معرفی
Felecia Davis is an Associate Professor at the Stuckeman Center for Design Computing in the School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at Pennsylvania State University. She is the founding director of SOFTLAB@PSU, a research lab dedicated to developing soft computational materials and textiles. Davis is also a founding member and executive officer of the Black Reconstruction Collective, a 501c3 organization supporting design work about the African diaspora.
Davis's research focuses on computational textiles—textiles that respond to environmental cues through programming, embedded sensors, and electronics. Her work explores how these responsive materials can transform architectural spaces, communication, and social interaction. Key research areas include emotional responsive environments, lightweight architectural structures, and the intersection of Black spatial practices with computational design.
Davis's recent work demonstrates significant trends in computational textiles moving from experimental prototypes toward architectural applications. Her projects increasingly focus on social and cultural dimensions of responsive materials, particularly examining Black spatial experiences and community memory. She has pioneered techniques for creating textiles that respond to environmental stimuli through thermal, electrical, and mechanical means.
- New York Architectural League's Emerging Voices Award (2022)
- Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture Innovative Research Award of Excellence (2022)
- Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum National Design Award for Digital Design (2022)
- Graham Foundation award
- DigitalFUTURES award
Davis has established significant research collaborations through SOFTLAB@PSU, working with industry and community partners on computational textile applications. She has received multiple grants supporting her innovative research at the intersection of textiles, computation, and architecture. Her teaching spans over 10 years at institutions including Cornell University, Princeton University, and Cooper Union, where she has mentored numerous students in architectural design and computational textiles.
Through SOFTLAB@PSU and the Black Reconstruction Collective, Davis leads teams exploring how computational textiles can address social, cultural, and political issues. Her lab fosters a culture of hands-on making and thinking through computational materials, connecting research, teaching, and practice in innovative ways.
