Jos Klarenbeek (1988) is a designer and (mathematics) researcher and part of the Envisions design collective. He enjoys working at the intersection of design and research and is fascinated by complex and abstract systems. For the project 'Archive of the Future', he collaborated with master weaver Stef Miero. Klarenbeek was inspired by Samira Boon’s 'Archifolds', which she developed at the TextielLab in 2015.
The design collective Envisions researches possibilities for new, industrial applications of materials. Rather than focus on the end product, they’re interested in processes. Envisions has applied their unique way of looking at production processes to the innovative translation of several textile techniques. In their design research entitled 'Archive of the Future', four designers investigated textile techniques such as knitting, weaving, passement, and embroidery to come up with new possible applications and perspectives relevant to industry. To do so, the designers of Envisions entered into a unique collaboration with the TextielLab’s product developers. The designers took inspiration from ideas provided by the lab's specialists, the museum collection, and their own interest in interior textile innovation and the automotive industry.
Research supported by Creative Industries Fund
Envisionaire Jos Klarenbeek (1988) is a designer and (mathematics) researcher. He enjoys working at the intersection of design and research and is fascinated by complex and abstract systems. For the project 'Archive of the Future', he collaborated with master weaver Stef Miero. Klarenbeek was inspired by Samira Boon’s 'Archifolds', which she developed at the TextielLab in 2015.
By very carefully applying bindings, Klarenbeek and Miero intended to create forces in the fabric that would make it want to assume a spatial form of its own accord. This resulted in research into concave and convex effects. The results reminded them of corrugated sheets, which acquire their rigidity through their wavey surface. With this technique, the fabric can become so stiff that it can stand on its own. They divided their research into two main themes: transparency and car interior applications.
The first theme was transparency. Klarenbeek and Miero searched for varying degrees of transparency in the resultant combination of bindings. This could be used in a room divider or spatial element. The final form is a kind of pillar, woven with a monofilament warp and metal thread weft.
The second theme was applications in the automotive industry. The concave-convex technique could be of use in car interiors. PET yarn, made from recycled PET bottles, was used for this research thread.
Klarenbeek gained a lot of weaving knowledge from Miero and Miero appreciated Klarenbeek’s technical approach to weaving. They both thoroughly enjoyed collaborating and are sad the project has come to an end.
Jos Klarenbeek (1988) is a designer and researcher. He received his degree in mathematics at the University of Amsterdam in 2010, and in 2015 he graduated from the Design Academy Eindhoven. Since his graduation he has developed his own practice and has been working as a freelance designer for Hella Jongerius / Jongeriuslab at a variety of projects and exhibitions. Driven by his fascination for complex and abstract systems, he works on the border between design and scientific research and tries to expand the field of data visualisation and materialisation.
‘Secrets of making – Artists and designers in the TextielLab’, TextielMuseum Tilburg, June 2021 - May 2022
