Blaine Brownell was interviewed by Mason Riddle for the article “Smart Materials, Intelligent Futures” in the July/August 2009 issue of Fabric Architecture, published by the Industrial Fabrics Association International.
The rapid change in environmental stability is a mandate for an equally rapid change in how architects and the building industry develop and employ materials. At an elemental level, Brownell sees a more healthy environmental future inextricably linked to developments in material science and material technology. “Massive changes are occurring environmentally. Our materials need to address that. Changes in materials can transform society, how we live, what our environmental impact is,” says Brownell. “This current downturn in the building industry is an opportunity for architects to reconsider materials and their impact,” he states.
“If a fabric could regulate the environment more like our biological skin, think of the applications and sustainability,” poses Brownell. “We need to demand more of our materials. They need to do more than just one thing.”
