TEXTILE WALL

Patent name: TEXTILE WALL - multi-adaptable self-supporting panel

Patent number: BG2015A000020

Patent filing date: April 2015

Inventors: Alessandra Zanelli, Salvatore Viscuso

Applicant: Politecnico di Milano

Status: PCT Patent pending

Stage of development: Functional prototype

Offer: License

Textile Wall is a flexible easily-packable cell panel component for creating instantly self-stabilising partitions, made of semi-rigid bars stitching two textile which can be filled with debris or other locally available materials. This component is ultra-lightweight and easy to handle, foldable as a concertina and fillable with locally available materials. Especially suitable for reconstruction / repair of existing buildings, both walls and inclined roofs ways. The general idea of S(p)eedkits is providing divided components (e.g. roofs, flooring, freely-configurable walls and cocoons as isolated rooms) leaves the local population with components which do not quickly become refuse, but rather durable materials that can be reused in keeping with their habits and integrated with local materials.

The invention relates to a large market in the humanitarian field, specifically in the reconstruction step. Humanitarian workers prefer to use local materials and technologies that full-made products that are not accepted by locals. Cells can be filled with stabilizing or insulating material.

The main advantages of Textile Wall are:

- Standalone panel configuration

- Formwok ready to be filled

- Suitable to set up linearcurve or corner partitions

- Production through combination of already existing fabrication technologies

- Packed as bellows during transport

- Ultra-lightweight materials

On April 2015 Politecnico di Milano has filled an Italian patent (code BG2015A000020). The prototype has been exposed at AidEx 2015 at the MSF Belgium test site in the Port of Brussels in November 2015.