entropika intertwines past and present with woven façade in łódź, poland

‘weaving walls’ is a public art installation developed by entropika design lab for the 6th folkowe inspiracje festival in łódź, poland. the design celebrates the historic textile tradition of łódź, and aims to transform it into a contemporary, visual language in conversation with the urban landscape. the lab’s intention is to tell a new urban story by drawing parallels between architectural exteriors and the inherent art of traditional textiles, weaving a new delicate skin on the façade of a building.

the project invites locals to actively change the character of their city

over the past decade, the steady decline of the textile industry in łódź has brought about the parallel decline of many of the city’s local economies. the resulting downturn has had lasting effects on both the societal and urban fabrics of the city. entropika’s installation explores this relationship between the deteriorating architecture and its past, attempting to reforge a connection between the city and its cultural history by literally sewing the wounds back together — a colorful, cultural, and emotional method of social healing.

the history of the building is clearly evident on its facade. the looms form a fresh, contemporary layer

‘weaving walls’ casts a fresh light on the city’s mixed landscape of abandoned buildings, housing estates, worksites, lying between disuse and renovation, creating space for inhabitants to thoughtfully engage with the future of łódź. in executing the project, the lab used around two kilometers of acrylic ropes, hand-tied and hand-woven on twenty-two aluminum frames. the composition is structured on a model that refers to a stylized loom; the warp is represented by white and red-dotted ropes, while the colored ropes play the role of the weft. the looms delicately overlay on the building façade, while sets of striking red ropes connect them into the abstract, visual synthesis of the installation. the artwork also served as backdrop for some of the festival activities, including a two-days participatory workshop in which passersby were invited to get inspired by traditional embroidery and create their own personal patterns.

the new façade is in colorful conversation with the classical details of the architecture

families and members of the public are invited to make their mark

the framework mimics that of a traditional loom

the decline of traditional industries has had a negative effect on the city’s economy

 
much of the patterns woven have traditional, folkloric relevance

 
weaving walls casts a fresh light on the city’s mixed landscape of abandoned buildings 

the project is developed as part of the 6th folkowe inspiracje festival in łódź, poland

project info:

project leads: artemis papageorgiou & gabriella mastrangelo
project assistants: beata tyczewska, justyna dopierała, ewelina chmielewska, natalia olszowiec, ula sobczak, kacper kulikowski
project development: convivo & syzan

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: peter corboy | designboom