NIKE flyknit collective beijing feather pavilion

‘nike flyknit collective beijing feather pavilion’ rendering
courtesy nike

update(26.11.2012):
the NIKE flynit racer has been presented with gold at the japan good design award 2012.

feather pavilion designed by taiwanese architect huang qian zhi aka arthur huang.
the first installment of the feather pavilion has bee seen at the festival of sport event in shanghai where nike and arthur’s firm
miniwiz, created the 2 corridors to house two halves of the feather pavilion, but in a not-yet-performing state, and only used to
serve as a backdrop for workshops focusing on the nike flyknit innovation.
during beijing design week, the feather pavilion has been unveiled in its entire and fully performing state, installed in a tank,
a restored 7,000-gallon oil drum in the middle of the city’s newest design sector, the 751D-park, in the chaoyang district.

huang qian zhi aka arthur huang
image © designboom

the feather pavilion is an intricately designed installation that encapsulates all tenants of the flyknit technology both literally and figuratively.
as you enter the center drone of the installation, the element of performance is promoted as the interactivity of kinetic energy actually transforms and
changes the architectural shape and look of the building. kinetic energy changes the actual architectural form as the ceiling moves like a feather,
sounds are emitted and light and video is transmitted both internally and externally throughout the walls and floors.

the same lightness of the footwear segment is embodied in a lightweight, transparent TPU POLLI-brick construction.
formfitting is put on display as an intricate pulley system mimics the motion of a loom similar to that of those that are equipped to construct the flyknits.

100% recycled products were used to create the installation
image © designboom

huang’s interpretation of nike flyknit’s key tenets – performance, lightness, formfitting, and sustainability – is both metaphorical and literal,
resulting in the feather pavilion.

the installation references tension and compression – just like the shoe itself.
image © designboom

nike flyknit collective series: an abstract design concept becomes a spatial art structure.

the tank installation seen from below

image © designboom

inside the tank
image © designboom

flyknit is a lightweight running shoe knitted together without seams.
when nike first introduced its groundbreaking technology, it effectively
repositioned the landscape of shoe design and manufacturing
in a new direction that challenged both brands and consumers to rethink the way they viewed and wore their footwear.
it was hailed as a revolutionary advancement in manufacturing techniques, a prime example of developing sustainable products
and something nike hopes becomes the building block for a new generation of technical footwear products.

renewable the TPU POLLI bricks
image © designboom

reflecting the flyknit ethos of sustainability, its TPU POLLI-bricks transform seemingly unusable trash into a structural commodity
that service as the display centerpiece for the sneakers.

the pavilion allows people to go into the structure and do exercises within it – creating different spatial sensations that move through cables
image courtesy nike

night view of installation
image courtesy nike

flyknit chukka
image courtesy nike

in the short time nike flyknit been out in the marketplace, the collection has become a fashionable must-have and availability is scarce.
the reasons are they’re extremely comfortable and lightweight. the collection includes a few HTM editions (a collaboration between
japanese
designer hiroshi fujiwara, nike designer tinker hatfield, and
nike CEO mark parker).
beyond the flyknit racer and flyknit trainer, nike sportswear launched a new variant, the flyknit chukka on a nike lunarlon sole, where the mid
top comes in a cool blue and white colour theme, with an almost invisible swoosh.

arthur huang
(in taiwanese: huang qian zhi)
holds degrees from both cornell and harvard. he is university professor, engineer, architect and entrepreneur and since 2004 he has dedicated
his efforts to creating sustainable products and building solutions.
huang formally established miniwiz in 2006 and since then the company has grown organically, employing over 40 full-time professional engineers,
architects and designers.

2012 beijing design week (BJDW), held in beijing from 28th september to 6th october, featured seven sections:

opening ceremony, annual design awards, milan guest city, beijing design
fair, geo city smart city-international information design exhibition,

the new york times beijing design forum 2012, and design hop.

the ullens center for contemporary art (UCCA) is the exclusive education partner for BJDW.

BJDW and UCCA have co-organized BJDW@UCCA talks, inviting important
designers and institutes to talk about ‘upgrading the city by design’.

the talks were held from sep. 27 to oct. 2 at UCCA auditorium.