Aug
2012
25
Haptic Lab: We Make Soft-Maps
“Haptic” refers to the sense of touch that includes the entire body, inside and out; it is also the mechanism we employ to situate our bodies in space, feeling the world around us.
Haptic Lab was founded in 2009 by Emily Fischer, a Brooklyn-based architect and designer. These beautiful, hand-sewn quilts were inspired by Emily’s mother, Peggy, who had begun losing her eyesight from complications of glaucoma. Emily began making these soft maps in 2002 as an academic experiment in tactile wayfinding. I’ve been vying for one of these in my apartment for awhile and finally bought the New York quilt the week I moved to Brooklyn. These beautiful pieces surpass the concept of home-wares and art, and only get better with age. Check out the rest of the cities Haptic Lab has to offer.
