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loop.pH creates and develops new and reactive surfaces and objects, conducts an extensive range of research activities and collaborates with industry and multi-disciplinary groups.

Based in London Rachel Wingfield set up loop.pH to develop reactive surfaces for the interior and has worked on architectural and fashion commissions, product design and public installations. Since graduating from the Royal College of Art in 2002 with an MPhil in Textiles her work has been exhibited internationally at the furniture fairs in Tokyo, Milan, China, Stockholm, Valencia, Brussels and London. At the London show loop.pH was short-listed for best newcomer in the 100% Design Blueprint Awards. Rachel was also a finalist for the Peugeot Design Awards in 2002 winning the development prize for LightSleeperBedding. Her work DigitalDawn can now be seen in the textile collection of the V&A Museum after a successful exhibition in the lighting show ‘Brilliant’.

Through the use of new display technologies Rachel Wingfield has enabled familiar textile objects to take on a new dimension, whilst exploring the physiological effects of light and colour on our sense of well-being. An example being the reactive window blind, DigitalDawn, which functions as an ambient lighting product that illuminates in response to its surroundings. The darker a space becomes the brighter the blind will glow maintaining a balance in luminosity. A natural, botanical environment appears to grow and evolve on the window lamp. A continuing theme in her work is growth and biomimicry, ‘mimicking’ nature to improve design. Nature is a huge influence with a vast source of ideas that can be applied to design. She aims to capture the dynamic, rich display of botanical life into textiles whilst researching the role surfaces could play in increasing energy efficiency, becoming active and self-sufficient.

Rachel Wingfield is currently working with artist Mathias Gmachl under the name loop.pH on private and public commissions such as The pUBLIC, a new media museum/ gallery in West Bromwich designed by Will Alsop. Loop.pH will also be working with the Elumin8 Foundation to develop further products with Elumin8’s innovative electroluminescent technology and with the leading wall covering manufacturers, Graham & Brown, to develop wallpaper concepts.

Digital Dawn was commissioned by FuturePhysical in collaboration with the Royal College of Art's InnovationUnit and Firstsite Gallery and was presented at the Eco-Technology strand in February 2003. The Eco-Technology strand explores issues relating to the physical body in the natural environment in a digital age, focusing on the creative use of technology to facilitate sustainable and responsible use of the environment. Future Physical commissions represent some of the most pioneering and cutting edge digital work being created globally today.

Rachel's research explores electronically reactive, light emitting surfaces as a form of visual communication in built spaces. The flat light source, electroluminescence has been applied to traditional interior textiles in order to create sensed environments with the use programming and sensors generating surfaces that are responsive to their surroundings, providing a visual and luminous reflection of their environment.