Week 1 - Scenario

This episode introduces the foundational concepts of Materials Design, an emerging yet increasingly recognised field within the design discipline. Over the past decade, materials design has evolved into a vital research, education, and practice domain, influencing diverse areas such as product, fashion, interior, interaction, service, and communication design. This episode outlines the field's historical, theoretical, and methodological foundations, setting the stage for exploring critical concepts in subsequent episodes, including the expressive-sensorial dimension of materials, the Materials Experience concept, and the Material Driven Design method.

This episode delves into Materials Experience, a framework for understanding how materials shape user interactions across four dimensions: sensorial, interpretive, affective, and performative. These levels reveal how materials evoke sensory responses, convey meaning, influence emotions, and invite specific actions, transforming materials into active elements in design.

The episode also introduces the Materials Driven Design (MDD) methodology, which positions materials as a starting point for design innovation. MDD guides designers through stages of exploring material properties, envisioning user experiences, mapping interaction patterns, and creating concepts that fully leverage material qualities. Whether working with familiar, novel, or experimental materials, MDD enables designers to develop products that enhance user engagement and foster unique, impactful experiences.

One recent and significant approach in the field of materials design is the DIY-materials approach, where materials can be designed, developed and self-produced mainly by designers. The DIY-Materials approach is based on tinkering with materials and direct hands-on experimentation. This practice during the design process allows designers to improve and refine their sensitivity toward materials and their qualities. This video discusses the research conducted to define the phenomenon of DIY-Materials, demonstrating great promise for contributing to transition towards sustainability. It presents a DIY-Materials Kingdoms framework and exciting case studies.

This episode introduces Materials Tinkering, an experimental approach in Materials Design that emphasises exploration and creativity. Materials tinkering involves crafting DIY materials using simple ingredients, often from local, abundant or waste sources. Designers experiment with recipes, techniques, and processes, creating unique material samples through trial and error.

The process includes selecting ingredients, adjusting recipes, and testing qualities like texture, durability, and appearance. This iterative method enhances designers' understanding of material properties and invites creativity through direct experience. Documenting each step with notes, photos, and videos is essential, as it creates a detailed record of experimentation. The final output often includes a variety of material samples, a lab notebook, and even narrative videos.