Adaptive Knit, the kinetic textile structure showcased in Copenhagen

The Adaptive Knit project was presented as part of the exhibition 'Imagining the Future. Through Architecture and Design' in Copenhagen, open from October 30, 2025, to April 16, 2026. The project explores the potential of knitting techniques applied to architecture as a tool to address contemporary environmental challenges.

It envisions a future in which the building envelope becomes a dynamic system capable of responding to environmental changes through its material properties. The installation consists of a kinetic textile structure, created through CNC knitting techniques using natural materials, conceived as a flexible and energy-efficient solar shading device.

The full-scale prototype is composed of five panels that react to environmental conditions by altering geometries, colours, and textures. In doing so, the project moves beyond the concept of the static façade to propose a responsive surface capable of establishing a continuous dialogue with its surroundings and the sensory experience of the observer.

By focusing on the inherent qualities of the material and the reduction of mechanical complexity, the project aligns with the principles of circular and sustainable design. Adaptive Knit thus offers a tangible and visionary reflection on how the architectures of the future might breathe and adapt, creating new relationships between the built environment, nature, and human life.

Adaptive Knit is the result of an interdisciplinary collaboration between teams of fashion and architecture professionals:

• Martin Tamke - Royal Danish Academy
• Shahriar Akbari, Lena Fritsch, Brayan Felipe Torres, Jaimes Simonee e Alicia Løkke - students from Royal Danish Academy
• Alessandra Zanelli e Luca Medioli - ABC Department
• Martina Motta, Diego Dani e Michele Fumagalli - research group KnitDesign.Polimi, Department of Design
• Unai Artola Alduntzin, Victoria Esquivel Castillo, Maria Paz Delgado Orlando, Martyna Zychowska - students from Politecnico di Milano.