ARCHITECT Magazine Article "Materials Research with a Social Focus"
An article written by Blaine Brownell, for ARCHITECT Magazine, on Sean Ahlquist's research on computational tools and interfaces for children with autism, titled "Materials Research with a Social Focus".
Excerpt:
"Sean Ahlquist is an assistant professor of architecture at the University of Michigan’s Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, in Ann Arbor, Mich., with a focus on material systems. Ahlquist gained expertise in computationally designed textiles and composite materials while studying in the Architectural Association School of Architecture’s Emergent Design and Technologies program, in London, as well as at the ICD. Today, he trains students at the University of Michigan to use a large-scale CNC knitting machine to produce intricate fabric structures in collaboration with researchers from fields including aerospace, engineering, and computer science. Ahlquist’s early work consisted of lightweight fabric structures and textile-reinforced composites for architectural, aerospace, and automotive applications. More recently, however, personal circumstances motivated Ahlquist to pursue an entirely new and unexpected path."