KnitWind is a research-based prototype project exploring how knitted textiles can function as aesthetic and functional wind modifiers in the built environment.

KnitWind builds on several years of research at Chalmers University of Technology, where wind interaction, movement, and textile expression were studied through wind tunnel experiments, material testing, and design investigations.
The project investigates how wind comfort can be increased – but also how the wind can be utilized as a design element in architectural design. The aim is to merge function and aesthetics: to design architectural elements that both shield and tell stories of movement, direction, and change.
The current installation on a rooftop terrace is the first full-scale outdoor test. It evaluates the material’s durability, the performance of the structure in real wind, and the visual presence of the textile in an urban setting.
For more information, see the articles below or explore the full doctoral thesis.
Research & Publications
- Architectural Knitted Windbreaks for Improved Wind Comfort in the City: A Wind Tunnel Study of Custom-Designed Porous Textile Screens
Erica Hörteborn, Malgorzata Zboinska, Valery Chernoray et al
Buildings. Vol. 13 (1)
Journal article
2023 - Knitted architecture and wind: Designing loosely fitted architectural textiles for interaction with wind
Erica Hörteborn
Doctoral thesis
2023 - Exploring expressive and functional capacities of knitted textiles exposed to wind influence
Erica Hörteborn, Malgorzata Zboinska
Frontiers of Architectural Research. Vol. 10 (3), p. 669-691
Journal article
2021