Architects and designers in Edinburgh, Birmingham and Bristol are being given the chance to get creative at a new roadshow coming to their cities, which showcases the latest materials, designs and product innovations.
London-based design resource Material Lab is taking their studio ‘on the road’ so more designers across the UK get the chance to explore the lab and its hundreds of materials for their projects – from tiles and textiles to glass, wallpaper, wood and vinyl – along with expert advice and assistance from Material Lab’s team.
Material Lab was created by Stoke-on-Trent based Johnson Tiles, the UK’s largest manufacturer and importer of ceramic tiles. The company launched Material Lab in 2006 to answer the needs of the architectural and design community, asking what sort of ‘experience’ they wanted in a design resource studio.
The roadshow, in conjunction with Johnson Tiles, Tektura, Karndean Designflooring, Cosentino and Milliken, will travel to Edinburgh, Birmingham and then Bristol, before arriving back at Material Lab’s London base in time for The London Design Festival.
Visitors to the roadshow will not only be able to get hands on with all the materials available, they will also enjoy workshops and presentations on the latest products and talks from special guest speakers.
Participants are also are also invited to get actively involved by contributing to the roadshow’s ‘Think’ boards, made up of samples, projects, images and photographs brought by attendees, which they think break the mould. The ‘Think’ boards from each city will travel with the roadshow and will be shown at Material Lab and online for comment.
Ben Marshall, Material Lab studio manager, says: “Material Lab is a key part of London’s A&D community, but we wanted to spread the experience to other communities in the UK and to our regional clients. The roadshow will give people a unique opportunity to see just what can be achieved with different materials, and will also give A&Ds the chance to share ideas and be inspired as they network amongst their peers.”
The Material Lab roadshow starts at 12 noon and will be at:
- Tsunami Axis, 6 Hope Street, Edinburgh - Thursday September 8th 2011
- Artbox, Mailbox, Birmingham - Wednesday September 14th 2011
- Bakers & Cutlers Hall, Cabot Circus, Bristol - Thursday September 15th 2011
- Material Lab, W1, London - Wednesday September 21st 2011
Places are limited at each event. For more details, follow this link and fill out the RSVP form.
