BodyGraphs
Modular Wearable System
2024

This project explores an innovative approach to garment design that addresses the limitations of conventional value-sensitive design methods. Traditionally, wearers participate only during the fitting phase, after garment construction, often resulting in a disconnect between the garment's symbolic meaning and the wearer's emotional experiences and performances. To bridge this gap, an augmented design process that engages the wearer from the outset, inspired by somatic design principles that emphasize bodily presence in human experience was proposed.

The methodology incorporates material and technical experiments based on bodily movement, reflection, and imagination. Initially, data on bodily movements, bodily scans, and electromyography that measure muscle response was collected when the choreographer was performing a series of movements. Computational frameworks for simulating shape grammars and fabricating 3D print components are employed using Grasshopper and Rhinoceros. By interweaving wearable design with speculative narratives about the physical, social, and emotional dimensions of the human body, we aim to create garments that enhance body consciousness and positively influence self-perception, presentation, and performance. This approach not only challenges traditional design practices but also explores the potential of clothing to serve as a medium for personal expression and embodied experience.

Talent: Shuya Wang

Chelsea Hai