FS*4Labは、ありうる仮想の未来における人類の生活においてファッションがいかに呼応すべきか模索するプロジェクトです。持続可能性への配慮から、本来廃棄されてしまう魚皮を活用する試みや、公開の十分でない伝統的な鞣しの手法とオープンソース化の進むデジタルファブリケーションを融合を通して新たな手法を模索してきました。実際に誰でも身の回りの日用品を組み合わせて同様な実験をするためのチュートリアルを公開し、逆説的に現代を捉え、現代を取り囲む周囲環境や諸問題について再思考する機会を誘発します。

For this project, we create a prototype; an arm suit made of salmon skin. Firstly, as many statics and facts imply, as the global warming accelerates, habitable land area decreases. In consequence, in near future, we us humans are forced to move to high ground. If the big cities would sink under the water, setting up the infrastructure will be less important to the society and depended to the individual. With that speculative scenario, we created an arm suits for humans to live both on the land and under the sea. Initially, fish skin are thrown out during its manufacturing phase, also from one’s kitchen. However, in the history context, fish skin had been used for survival, likely to animal leather. Ainu,the tribe lived in the Northern Japan used to carry the knowledge of tanning. Unfortunately their tanning method are not well documented, and only shown at the museums.Even fish skin has a potential to be the next beneficial yet sustainable material and found in the kitchen. FS*4 lab aims to open source the tanning method, by filming a tutorial video for everyone to experience tanning at home.

First, we started designing the whole process of this project.Starting from repeating research and prototyping and appealing to materials and shapes, we also filmed the video and made public to everyone. Then, we summarized the methods of tanning fish skin that is not publicly available and edited it as a technique that can be done at home. In order to form the final shape, we used the Science Fiction Prototyping method. Listing the necessary conditions for going back and forth between the water and the land, skeletal changes and possible evolution in a possible future. For delivery, first we scanned the human body. Then fin research and additional modeling, and 3D printed the shape to make a mold. Finally, we borrow the know-how of the scale arrangement found in the fish skin and adjust the optimal scale arrangement when swimming.

arm suit: material: Salmon Skin, Eyelets size:466x831x326mm 475x850x340mm weight: 700g square measure: 475x850mm