ThermoQuilts
A project designed with students of Duggan Academy in Springfield, MA.
In collaboration with Cooler Communities.
Team: Carolina Aragón, Daniela Coray, Camilla Novo, Ren Gonsalves, Nick Dombrowsky
With many thanks to Mary Kay Brown, the teachers and staff of Duggan Academy, Lisa Paul, Daizha Babtiste, and Uli Nagel from Cooler Communities.
Fall 2023
Photos by Camilla Novo,
Video by Lauren Gonsalves
ThermoQuilts is a participatory art project comprised of an interior art installation and related programming to support the increased understanding of interior building temperatures and its relationship to energy efficiency and health issues. The artwork will use thermochromic pigments (color-changing pigments in relationship to temperature) to reveal different patterns throughout the day and year, creating a dynamic art piece that also acts as a visual thermometer. In addition to the artwork, the goal of ThermoQuilts is to connect students and their families to government assisted programs (such as MassSave) to improve the energy efficiency of their homes, reducing heating and cooling costs, and minimize harmful health impacts caused by extreme cold and heat in interior environments.
A visual thermometer
This video shows how the quilt changes as each section heats up, making the pigments change color and appear less visible agains the contrasting colors of the fabric.
