SO – IL has completed a passage of 3D knit textiles as part of the 2024 Bruges Triennial in Belgium. 

Titled 'Common Thread,' the passage is inspired by the medieval city’s lace-making tradition, using an innovative woven fabric to create what the team calls an “intricate spatial experience in a wave-like tunnel.”

The installation is set within a passageway that connects the secluded courtyard of a 19th-century monastery with the wider city. In collaboration with a team from TU Delft, the team explored how Common Thread could marry the tradition of the bobbin lace with modern technologies and new geometric possibilities.

The resulting fabric is knit in varying ratios, with individual threads combining and diverging in ever-changing patterns. The installation’s form and structural framework were further guided by computational simulations and material samples.

“A wandering wave-like structure activates the historic space, connecting it with the streets of present-day Bruges and creating an urban conduit between districts,” the team explains. “An unassuming entryway invites visitors to meander through playfully spiraling tunnels, ejecting them into the sunlit courtyard before guiding them to pivot and continue their journey. Once a hidden retreat, the monastery’s garden is transformed into a playground for serendipitous encounters and exploration.”