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Material Matters 2024 charts the future of sustainable craft and revolutionary design
Tip Takes by Studio TIP is an interactive installation promoting circularity in construction materials
Image: Courtesy of Material Matters 2024
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Material Matters 2024 charts the future of sustainable craft and revolutionary design

From biomaterials to recycled aluminium, this edition of Material Matters at the London Design Festival 2024 highlights transformative approaches to responsible material use.

by Aarthi Mohan
Published on : Sep 17, 2024

Material Matters returns to the Bargehouse at Oxo Tower Wharf for London Design Festival 2024 at the Bankside Design District. Launched in 2022, the design fair has rapidly grown into a standout event in the international design calendar, bringing together globally recognised brands and emerging talent, all united by a focus on material intelligence and sustainability. Running from September 18 - 21, 2024, the third edition of the design festival promises a variety of installations, exhibitions and talks highlighting innovative ways to use materials responsibly.

A major draw this year is Fibre Futures, an installation from BIOTEXFUTURE, a space funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Led by Adidas AG and RWTH Aachen University, it showcases high-performance textiles that use alternative resource streams and innovative spinning techniques to improve the textile value chain. Another design installation is Hydro's 100Rproject, where seven well-known designers, including Inga Sempé and Philippe Malouin, have created products using Hydro CIRCAL100R, the world's first industrial-scale aluminium made entirely from recycled post-consumer scrap.

The American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) will spotlight American maple, an underused hardwood through Pirouette, a furniture collection by design studio Parti and Jan Hendzel Studio. The exhibit explores geometric forms and craftsmanship, offering a new perspective on this sustainable material. Another highlight is the Wood Awards 2024 exhibition which features buildings, furniture and product designs that celebrate the best of wood from UK-based architects, designers and makers.

Working with waste materials is a core theme at the design exhibition. Ferzom Ceramics, a UK and EU-based design collective is turning waste into a range of glazes, while up-and-coming designer Rosy Napper will showcase homeware made from recycled ceramics and waste ash.

Sustainable designer Alkesh Parmar, based in London, returns to the fair, presenting a new collection of lighting designs, objects and artworks made from locally sourced orange peels. Dutch company VivÈrdie Industries is also back with its innovative approach to repurposing textile waste. Another standout is Spared, a Brighton-based company that turns discarded materials into beautiful objects. Additionally, Hempla designed by Sofia Hagen and Studio Marmi will debut a seating collection made from organic hemp and recycled sugar cane, featuring integrated lighting that follows the user's circadian rhythm.

A unique addition this year is Locally Grown, an interactive installation created by Studio Sanne Visser which explores human hair as a potential material. Visitors can experience the transformation of waste hair into functional rope, following the full journey from fibre to product. The installation, supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and co-curated by Vickie Hayward of Company Place, invites participants to engage in regenerative design by rethinking what we often consider waste.

Biomaterials are gaining more attention in the design world and several exhibitors will highlight their potential at Material Matters 2024. Finnish designer Mari Koppanen works with amadou, a leather-like material derived from tinder mushrooms, while New York-based Mushlume Lighting will display bio-fabricated lighting grown from mycelium; the root structure of mushrooms. Other intriguing exhibits include pieces made from seaweed by Welsh studio Tŷ Syml, stool designs created from 3D-printed soil and plant fibres by the Natural Materials Lab and lights crafted from a collagen-based bioplastic by Sabrina Merayo Nuñez.

While the design festival emphasises material innovation, it also holds space for traditionally crafted furniture designs. Modet, a brand founded by Irish designer Paul O'Brien, will present new pieces such as the Langford lounge chair, a contemporary take on mid-century design, alongside experiments with materials such as stone, leather and bronze.

Another captivating highlight is Room 12, an exploration of the evolving relationship between raw materials, geography and supply chains. This collaboration between architecture and design practice TP Bennett and The Furniture Practice delves into the manufacturing processes behind 12 brands in the commercial interior industry. By examining the components and craftsmanship involved, this project offers insights into the complex relationships that shape the products we use every day.

This year’s 'Design Studio of the Year' is PriestmanGoode, one of the world's leading studios for transport interiors. The London-based practice focuses on the environmental impact of material choices in transportation design, aiming to ensure that lightweight, recycled and circular materials help meet net-zero goals. Their installation Moving responsibly: A material journey promises to take visitors through every phase of their design process, demonstrating how thoughtful design can define future transport systems that are both sustainable and safe. This experience includes a materials table and a virtual reality experience.

The studio will also be part of the talks program, where Kirsty Dias and Maria Kafel will discuss their portfolio and explore how materials play a critical role in shaping user experiences within the transport sector. Moderated by Samta Nadeem, who leads curatorial programming and content curation at STIR, the talk will touch on the sustainable design strategies and the innovative processes that the studio employs to achieve lasting environmental impact in transportation.

The Talks Space at Bargehouse has been designed by Woven Image, Material Matters' official acoustic partner. The theme, Macro Rhythms, combines visual, tactile and aural elements to create an immersive experience at LDF 2024. The ceiling features sound-absorbing acoustic tiles, while the stage is set with a curtain made from unique 3D-formed acoustic panels.

Further, ForEveryday.Life will showcase its award-winning Housing Salinas project, which won the Initiative 99 competition for affordable housing. Slovakian design research studio crafting plastics! studio will exhibit its latest collection of Senseables stools, biodegradable designs that change colour in response to UV radiation and raise awareness of environmental changes. The studio's lamp designs made without glue or screws, will also be on display.

Material Bank, the world's largest digitised material marketplace for the architecture and design industry, will present sustainable materials focusing on circularity and climate impact. Additionally, EcoLattice will showcase smart, sustainable foam alternatives while Slovak-Indian company Malai.eco will exhibit biomaterials made from agricultural waste, such as coconut processing byproducts.

Material Matters 2024 promises to be an exciting exploration of how design and material innovation can create a more sustainable future. From waste repurposing to biomaterial breakthroughs, the design week is a showcase of how designers are pushing boundaries while remaining rooted in craftsmanship. Whether you're drawn to the sleek elegance of traditional materials or the cutting-edge potential of new ones, this year's event is sure to inspire.

In its 22nd edition, the London Design Festival—including its 11 design districts, partners and the design fair Material Matters—stirs the city with a dynamic programme of installations, exhibitions, workshops, talks and more. Follow STIR at London Design Festival 2024, as we continue to bring the best of the festival's offerings as media partners along with our own initiatives across the city, including our partners Shoreditch Design Triangle, Mayfair, the Global Design Forum, and more across Brompton, Battersea, Chelsea, Dalston to Stokey and Bankside.

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