Adele Orcajada & Purva Chawla (Makerversity)

​With a growing surge of interest in materials and their application in art and design, the question of how these materials should be presented, categorized and archived has led to many debates and discussions. Understanding design and making processes by physically engaging with materials through our senses (touch, smell, sound and even taste!) changes and enhances how we learn, create, collaborate and understand art and design. The experience brought to the table by library practitioners intermingles with feedback from professionals who use materials daily in their work.

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Our aim is to present materials by property and/or functionality, as opposed to classic material types, creating an immersive and interactive collection of materials for visitors, from creative backgrounds and otherwise. The collection communicates the relevance and value of innovative materials in diverse fields today, and that of materials makers as key enablers of the future of design. The library intends to draw on current material developments, as well as the heritage this discipline has.

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With materials libraries in existence across Europe, in the US and Asia, the relevance of a library of materials that serves creative professionals is undisputed. However, these libraries are not within reach of everyone, by virtue of their privacy, cost to access, or even geographic location – especially for students and emerging professionals. On the other hand, even established materials libraries face common challenges, such as the cost of maintenance and upkeep for permanent facilities, and funding to keep them open to the public as well. The best way for cataloguing and archiving material samples is another issue that comes up, with a lack of a unified global system that can unite all materials collections.

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We propose a new format. A library that is low cost and portable, that will reach a wider audience. One curated for universities, institutions and brands who act as hosts to this strategic pop-up library that will connect to their audience and clients, including a cataloguing system that will enhance the learning experience and support the growth of the collection.

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Materials themselves are no longer industry specific today. Those creating materials – or materials makers – can find that their work is applied to industries as diverse as healthcare, transportation, fashion or packaging.
As the diversity and complexity of materials being created and employed has increased –from biomaterials to products made from waste using circular design thinking, to edible and compostable materials – so too has the emphasis on, and appreciation of, the materials world. From construction and manufacturing to education, to corporate and popular culture, the awareness of materials innovation is significant today. From Google’s database of healthy materials – Portico – to The Economist’s recently held ‘Future of Materials Summit, 2017’, to an increasing number of degree programmes in design and science that focus on materials design and research – the shift to a materials – focused world is apparent. It is only a matter of time until materials libraries become a “must-have” in all communities, a public resource for all, as a way to bring together our heritage and future as we research for the present.

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Adele Orcajada has a background in developing craft accessories for fashion, sourcing exciting materials for each collection. During her masters in Applied Imagination at Central Saint Martins she established a unique connection between materials, culture and identity, graduating with Distinction. Since then, her career has taken off as Material Researcher and Librarian, developing exhibitions that support designers and architects in their material discovery. Observing how users engage with the materials collections, Adele has defined better ways of archiving and cataloguing material samples to enhance the user experience. At Material Driven, she supports and connects new generations of material-makers with industry leaders.

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After practising as an architect in the USA, Purva Chawla founded MaterialDriven –materials-focused education platform and design consultancy – in 2016. Now based in London, her work focuses on Circular Design and Material Innovation, aiming to act as a bridge between emerging material-makers and established manufacturers, brands and clients in development. The company is an incubator for design talent, bringing architects and designers into contact with a curated and innovative collection of materials and material-makers. Purva is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Design in Philadelphia, and the Sushant School of Art and Architecture in New Delhi, India.

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