exoKnit

A Project by Jenny sabin studiO
COMMISSIONED BY Neuehouse NYC

exoKnit, a community-centered and innovative public pavilion pergola commissioned by the Neue House in New York City, embodies the new urban street experience that outdoor pergolas originally generated through functional necessity caused by the pandemic, as a semi-permanent and vibrant destination and space of gathering for diverse publics. exoKnit features advanced digital fabrication and emerging technologies to incorporate environmentally sensitive and responsive materials that transform with changes in light and program. Jenny Sabin Studio’s mission to create locally driven, engaging, and transformative spaces together with diverse communities and the expressed intentions of the Neue House to promote inventive, dynamic public design, celebrate the unique creative cultural and physical landscape of the Neue House MSQ outdoor Pavilion. Specifically, the project features an undulating series of active-bending arches that correspond with the local street context and provide a diverse array of programmed interior functions and seating areas. An interior surface of soft, digitally knitted, responsive fibers change color and glow in response to an integrated lighting system and changing programs. An exterior membrane of custom-designed vinyl components provide protection from the elements during the changing seasons and a semi-enclosed space for a variety of programs. The name, exoKnit, refers to both its segmented structure, an exoskeleton, the material and processes of its design, and the relationship between its interior and exterior as an integrated space of gathering. Specializing in innovative generative design and digital fabrication which looks to hyper-local inspiration to generate spaces, Jenny Sabin Studio is invested in opportunities for varied, material, and community-orientated interventions. For design and architecture in the public realm, Jenny Sabin Studio advocates for a bottom-up, localized approach, where wider experiences and diversity are key to not only promoting but also physically generating projects. Jenny Sabin Studio firmly believes that collaboration across disciplines, practice, and industry fosters inclusivity and diversity, and work regularly within local communities, scientists, and engineers, employing architects, designers, and artists.

Client
Neuehouse NYC

Location
Neuehouse, Madison Square
110 E 25th St, New York, NY

Completed
2022

Project Area
7,200 ft3

Media
Digitally Knit Textiles, Carbon Fiber Rods, Vinyl Film, LED PAR Lights

Jenny Sabin Studio
Principal and Lead Architectural Designer: Jenny E. Sabin
Design, Production & Installation: Michael Paraszczak, Claire Moriarty, Dillon Pranger

Consultants
Engineering Design: Clayton Binkley, ODD Lot

Digital Knit Production
Avatar Knit

Canopy Sewing and Finishing
DAZIAN Creative Fabric Environments

Shell Sewing and Finishing
Rainier Industries Ltd.

Lighting Design
Jenny Sabin Studio

Photo Credits
Jenny Sabin Studio, Neuehouse NYC