Material library

We have opened a new Material Library in Prague in cooperation with matériO Paris.

A material library is there for all professionals and students from the creative field such as architecture, design, art, multimedia, scenography, marketing, fashion industry, graphic art, handicrafts industry etc. with the aim to serve as a source of information and inspiration.

Material libraries in Prague and Bratislava have both been supported by a financial grant from the European Union as part of the Leonardo da Vinci program - “Transfer of Materials Library”. The libraries have been officially opened in April 2011.

For more information visit www.materio.cz

 

Opening hours:

Mon-Thu 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. (at other times if arranged)

Due to a limited space of material library, visitation need to be reserved in advance by phone or email. Thank you for your understanding.

tel.: +420 739 471 317


e-mail: info@materio.cz

 

 

What is a material library?

Just as books are stored in a normal library, material libraries physically store material samples. Material libraries have emerged as a reaction to a material boom in the past few years. It is very difficult, if not impossible, for the professionals from the creative field to maintain an actual overview of all available materials and to follow the materials development.

Material libraries gather, update and provide information to the professional public. Contrary to normal libraries that have been developing over hundred years, the concept of material libraries is still in the process of forming. Some material libraries operate only on a virtual base with a small amount of physical samples; others focus on particular materials or end consumers.

Material libraries form a synergy between art and science and between material manufacturers and consumers. When browsing through the library, materials can be touched and felt and thus engage all the senses. Surface, structure, scent, sound or thermal features of materials…all these perceived details invoke images and arouse new creative ideas. This can hardly be achieved by a mere looking at pictures and material images. Thus, the focus is not only on the technical features but also on the sensual and aesthetic features of materials.

 

matériO library

matériO library was created ten years ago in Paris. From a wide scale of materials used in different creative fields such as architecture, design, art, multimedia, fashion industry, graphic art, handicrafts industry etc., matériO carefully selects specific materials that are unusual in some way. When looking at a new material, several things such as their particular features and creative contribution are considered. The essential aim of the library is not to merely include all the materials available in the market but to inspire its user.

matériO library is not here only for architects who come with a specific idea about an appearance and technical features of a material but it can also serve as an inspiration to a producer of top-boots who needs to discover an innovative material but does have not any particular idea.

An essential part of the library is updated on-line database of physically available material samples. Contact information of sample’s producer are always listed among data about individual material. The technical information are provided by the producers. Material library is not responsible for its correctness.

materiO is particular about handing down a specific opinion about materials, its production, manufacture and recyclation. Its aim is to provoke visitors of the library to think about materials and their application without redundant preconceptions and clichés. It teaches its users to have courage and to take responsibility for nonstandard material solutions.

 

This project was realized with a kind support of the European Union.

This document does not represent opinions of the European Commission, neither is the European Commission responsible for the use and content of this document.