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Transmaterial: A Catalog of Materials That Redefine our Physical Environment
 
 
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Transmaterial: A Catalog of Materials That Redefine our Physical Environment [Paperback]

Blaine Brownell (Author)
4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)

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Book Description

1568985630 978-1568985633 December 29, 2005 1
These days, whether you're designing a building or a toaster, a savvy knowledge of materials is increasingly critical. And keeping up with the constant flow of new materials, let alone their applications, properties, and sources, is an increasingly difficult and time-consuming task. Blaine Erickson Brownell, author of Transmaterial, known to thousands of web users for his "product of the week" email service alerting designers to new materials that are reshaping our world, has created this handy and affordable reference to the most interesting and most useful new materials now available.

Transmaterial is indexed in multiple ways for the sake of maximum convenience, and utilizes the new CSI Master-Format 2004 product categorization system. With more than 200 materials, organized by category, described, pictured, and annotated with technical and sourcing information, this catalog is an essential tool for any architect or designer interested in keeping up with the rapid developments in the field of materials, looking for a source of inspiration for their designs, or just eager to get their hands on real materials in an effort to understand the incredibly innovative palette now available to us.


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Editorial Reviews

Review

... a catalog and exploration of some 200 global eco-techno hybrids, an emerging field that has the attention of designers and scientists alike. -- Fast Company, Nov. 2006

A must-have for designers of all walks. Transmaterial's attention to the increasingly blurred lines between art and material. -- res magazine, march/april 2006

Colorful and stimulating, and you don't have to be an architect to appreciate it. . . there is endless inspiration here. -- New Scientist (UK), Februaury 2006

Truly innovative . . . will be of interest to all involved in the design arts who seek a greater understanding of emerging materials and to all who are committed to expanding the traditional classifications of materials within the building industry. -- Journal of Architectural Education, Nov. 2006

"From fully recyclable architectural resin panels to self-cleaning glass, Blaine Brownell has pretty much seen it all when it comes to sustainable building materials. " --Building Design and Construction

"(Transmaterial) identifies products that make a difference - aesthetically, environmentally, socially, and, yes, structurally." -- Architect

"From concrete that absorbs carbon dioxide to scratch-and-sniff wallpaper, the innovations compiled in this book are transformative, multi-functional and ultra-performing. . . . The pages that fill Transmaterial cover 10 categories in the conversational yet informative tone of a material fanatic." -- Azure

About the Author

Blaine Erickson Brownell is an architect and an associate with NBBJ, with eight years of experience working in Tokyo, Houston, Nagoya, and now Seattle.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 240 pages
  • Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press; 1 edition (December 29, 2005)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1568985630
  • ISBN-13: 978-1568985633
  • Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.8 x 0.7 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #134,420 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Blaine Brownell is an architect, author, educator, and former Fulbright scholar. He earned a B.A. in Architecture with a Certificate in East Asian Studies at Princeton University in 1992, and a Master in Architecture from Rice University in 1998. He worked with Yung-Ho Chang, Mark Wamble, and NBBJ before establishing the design/research practice Transstudio, which focuses on disruptive material applications and emergent environmental building strategies. Brownell is considered one of the preeminent scholars of advanced materials for architecture and design, having authored the Transmaterial series with Princeton Architectural Press (2006-2010), in addition to an online material catalog that has been likened to "a 21st Century version of The Grammar of Ornament." Brownell has been published in over forty design, business, and science journals, and has lectured widely in North America, Europe, and Japan. He was selected for a "40 Under 40" award by Building Design & Construction magazine in 2006, and Transmaterial was nominated for an International Book Award by the Royal Institute of British Architects in 2007. Brownell was a visiting research fellow at the Tokyo University of Science as a Fulbright recipient (2006-07), and has taught at the University of Michigan (2007-08) and the University of Minnesota (2008-present).

 

Customer Reviews

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Average Customer Review
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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Primer for Innovative Materials, April 26, 2006
By 
Arch Monkey (Cleveland, OH USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Transmaterial: A Catalog of Materials That Redefine our Physical Environment (Paperback)
As a profession, architects and designers are obsessed with understanding and appreciating materials. When materials are better understood and better utilized, architects and designers typically produce better projects.

Recent innovations in material technology, design and use have come to the forefront of architectural design and have begun to question the very way in which we fabricate our built environments.

Blaine Brownell's recent book Transmaterial looks exclusively at recent material innovation in an attempt to "redefine our physical environment". Based upon Brownell's email digests and website of the same name, Transmaterial is a materials reference book subdivided into sections with material images, descriptions, and contact information for the products. The format is easily accessible, and the content is concise. Due to its ease of use and readability, the palette of materials available to the reader/designer/architect encourages current and future project introspection.

For example, why use just basic concrete when you could use translucent concrete instead? How about utilizing a collapsible, reusable textile brick system in lieu of a traditional stud and drywall partition for a project? The possibilities for integrating different, new, and innovative techniques are endless for almost any design project.

As evidence of the book's success, Brownell has already begun work on a follow-up to Transmaterial as more materials or innovations become readily available.

A resource such as Transmaterial provides more than just innovative materials for our use, but encourages potential for innovation for the environments that architects and designers create. While materials are a component of the overall design, the importance of their appropriate or innovative use is what can make or break a project. Transmaterial is the icebreaker to the typical office discussion of project materials as it proposes an alternate dialogue that is appropriate and desperately needed.

As a book, Transmaterial is limited in providing up-to-date material listings. Thus, the original email digests and website remain critical to Transmaterial's success.

While initially informative, Transmaterial lacks the necessary research and information in regards to material advantages and disadvantages, installation techniques and issues, and information relative to material costs. All of these factors need to be researched further for a respective project before they can be utilized for a project.

While Transmaterial begins a decent discussion for innovative materials that may be used for projects, it is up to architects and designers to take it upon themselves to carry on the discussion.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars treasure of inspiration, March 10, 2006
By 
This review is from: Transmaterial: A Catalog of Materials That Redefine our Physical Environment (Paperback)
Although some of the items listed seem to be artist's projects that are in no way commercialized or buyable, this book is a treasure of inspiration and a good catalogue of new technologies.
It can make your project come true. I don't know how often it is put out, but I can imagine that it is very quickly outdated.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars good service, November 3, 2006
This review is from: Transmaterial: A Catalog of Materials That Redefine our Physical Environment (Paperback)
introductory book on materials. catalouge basically! no precise details. just brief information about surfaces
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Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
You may have noticed it when passing by an electroluminescent store display, hearing about your neighbor's recycled-glass countertops, using your new conductive plastic-powered mobile phone, or reading about self-cleaning paint: we live in a time of unprecedented material innovations that are affecting our lives. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
acoustic treatment, exterior use, recycled content, custom sizes, recycled glass, metal fabrics
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Germany Tel, Canada Tel, Italy Tel, Robin Reigi Inc, Street New York, Imagine Tile, Korban Flaubert, Krystal Weave, Squak Mountain Stone, Ultra-Lite Stone, Australia Tel, Body Brush, Bubble Glass, Flame Spread Class, Ford Shrewsbury, Mansion House, Photovol Glass, San Francisco, Smile Plastics Ltd, Tire Veneer, Wellington Studio, Architectural Systems, Erlus Lotus, Hart Ltd, International Fashion Machines
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