The main appearance of the structure is based on the mathematical embedded minimal surface discovered in 1982 by Celso José da Costa. The topology is created by puncturing a compact surface, therefore becoming a finite topology. The current design is a topologically thrice-punctured torus which is deformed until the planer end becomes catenoidal. The topology can be described using the Weierstrass zeta and the Weierstrass elliptic functions. The name of the project is Textrinium based on the interweaving of different components within the textile, architecture and mathematical geometry. Textrinium is a textile based structure that interacts with its surroundings by change in kinetic energy, shade shifting of colours by differentiating in resistance and integrated sensors measuring carbon dioxide. All the used components are part of the same knitted fabric. The structure is supported by an exoskeleton composted out of polymers. Extensive research in material systems, topology optimisation, stress and deformation simulation within fabrics, weaving patterns and fibre directionality, integrating (knitting) sensing, sewing techniques exploration, actuation and control systems within the textiles, thermo-chromic textile based applications, phosphorescence applications and computation numerically controlled fabrication are part of the research and design workshop.
