In my research and web surfing, I came across an organization based in Naarden (about 20 km east of Amsterdam) called Materia (https://materia.nl). It is primarily an online resource to showcase material explorations and developments from all over the world.
In their words:
“Materia is the global network in the area of innovative materials. Materia encourages joint innovation on the road to a more beautiful, sustainable and high-quality built environment.”
While they are mainly online, they have joined with Broeinest (http://www.broeinest.nl), a material library in the Noord of Amsterdam (think bike ferry bike) that focuses on materials used in interior architecture.
And yes, they had a giant wooden teddy bear covered in carpet samples.
Ending yesterday, was a small exhibit showcasing Healthy Materials. It was an array of materials, some familiar (they had about 8 versions of wool/felt...which is underrated), some not (compressed pigs blood which was oddly beautiful).
The main trends I was able to discern were:
Organic/Plant Based-pressed fibers, bamboo silk, pressed and sewn leaves, fruit leather (the kind you wear, not eat), etc.
Organic/Animal Based-dried intestines, the aforementioned wool, oyster shells, and the compressed pig blood
Engineered-often based in biomimicry, familiar materials that have been altered to be weather resistant, softer, quieter, warmer, etc.
Recycled-worn Oriental rugs patched into new rugs, rubber tires and clothing in India woven into new fabrics, wood dust turned into a wall covering, many recycled plastics, and old clothes shredded and pressed into new fabrics. I want to know more about that last one...pressed clothing in Wearable Art!
All were curious, certainly beautiful and presented into mouth watering samples, but left me with many questions.
A big critique of social design is, what I call, the esoteric factor, i.e. the idea, concept, or image is beautiful, but the application is more complicated. This is something important to me in developing curriculum, but I also struggle with. I am an artist, and believe there is meaning to the symbolic or metaphorical. But if we are talking about issues of social justice, when does that become self-indulgent? I am holding seemingly contrary points together right now, as I think absolutes are not always useful. This is something I will further explore.
So, some of my questions are:
Are materials that are healthy to have in your home, also healthy for the planet? If we have to harvest materials in Indonesia, what about the health implications of carbon footprints?
What does the science/ design balance look like in the fabrications of these materials?
Are these materials currently being used? How accessible are they?
Many boasted of materials being hand made...which also leads to many more questions. I hope contact Materia to ask them some of these questions.
Meanwhile, enjoy some material samples!
#materia #Broeinest #materialstudies #interiordesign #socialdesign #recycled #biomimicry #Dutchdesign #designeducation #materialslibrary
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