Susan Williams

Susan Williams is currently an M.Arch candidate at MIT and holds a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design in Textiles. Her interest lies in cross section between tactile/material/spatial practices through the lens of both textile and architectural design. Prior to beginning the Master’s, she worked as a Research Specialist for the MIT Media Lab's Mediated Matter Group with Neri Oxman. She has also worked as a Textile Designer for Maharam Design Studio in New York. 

During her time in graduate school, she wrote a short column for the student run online platform, out of frame, titled "Interlaces and Interfaces." She has worked as a research assistant for Studio J Jih, teaching assistant for course 4.021 How to Design, and is currently a research assistant for the MIT Self-Assembly Lab. Susan is also the co-editor of the 52nd edition of Thresholds, MIT Architecture's annual peer-reviewed journal (MIT Press.) This editions thematic prompt is disappearance. 

 

 

 

 

Projects
Core 3 Studio | Growing + Harvesting Center
Coastal Maine currently relies on ocean farming as a main point of industry. But as temperatures are rising, and sea life populations are dwindling, we must think the future of aquatic farming. Seaweed, an overlooked aquatic plant could be our answer. This project is a seaweed processing facility and community center. It encourages food cultivation and community engagement, honoring old tradition and welcoming the new.
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Creative Computation | Breathing Knits
Inhale. Exhale. The simple two step action that keeps the human body alive. The oxygen we breath is invisible, yet all encompassing. Our only indication of its existence is through the inflation/deflation of our physical forms. This project explores the relationship between kinetic inflation and knit structure. Using two different materials: elastic and monofilament, the fabric is brought to life in unexpected ways based on each materials distinct characteristics.

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Core 1 | Viewing Instrument
A double ecliptic walking path designed for the forever wanderer. Located at Boston’s Jamaica Pond, this project plays with the integration of visual illusion and simple geometric form. Impeding and revealing both spatial truth and a parallax collage of reality.                                                         
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