Curated Lists

CURATED LISTS

Curated Lists include a selection of products from the Materials Lab library, assembled around diverse material themes. 

INHABITABLE SKINS | CURATED BY ASSISTANT PROFESSOR RIA BRAVO 
Inhabitable Skins: Architectural Enclosures Reimagined offers a speculative exploration of various outdoor membranes with the potential to redefine architectural enclosure. The term ‘skins’ invokes a metaphorical bridge between architectural structures and the human body, encouraging a redefinition of architecture as dynamic, adaptable entities deeply intertwined with their occupants and surroundings. Included are cross-industry membranes selected for their high-performance attributes, water-resistant qualities, and commitment to sustainability.

 

BUILDING REUSE, REUSE IN BUILDING
This collection highlights strategies for integrating circular products. Included are material products that have been reclaimed from existing buildings, products that have been recycled from pre- and post-consumer building and industrial waste, and products that can be used for retrofitting existing buildings to meet progressive building standards.

 

GRASSES
This list includes a wide range of material products derived from the Graminae family of flowering plants. Of more than 12,000 known species, common examples of grasses grown in high volumes around the world include bamboo, corn, rice, sorghum, and wheat. Although grasses for human use are most prevalent in the food supply chain, providing just over half of global dietary energy, they are also viable resources for products in many other industries, including buildings and infrastructure. Grasses are also considered rapidly renewable crops, meaning they grow in a cycle of less than 10 years, an important factor for the environmental-friendliness of grass-based products.

 

MATERIALS IN TEXAS
Materials in Texas is a survey of regional building materials and resources. Utilizing local materials helps to minimize the embodied carbon of new construction and renovation; material transportation alone accounts for 16.5% of the embodied carbon in the built environment. Furthermore, the use of regionally sourced, assembled, or otherwise manufactured materials contributes to the healthy development of local economies, creates opportunities to honor and sustain local building ecologies, advocates for the community interest necessary to maintain sustainable building life-cycles, and delivers meaningful connections to site geography.

 

WOVEN
Woven showcases the versatility of materials assembled through the practice of weaving. Included in this list are over sixty products, representing a wide array of woven materials suitable for diverse applications. Woven materials are formed by the joining of two distinct sets of threads interlaced at right angles: a set of vertical yarns, the warp; and a set of horizontal threads, the weft. Endless variation and complexity can be introduced from this simple starting point, producing results that vary in density, permeability, and structure.

  • Instagram Post
    Did you know? By specifying just 1000-sf of recycled roof cover board, 2000 lbs. of paper and plastic waste can be diverted from landfill. Everboard, produced by @Continuusmaterials and made in Des Moines, Iowa, is a composite made from 95% post-consumer and post-industrial material.
    @materials_lab

    Did you know? By specifying just 1000-sf of recycled roof cover board, 2000 lbs. of paper and plastic waste can be diverted from landfill. Everboard, produced by @Continuusmaterials and made in Des Moines, Iowa, is a composite made from 95% post-consumer and post-industrial material.

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    This week we feature a leather alternative made from wood. NUO, by @schorngroh, transforms wood veneers into a flexible and supple textile through laser etching. Four engraving patterns in grid sizes of 1.7mm to 5mm lend the material the ability to bend smoothly in multiple directions. <br>
    @materials_lab

    This week we feature a leather alternative made from wood. NUO, by @schorngroh, transforms wood veneers into a flexible and supple textile through laser etching. Four engraving patterns in grid sizes of 1.7mm to 5mm lend the material the ability to bend smoothly in multiple directions.

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    We’re starting off our fall Material of The Week series with an apple based leather alternative from our “Looks Like But Isn’t” collection! LEAP® from @beyondleather is a convincing leather alternative crafted from apple pomace, a byproduct of juice production.
    @materials_lab

    We’re starting off our fall Material of The Week series with an apple based leather alternative from our “Looks Like But Isn’t” collection! LEAP® from @beyondleather is a convincing leather alternative crafted from apple pomace, a byproduct of juice production.

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    Exciting News! The FALL 2024 Materials Grant Application is NOW OPEN! <br><br>We’re offering a total of $750 in funding for innovative materials for your studio, seminar, or independent study projects at UTSOA. Apply by October 13th for a chance to bring your creative ideas to life! <br>
    @materials_lab

    Exciting News! The FALL 2024 Materials Grant Application is NOW OPEN!

    We’re offering a total of $750 in funding for innovative materials for your studio, seminar, or independent study projects at UTSOA. Apply by October 13th for a chance to bring your creative ideas to life!

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    The Materials Lab is open for the semester!<br>&nbsp;<br>Welcome to all new and continuing students, staff, and faculty. We encourage you to explore our extensive collection of building materials, books and assemblies. Our doors are open from 9:00 - 5:00, M-F (WMB 3.100).<br>&nbsp;
    @materials_lab

    The Materials Lab is open for the semester!
     
    Welcome to all new and continuing students, staff, and faculty. We encourage you to explore our extensive collection of building materials, books and assemblies. Our doors are open from 9:00 - 5:00, M-F (WMB 3.100).
     

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    Cheers to the end of the semester! The Materials Lab will be closed over the summer. See you all in the fall. Congrats to all the @utsoa graduates! 🎓🎉
    @materials_lab

    Cheers to the end of the semester! The Materials Lab will be closed over the summer. See you all in the fall. Congrats to all the @utsoa graduates! 🎓🎉

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    Plant-based apparel insulation from @ponda.bio is our #materialoftheweek. BioPuff® is made of fibers harvested from Typha latifolia (broadleaf cattail), a low-maintenance plant suitable for paludiculture, or “marsh-farming,” on rewetted peatlands.<br>
    @materials_lab

    Plant-based apparel insulation from @ponda.bio is our #materialoftheweek. BioPuff® is made of fibers harvested from Typha latifolia (broadleaf cattail), a low-maintenance plant suitable for paludiculture, or “marsh-farming,” on rewetted peatlands.

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    Only 1% of synthetic textiles are ultimately recycled. One solution to this challenge is the development of biodegradable textiles. Canadian manufacturer @duvaltex produces a line of polyester (PET) textiles that break down in 3.5 years in landfill conditions, a rate comparable to that of wool.
    @materials_lab

    Only 1% of synthetic textiles are ultimately recycled. One solution to this challenge is the development of biodegradable textiles. Canadian manufacturer @duvaltex produces a line of polyester (PET) textiles that break down in 3.5 years in landfill conditions, a rate comparable to that of wool.

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    This biocomposite contains 30 - 75% meadow grass fibers, bound by post-industrial recycled plastics. It’s made by Biowert in Brensbach, Germany, in a “grass factory” that demonstrates a localized, circular method of production.
    @materials_lab

    This biocomposite contains 30 - 75% meadow grass fibers, bound by post-industrial recycled plastics. It’s made by Biowert in Brensbach, Germany, in a “grass factory” that demonstrates a localized, circular method of production.