direction with knitting can be interesting to explore for swimming towels I think.
--Carolina:Hi Monse, the gestures, when translated into parametric and fluid motion patterns, can yield curious results (reminding me of dolphins in motion). You still have time to improve the storytelling with the final objects. I miss a scheme of all process, maybe it would be earier to wrap all together and show the process (ideas, inputs, output, results, final objects)