In collaboration with the American outdoor textile pioneer Sunbrella, and organized by the architecture platform Architizer, an international competition was launched to envision a new generation of architectural shading systems. Our proposal, Twisty, emerged as the winning concept.

The design was inspired by a familiar condition of life in Hong Kong: the incessant rattling of shading systems during typhoon season. Seeking a structural solution, we turned to the geometry of the helix. When twisted, fabric dramatically increases its torsional stiffness, transforming a flexible membrane into a stable structural element.

Each shading strand was conceived as a helically twisted textile ribbon made from a custom-developed Sunbrella fabric—white on the exterior and blue within. In the original proposal, a solar-powered mechanical system would allow each strand to twist independently through a computer-controlled interface, adjusting light filtration while strengthening the overall structure.

Following the competition victory, a prototype pavilion was realized during Art Basel Miami Beach. Installed just minutes from the legendary Versace Mansion, the installation quickly became a social and architectural curiosity, attracting visitors ranging from collectors to celebrities such as Paris Hilton and Dustin Hoffman.

While the realized prototype did not yet incorporate the kinetic twisting mechanism, the concept remains central to the project’s future development. Through controlled torsion, the textile structure could dynamically regulate light, increase stiffness, and transform shading into a living architectural surface.

Designed for sun rather than rain, Twisty finds its natural habitat in climates like Miami. Future iterations may integrate photovoltaic cells, enabling the pavilion to power its own movement and fully realize the vision of a responsive, solar-driven architecture.