Introduction or specific place.Instead,they are part of an industry that manufactures materials,using raw ingredients that can belong and be made anywhere. Increasingly,contemporary designers are taking materials from different contexts and environments and applying them inventively in architecture.Materials from the world of product,fashion and furniture design are being considered for interior and exterior architectural applications.The standard convention of using traditional materials for building is changing as issues of cost and sustainability become ever more important.Thinking carefully about which materials to source and specify,how far they have travelled and whether they can be recycled or reused is the responsibility of the architect when designing a building or space. An architect needs to understand the nature of materials and their possibilities and limitations before they can be used to create buildings and spaces.This book introduces traditional,manufactured and more contemporary materials. Each chapter describes a particular material(or materials) in terms of its historical development and in the context of its application.This is accompanied by a canon of work from a 'grand master'who has championed the development of an architecture associated with the material.Practical case studies from a range of contemporary architects will demonstrate the innovative use of materials at various scales.The final chapter of the book explores issues of sustainability,innovation and the future of materials and construction techniques. As an architect,understanding the changing nature of materials is critical.To be aware of the range and properties of the materials at your disposal is to extend the possibility of your design potential. 'Let every material be true to itself...brick should appear as brick,wood as wood,iron as iron, each according to its own statistical laws.' Gottfried Somperprelims (1-11)_.qxd 10/4/08 1:43 PM Page 8 Construction + materiality Introduction or specific place. Instead, they are part of an industry that manufactures materials, using raw ingredients that can belong and be made anywhere. Increasingly, contemporary designers are taking materials from different contexts and environments and applying them inventively in architecture. Materials from the world of product, fashion and furniture design are being considered for interior and exterior architectural applications. The standard convention of using traditional materials for building is changing as issues of cost and sustainability become ever more important. Thinking carefully about which materials to source and specify, how far they have travelled and whether they can be recycled or reused is the responsibility of the architect when designing a building or space. An architect needs to understand the nature of materials and their possibilities and limitations before they can be used to create buildings and spaces. This book introduces traditional, manufactured and more contemporary materials. Each chapter describes a particular material (or materials) in terms of its historical development and in the context of its application. This is accompanied by a canon of work from a ‘grand master' who has championed the development of an architecture associated with the material. Practical case studies from a range of contemporary architects will demonstrate the innovative use of materials at various scales. The final chapter of the book explores issues of sustainability, innovation and the future of materials and construction techniques. As an architect, understanding the changing nature of materials is critical. To be aware of the range and properties of the materials at your disposal is to extend the possibility of your design potential. ‘Let every material be true to itself… brick should appear as brick, wood as wood, iron as iron, each according to its own statistical laws.’ Gottfried Semper TEXT BLACK (AVA): Basics Architecture C + M CD1008-10 / 3173 ~ 1st Proof prelims (1-11)_.qxd 3/11/09 5:44 PM Page 8