by Janet Collins

Vancouver, BC-based architects Stephanie Forsythe and Todd MacAllen (Forsythe + MacAllen Design) have been studying ways to create simple and beautiful objects designed from a single material. Their latest effort is "softwall", a flexible partition prefabricated from 250-400 thin layers of soft, translucent paper or polyethylene nonwoven textile.

Intended to provide a flexible relationship between the private and public spaces of a home, softwall can open in a variety of ways or fold away entirely when not in use.

The product grew out of another concept, "softhouse," a housing system that uses the same honeycomb structure and applies it to create an enclosed room. The softhouse concept was one of five winning designs chosen by Common Ground Community and The Architectural League of New York's First Step Housing design competition.

The resulting lodging house on the Bowery will offer private, safe, clean, and affordable short-term accommodations to individuals who are transitioning to housing, facing homelessness, or who have rejected or failed in other housing programs.   >>>

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Softwall partitions, from molo design, can define office landscapes. Photo: molo design Freestanding partitions are available up to 10 feet (3 meters) high. Photo: molo design   Click on thumbnail images to view full-size pictures.