Here at bwd, we are definitely material babes. In fact our Creative Director, Beverley Wood, is going to the Institute of Making in London today. With over 1500 materials in their library she can’t wait to see what’s being showcased.  

“The Institute of Making is a multidisciplinary research club for those interested in the made world: from makers of molecules to makers of buildings, synthetic skin to spacecraft, soup to diamonds and socks to cities”   www.instituteofmaking.org.uk

We are keen users of traditional materials however, we believe our clients benefit from the fact that we are continually exploring ways to use new technologies. Watching the recent coverage of the Institute of Making on BBC’s The One Show, we started to think about ways to use more revolutionary materials in our design schemes.

Here are three super-materials that we think could revolutionise the design world:

1. Nanocellulose Algae – a sustainable product of biofuels, is used in computer components, in armour for soldiers and in flexible smartphone screens and many other applications. This substance could be one of the most environmentally friendly compounds. This stuff is amazing, just take a look at this article on The Huffington Post UK

2. Aerogel (Solid Smoke) – a substance light, super-strong and able to absorb 900 times its own weight. Aerogel is being tipped as a new potential heat-insulation material as well as something useful in the clean-up of oil spills.  Just think how useful it is for architects for developing sustainable housing
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHnen2nSmDY]

3. Garphene – tipped as the next major material revolution it conducts electricity better than anything else, is 300 times stronger than steel and only one atom thick….wow! [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_eTLPKdrHs]

What would you use these materials for? Have we got you thinking? Lots more information to follow when Bev returns from London.