MATERIAL DRIVEN

MaterialDriven is a design agency and materials library in the UK, US, and Spain. We are a strategic interface between the developers of innovative and sustainable materials, and the studios, brands, or institutions seeking to learn about and apply them. Our work covers three realms–Education, Curation, and Consulting–and our clients range from consumer goods brands to architectural studios, developers, hotel chains, fashion labels, trade events, and museums. 

With a curated range of materials in our collection, our expertise lies in locating and sourcing innovative materials, as well as understanding their applications, and impact across industries. This collection serves as the basis for projects and connections that we enable and draws from the ever-growing network of material developers that we work with, around the world.  A quality that distinguishes us from other collections and agencies in the field is the variance of scale and type we capture, and in particular, the relationships we build–with individual material makers, rising startups, established manufacturers, academics, and scientists alike. MaterialDriven is led by partners Purva Chawla and Adele Orcajada. 

Designing for (Radical) Change

This year, the idea of Change holds new meaning, and in the context of an increasingly volatile world, it has become an intrinsic part of our world and reality.

Faced with the uncertainty of change, designers must be resilient, using the tools available to them mange the shift–transforming a crisis into an opportunity for growth. They must straddle a post-pandemic reality, which presents new, polarized consumer and industry needs, and develop solutions that achieve equity between sustainability, technology, craft, physical, social and emotional wellbeing, economy, art, science and innovation.

In order to address these key issues, in both their products and spaces, designers must accomplish the delicate balance between protection and nourishment, creating a sense of aseptic cleanliness but also tactile comfort. Combining both natural and synthetic objects, creating a crossover between digital and the physical experiences will have to be seamless. What designers deliver will need to address our sense of isolation and need for uniqueness, while providing access to community and more standardized solutions.

MaterialDriven’s virtual curated display will explore the key role that design is playing to support our society through change, reflected in each of the selected materials.  From materials that are extremely resilient, to those which promote self-sufficiency and wellbeing, visitors will discover healthy alternatives for antimicrobial surfaces, plant-based plastics and leathers, new and robust masonry formats, natural performance materials, innovative colour solutions, as well as pollution-based and pollution-absolving materials.