This month’s A+U journal adopts the theme of “Materials / Treatments” in the study of international contemporary architecture and design. Sauerbruch Hutton, Foreign Office Architects, Asymptote, Eduardo Souto de Moura, David Chipperfield, and Chuck Hoberman are included in the list of creative practices currently conducting robust experiments in material applications. The essay “Testing Ground: Emergent Green Materials and Architectural Effects” introduces the volume, outlining the most significant trajectories of recent material innovations.
According to A+U, “Ceramic, glass, concrete and metals are ordinary materials architects are familiar with. Through new treatments and interpretation, these ordinary materials can be transformed by technology resulting in new architectural effects. When glass is printed, sight lines are altered, creating various degrees of transparency. In the form of a fabric, metal acquires malleability instead of rigidity. By engraving patterns onto concrete, the smooth surface takes on a new texture. The projects in this issue are marked by this characteristic that could lead us into new expectations for the future of building and construction. In his essay, Blaine Brownell introduces a host of new materials that are developed due to environmental concerns, a surge in technological advancements and the rise of developing cities. As we enter a new decade, inevitable change to architecture, construction and resources await us. As Brownell advocates, ‘it is precisely the intersection of environmental, technological, and design innovation that holds the most promising future for architecture.’”
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