Core77 design awards notice recent grad’s adaptive mid-layer
A recent graduate of Canada’s Kwantlen Polytechnic University has been recognised for his design of a ski jacket that adapts to temperature and exertion levels.
Riley Scott’s jacket, the Stratus Ski Touring mid-layer is said to vary its insulation to the thermal needs of the user. Mr Scott said the idea for the jacket came from his own skiing experiences, during which he was often frustrated by the time spent altering his layering system.
“I wanted to create an ‘invisible’ layer that could adapt to different temperature and exertion levels, without removing any garments,” Mr Scott told the university’s online news. “To realize this goal, I took inspiration from window blinds as they transition from a 2D object to a 3D object when either side of the baffle is pulled in opposite directions.”
The jacket was Mr Scott’s capstone project in the technical apparel design program.
The Core77 Design Awards 2020 cover 18 design disciplines; Mr Scott was a student runner-up for the sports and recreation award.
His instructor Dan Robinson praised the jacket’s additional features, such as vent zips that are often missed in a mid-layer. He said Mr Scott conducted engineering tests to show changes in insulation and user tests to demonstrate effectiveness in simulated use.
The technical apparel design program was developed in collaboration with employees from Vancouver-based technical apparel companies such as Arc’teryx, lululemon, Mountain Equipment Co-Op, and Mustang Survival, along with top academics and researchers.
