Curated by experimentadesign, MATERIA débuts 14 projects by 12 designers.

Keiji Takeuchi  Born in Fukuoka, Japan 1977. At age of 15, Keiji Takeuchi moved to New Zealand where he spent his youth. In 1999, while studying at an art school in New Zealand, he moved to Paris for a scholarship study at ENSCI / Les Ateliers. In 2003, he returned to Japan and since 2005, he has been a member and a de…

Filipe Larcão Industrial designer Filipe Alarcão trained at the Lisbon Faculty of Fine Arts and Domus Academy in Milan, where he remained after completing his Master's degree, working with Michele De Lucchi (95-97). Working from his Lisbon-based studio, he develops his own projects in furniture, urban equipment, lighti…

Daniel Caramelo Industrial designer Daniel Caramelo graduated from the Lisbon Faculty of Fine Arts in 2002, after which he spent 3 years in Barcelona, working with, among others, azuamoliné. Upon his return, he started his studio with Bárbara Fachada under the brand name Linhabranca. A founding member of Diverge Design…

Miguel Vieira Batista Since 2000, Miguel Vieira Baptista, trained at IADE Lisbon and the Glasgow School of Art, has combined his main activity as a product designer with a host of projects in exhibition and interior design commissioned by experimentadesign and the Lisbon Fashion Week, among others. He has also curated…

Raw Edges Under the name Raw Edges, Yael Mer & Shay Alkalay work towards a common goal: to create objects that have never been seen before. Yael's main focus lies in turning two-dimensional sheet materials into curvaceous functional forms, whereas Shay is fascinated by how things move, function and react. Since the…

Inga Sempé Parisian-born Inga Sempé graduated from ENSCI-Les Ateliers (École Nationale Supérieure de Création Industrielle, Paris) in 1993. Since then, she has built up an impressive and diversified portfolio of projects ranging from furniture and lighting to small objects and fabrics. A scholarship holder at the Villa…

James Irvine Born in London, James Irvine graduated in 1984 from the Royal College of Art, London. In the same year he moved to Milan. From 1984 to 1992, he was a design consultant for Olivetti design studio Milan, under the direction of Michele De Lucchi and Ettore Sottsass. In 1987 he worked for one year at the Toshi…

James Irvine Born in London, James Irvine graduated in 1984 from the Royal College of Art, London. In the same year he moved to Milan. From 1984 to 1992, he was a design consultant for Olivetti design studio Milan, under the direction of Michele De Lucchi and Ettore Sottsass. In 1987 he worked for one year at the Toshi…

Fernando Brízio Fernando Brízio graduated in Product Design (1996) from the Faculty of Fine Arts in Lisbon, where he lives and works. He has developed products for industry and small-scale handmade production, along with exhibitions, sets, interior and public spaces for companies and organizations such as Droog, Schréd…

Marco Sousa Santos With a career that spans three decades, Marco Sousa Santos is a Product Design graduate from the Lisbon Faculty of Fine Arts. A founding member of breakthrough Portuguese studio Protodesign (99/01) and cultural platform experimentadesign (98), he founded his own studio in 2002, working with the likes…

Nendo Giving people a small “ ! “ moment, capturing the hidden potential for “!” in the everyday. This is the “wow” factor, the element of surprise, humour and novelty that, according to nendo, makes our lives more interesting. The mission of this design collective is to reintroduce it in the shape of objects and devic…

Pedrita Pedrita is Rita João and Pedro Ferreira. Both are Design graduates from the Architecture Faculty of Lisbon's Technical University, having also studied at TU Delft (in Rita's case) and Politecnico di Milano (Pedro). They joined FABRICA in September 2002, and took charge of the 3D Design Department in 2004. Retur…

Fernando Brízido Fernando Brízio graduated in Product Design (1996) from the Faculty of Fine Arts in Lisbon, where he lives and works. He has developed products for industry and small-scale handmade production, along with exhibitions, sets, interior and public spaces for companies and organizations such as Droog, Schré…

Nendo Giving people a small “!“ moment, capturing the hidden potential for “!” in the everyday. This is the “wow” factor, the element of surprise, humor and novelty that, according to nendo, makes our lives more interesting. The mission of this design collective is to reintroduce it in the shape of objects and devices…

BIG-GAME BIG-GAME is a design studio founded in 2004 by Grégoire Jeanmonod (CH), Elric Petit (BE) and Augustin Scott de Martinville (FR). Currently based in Lausanne, BIG-GAME develops furniture, lighting and objects for companies such as Karimoku, Moustache or Galerie Kreo. The trio, who like the terms “descriptive ge…

There will always be different perceptions, especially in the countries where one exhibits. Certain design fairs specialise in exhibiting only collectible high-end design, where others focus on commercial products. Most European exhibitors or retailers will have a better understanding of the products presented due to t…

As cities continue to grow, bio-diversity loss is increasing. As an architect and designer, I feel it is important to counter this trend by re-introducing living organisms, such as plants, into urban spaces. One way to do this is by embedding them into our architecture. Living organisms are able to capture carbon and p…

Tiago Sá da Costa is a Portuguese product designer and his Studio TSC is currently based in Den Bosch, the Netherlands.  At Studio TSC, Tiago's work is focused on ecological design, with cork as a core research matter. Much of Tiago's work has been exploring the functional uses and physical and aesthetic boundaries of…

Harvested every nine years, without any tree being felled during the process, cork gives rise to an endless array of products, from the traditional to the most innovative and unexpected.

TIPSY is the latest item to be included in Amorim Cork Composites MATERIA collection - a set of new cork products that can be seamlessly and functionally integrated into our everyday lives.

For a design contest, I was looking for a genuine natural material with unique properties in terms of tactility and sound absorption. Our research led us to cork. So we decided to return to the source. Our first visit to the cork forest at harvest time was really magical. The discovery of the culture of cork, in its pu…

Called Sobreiro (cork oak), it is the first line of cork furniture created by the renowned Campana brothers. Made up of an armchair and three cabinets, the collection marked the participation of the Brazilian designers in the 2018 edition of Experimenta Portugal, an initiative of the Consulate General of Portugal in Sa…

"We have already won two major awards in the US, and the feedback from architects, traders, and designers has been great."

Sobreiro is the new collection from the Brazilian designers, developed in partnership with Corticeira Amorim, Época and the European Capital of Furniture.

The material library was the main stage for cork´s presentation, where designers and architects had the opportunity to be introduced to the science of nature.

Studio Corkinho is an Antwerp-based design studio, run by two young designers - Cedric Etienne and Klas Dalquist – whose company motto is “It's cork, but not as you know it.”

Rio + Design Milan 2018 is the name of the exhibition which, during Milan Furniture Salon (Salone Internazionale del Mobile), will present a major exhibition of works by over 60 Brazilian designers, as part of the event, Be Brasil.

Interview with Gabriel Tan, designer.

Manufactured in aluminium with a lacquered finish, the Rion chair, which served as a starting point for this project, is a creation of the designers Andrea Radice e Folco Orlandini for Fast, a furniture brand. Marta Sande Castro worked with the white version, but the model is available in eight colours.

This collection, launched by Amorim and directed by ExperimentaDesign, was developed with the aim to raise the profile of cork and conquer new territories and audiences.It is made up of exclusive designer objects, made for everyday use, which take advantage of the unique properties of cork as a result of the most advan…

Cork is a material which is certainly worthy of attention in design. Its appeal lies in the combination of its old-world appeal and new-world technical capabilities.

Another objective is to provide monitoring and technical support for projects with world-renowned architects, designers and artists. This has been the basis for creating unique works, such as the recent sculptures “The Three Graces” by Pedro Cabrita Reis, the self-portrait of Ai Weiwei, temporary installations such as…

Cork has been gaining prominence among architects, engineers and designers worldwide, who use it in increasingly creative and innovative ways. Indulge yourself, and enjoy all the benefits that this natural material has to offer.

Designer Christian Watson uses cork in his first furniture collection.

"Blocks" is the name of the mega installation by the designer Rona Meyuchas-Koblenz.

Interview with Emma Lochery, curator, and designer of The Bridge Collection museum

Cork is a 100% natural and recyclable raw material that inspires designers creativity. The industrial processes? These are very developed and in continuous research. Cork can enter the industry in processes such as: 3D Molding, CNC machining, Lamination with different materials, Compression molding, and Board on frame.…

The result of the work developed by the ten designers was presented to the public, for the first time, in Lisbon, at the design and architecture biennial, EXD’13, and it included not only proposals where cork was the only raw material used, but also solutions that combined cork with materials such as concrete, metal or…

Founded in 2006, the US studio Submaterial is dedicated to the development of wall coverings and panels designed to reduce indoor acoustic impact. Manufactured from sustainable raw materials, such as wool felt and cork, their wall coverings are highly valued by architects and interior designers and have already won a n…

Gisela Simas belongs to a new generation of Brazilian designers. She lives in London, where she studied Industrial and Product Design at Central Saint Martins and founded the Original Practical Design Limited (OPD) studio. Her work is characterised by timeless aesthetics, functionality and purity of lines, not conceivi…

The main goal of MATERIA is to raise the profile of the cork and conquer new territories and new audiences. The perfect cocktail for success is created by combining the inspiration of various designers - through a collection where the cork is the main feature (albeit combined with other materials) - with its multifacet…

Its signature is on the most unlikely everyday objects, Olympic sports equipment, organic solvents, high profile global works, state-of-the-art road and railway projects, spacecraft... Within the panorama of contemporary creation, it challenges designers, scientists, and architects to explore the endless potential of c…

Cork surfboards with Amorim Cork Composites' Corecork technology, relatively thin, strong face sheets bonded to thicker, lightweight core materials. These boards were the result of a joint work from dozens of designers, researchers, aerodynamics and materials development experts and the professional surfer Garrett McNa…

The interactive garden created by the British designer won the silver medal at the 2019 Chelsea Flower Show, in London, organised by the Royal Horticultural Society.

Born in Lisbon in 1972, she has lived in Berlin since 2004. Leonor Antunes's design work is known for its affinity with modernism and its specific geometric patterns, as well as the shapes and structures that were particularly valued by architects and designers in the early 20th century. Her work is mathematical, with…

ACC Design Studio is a space for innovation and creativity where cork and design unite.This creative studio is underpinned by three essential objectives. The first is to develop new concepts, in which Amorim Cork Composites collaborates with brands.The second objective is to provide monitoring and technical support for…

Congonhas lamp and Dora coffee table mark the beginning of a partnership between the studio Original Practical Design Limited (OPD) and Corticeira Amorim, which supported the designer in development of these new cork-based items.

Stow It is a multi-functional wall shelf which combines stylish design with acoustic properties. Stow It was designed by the renowned designer James Irvine, who previously designed Six, for the Materia collection.

Cork oak forests occupy an estimated area of over 2.2 million acres in the West Mediterranean basin.Like the Mediterranean diet, sunshine and great wine, cork oak forests are an icon of the Mediterranean way of life. Around 90% of the area of distribution of the species is found in Portugal, Spain, Morocco, and Algeria…

Raw materials of natural origin, such as cork which is 100% natural, recyclable and renewable, are an innovative and sustainable option for creating functional goods, with aesthetic concern, that accompany us at home, at work and during leisure time. It is estimated that for every ton of cork produced, cork oak forests…

The Metamorphosis project resulted from an invitation made by Experimentadesign to several architects and designers to think about new ways of using cork. Architects were asked to use cork in construction solutions, if possible. This challenge came at the same time that I was developing a project for the Cruise Termina…

As a cultural non-profit association, experimentadesign is a content generating platform geared towards the promotion of design and its role as an operating tool for positive change and mediation in contemporary society. Known for its flagship project - the EXD Biennale – experimentadesign celebrated its 10th anniversa…

Although this is an article about silence, since we are talking about cork’s impact on the quality of life in urban contexts, it would be absurd to focus solely on cork's acoustic performance. Cork is valued in the building industry due to many other characteristics, in particular the fact that it offers excellent ther…

Although this is an article about silence, since we are talking about cork’s impact on the quality of life in urban contexts, it would be absurd to focus solely on cork's acoustic performance. Cork is valued in the building industry due to many other characteristics, in particular the fact that it offers excellent ther…

Because every choice counts, we've put together three tips for more sustainable interior design. These may be small steps, but they impact both your quality of life and the planet. Take note. 1. Give preference to natural lighting Make the most of daylight. Even if the size of your home’s windows or its exposure to th…

Matthew Barnett Howland is an award-winning British designer, teacher, and researcher. In recent years, he has dedicated himself to the study of cork as a building material, looking for an alternative to conventional building systems. In the development of the Cork House project as a whole, he worked in partnership wit…

It is in bustling New York that the first Google Store comes to life. In contrast to the city’s frenetic pace and the concrete colors, cork was the material chosen for development of the store’s items of furniture, bringing a sense of calm to the Great Apple and fostering a perfect symbiosis between Nature and Technolo…

Cork is a natural, comfortable, lightweight and attractive material. It gives a touch of distinction and originality to the items into which it is incorporated, since it is a natural product. Footcork has its own digital fingerprint, which makes each pair of shoes unique. Cork skin can, for example, be used with its na…

Cork is a natural, comfortable, lightweight and attractive material. It gives a touch of distinction and originality to the items into which it is incorporated, since it is a natural product. Footcork has its own digital fingerprint, which makes each pair of shoes unique. Cork skin can, for example, be used with its na…

Integrated in the dashboard, sun visors and doors, cork is a natural raw material, thus contributing to reduce the environmental footprint of this unique specimen custom-made by the German manufacturer, which features the signature of the British designer Paul Smith. Supplied by Amorim Cork Composites, cork also provid…

Norwegian designer Lars Beller Fjetland designed the Porto and Lisbon cork tiles included in the Beller Collection from Spinneybeck, which chose Amorim Cork Composites to produce these decorative modules that guarantee thermal and acoustic insulation performance. The collection won the #MetropolisLikes prize in NeoCon…

In contrast to the noisy and polluted streets around Somerset House, Forest for Change will be an oasis of calm. Developed by landscape designer, Philip Jaffa of Scape, the pavilion will incorporate 400 trees in total. When the courtyard of the London palace was built in the 18th century, the project prohibited the inc…

It is an increasingly popular product and yet it does not have an established definition.  We hear LVT, LVP, and LVS among other acronyms. The acronym LVT is the most popular of the terms and used to identify “luxury vinyl tile flooring.” As luxury vinyl tile flooring came into popularity, flooring manufacturers and de…

It is an increasingly popular product and yet it does not have an established definition.  We hear LVT, LVP, and LVS among other acronyms. The acronym LVT is the most popular of the terms and used to identify “luxury vinyl tile flooring.” As luxury vinyl tile flooring came into popularity, flooring manufacturers and de…

With its attractive look and warm and soft touch, cork has been chosen to create components for the interior of vehicles that stand out in terms of comfort and the natural beauty of the raw material. Through moulding, extrusion and injection processes, cork can assume the most diverse forms and is being used to create…

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