MATERIALS LAB EVENTS
LATEST NEWS
The Materials Lab is a resource dedicated to in-depth material investigation in design. Our circulating, ever-expanding library of material product samples and assemblies was founded in 2001. By supporting advanced and interdisciplinary material research, development, and fabrication, the Materials Lab provides the knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to design and construct a better built environment.
In addition to our material library, the Materials Lab houses a rotating exhibition space, an extensive collection of circulating books, a “free samples” section of surplus materials, and individual and group workspaces. The Materials Lab also organizes a diverse range of programming including hands-on workshops, lectures, and other events.
STAFF
LOOKING FOR MATERIALS?
Browse the online database or visit our collection of 29,000+ samples in person. Material samples can be loaned for hands-on inspiration and presentations. Students, faculty, and staff are welcome to check out material samples with a UT EID.
TOUR THE MATERIALS LAB
Location + Contact
West Mall Office Building (WMB) 3.102
The University of Texas at Austin
(512) 232-5969
materialslab@austin.utexas.edu
OPERATING HOURS
Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Fall and Spring semesters
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
Click the images below for more information.
COLLECTION HIGHLIGHTS
The material library is ever-growing and our material researchers are always on the lookout for new materials. If you come across a product that you think we should add, email us!
FOLLOW US
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@materials_labIt’s uncommon for a material to be endlessly recyclable, with no loss in quality. Glass is one exception. This week we feature high-performance slabs made from 100% recycled glass. Bio-Glass is made from post-consumer beverage bottles and post-industrial materials.
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@materials_labLong before nails were made of metal, they were crafted from wood. Evidence of the first wooden fasteners dates back 7,000 years. One advantage of wooden nails is that they’re not prone to rust when exposed to water. For this reason, “treenails” were used in shipbuilding into the late 1800s.
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@materials_labWhat materials are high-performing enough to use in the world’s largest aquariums? Cast acrylic (also known as polymethyl methacrylate, or PMMA), is one. ACRYLITE® block is a highly transparent, monolithic product available in massive sizes and customizable shapes.
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@materials_labThese ceramic tiles are glazed using pigments derived from industrial metal waste and by-products. Ignorance is Bliss offers 20 different colorways, each containing iron and/or manganese oxide waste.
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@materials_labThis week, we feature “paper rugs” from @woodnotesdesign. These rugs are woven with a weft of paper yarn, wound around a cotton warp. Spun paper yarn from Woodnotes is made from kraft paper, which derives its relative strength by preserving longer wood fibers.
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@materials_labThese rigid insulative panels are made from rapidly renewable hemp and recycled bonding fibers. @Hempitecture offers two options: PlantPanel X for exterior use and PlantPanel I for interiors.
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@materials_labDid 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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@materials_labThis 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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@materials_labWe’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.