Connecting the Dots

When Suzanne Tick set out to design the new Jot fabric for Knoll Textiles, she had a clear objective—to dress up the open-plan office. “The year 2000 really brought a big shift to transparency in everything—transparency in business, transparency in buildings,” she says. “People loved the concept of glass conference rooms, for instance, but now there’s absolutely no privacy.” Inspired by images of DNA mapping and binary code, Jot has a grid of white and gray dots that float in transparent polyester. Every six or seven rows, a few dots are highlighted in bright colors, “giving it a little whimsy,” Tick says. This was made possible by the Japanese mill where the fabric is produced, which has a machine that can both burn out the see-through areas and precisely print color on the unburned dots. The effect is translucent, upbeat, and efficient, making it perfect for workplace window draperies and room dividers. “It has that technical aesthetic,” Tick says.

WEB
www.knolltextiles.com