science

Softwall

Softwall is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Softwall rather than just read about it. In short: softwall is a flexible room divider designed by Stephanie Forsythe and Todd MacAllen of molo. Made from paper or nonwoven polyethylene, the walls use a structured honeycomb geometry to bend, curve, expand and contract.

Key takeaways

Softwall belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Softwall to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Softwall from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

softwall is a flexible room divider designed by Stephanie Forsythe and Todd MacAllen of molo. Made from paper or nonwoven polyethylene, the walls use a structured honeycomb geometry to bend, curve, expand and contract. The honeycomb structure also provides acoustic absorption. Part of a modular system, each softwall can connect to another by magnetic end panels. The walls have been used to create booths for trade fairs, pop-up retail, sculptural art installations, backdrops for performances, as well as to divide space in living and working environments. In 2003, softwall was welcomed into the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection. Two years later, it was presented with the INDEX Award for Design to Improve Life.

Design Forsythe and MacAllen first conceived softwall as a method for repurposing architectural shells to provide shelter for the homeless. The concept grew into a modular system of space partitions that could quickly and easily transform space to suit diverse uses, whether in small live/work studios or large scale environments. softwall reflects molo’s interest in sustainable building methods and flexible living. Both the paper and polyethylene textile used for the soft collection are 100% recyclable. These materials are paired with non-toxic fire retardants, adhesives, and inks. By organizing the paper or textile layers with a honeycomb structure, the material takes on strength to create freestanding partitions and the flexibility to adapt to or shape space. The pleated surface and interior cells, which facilitate movement, also absorb sound.

References

External links molo's official website

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Softwall

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Softwall claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Softwall before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Softwall ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Softwall

In research: Softwall appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Softwall in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Softwall is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Furniture, Paper products, Sustainable products, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Softwall outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Softwall in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Softwall means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Softwall out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Softwall in simple terms?

Why does Softwall matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Softwall?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Softwall.