Transmaterial: A Catalog of Materials That Redefine our Physical Environment | 
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| Author: Blaine Brownell
Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press
Category: Book
List Price: $30.00
Buy New: $12.00
You Save: $18.00 (60%)
New (23) Used (11) from $7.50
Rating:  18 reviews
Sales Rank: 11920
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1
Pages: 240
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.5
Dimensions (in): 8.9 x 7 x 0.8
ISBN: 1568985630
Dewey Decimal Number: 620.11
EAN: 9781568985633
Publication Date: December 29, 2005
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Condition: New - Has remainder mark. Fast shipping from trusted wholesaler with many exclusive publisher contracts.
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Product Description
These days, whether you're designing a building or a toaster, a savvy knowledge of materials is increasingly critical. And keeping up with the constant flow of new materials, let alone their applications, properties, and sources, is an increasingly difficult and time-consuming task. Blaine Erickson Brownell, author of Transmaterial, known to thousands of web users for his "product of the week" email service alerting designers to new materials that are reshaping our world, has created this handy and affordable reference to the most interesting and most useful new materials now available. Transmaterial is indexed in multiple ways for the sake of maximum convenience, and utilizes the new CSI Master-Format 2004 product categorization system. With more than 200 materials, organized by category, described, pictured, and annotated with technical and sourcing information, this catalog is an essential tool for any architect or designer interested in keeping up with the rapid developments in the field of materials, looking for a source of inspiration for their designs, or just eager to get their hands on real materials in an effort to understand the incredibly innovative palette now available to us.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 13 more reviews...
 A Great Primer for Innovative Materials April 26, 2006
Arch Monkey (Cleveland, OH USA)
14 out of 14 found this review helpful
As a profession, architects and designers are obsessed with understanding and appreciating materials. When materials are better understood and better utilized, architects and designers typically produce better projects.
Recent innovations in material technology, design and use have come to the forefront of architectural design and have begun to question the very way in which we fabricate our built environments.
Blaine Brownell's recent book Transmaterial looks exclusively at recent material innovation in an attempt to "redefine our physical environment". Based upon Brownell's email digests and website of the same name, Transmaterial is a materials reference book subdivided into sections with material images, descriptions, and contact information for the products. The format is easily accessible, and the content is concise. Due to its ease of use and readability, the palette of materials available to the reader/designer/architect encourages current and future project introspection.
For example, why use just basic concrete when you could use translucent concrete instead? How about utilizing a collapsible, reusable textile brick system in lieu of a traditional stud and drywall partition for a project? The possibilities for integrating different, new, and innovative techniques are endless for almost any design project.
As evidence of the book's success, Brownell has already begun work on a follow-up to Transmaterial as more materials or innovations become readily available.
A resource such as Transmaterial provides more than just innovative materials for our use, but encourages potential for innovation for the environments that architects and designers create. While materials are a component of the overall design, the importance of their appropriate or innovative use is what can make or break a project. Transmaterial is the icebreaker to the typical office discussion of project materials as it proposes an alternate dialogue that is appropriate and desperately needed.
As a book, Transmaterial is limited in providing up-to-date material listings. Thus, the original email digests and website remain critical to Transmaterial's success.
While initially informative, Transmaterial lacks the necessary research and information in regards to material advantages and disadvantages, installation techniques and issues, and information relative to material costs. All of these factors need to be researched further for a respective project before they can be utilized for a project.
While Transmaterial begins a decent discussion for innovative materials that may be used for projects, it is up to architects and designers to take it upon themselves to carry on the discussion.
Excellent Resource July 5, 2006
Christopher Post (carbondale, il)
1 out of 4 found this review helpful
This is a well organized...in depth look at how the world of materials is improving...
Inspirational and innovative book March 8, 2006
Minnie (Aspen, CO)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
I love this book! This is a great resource for anyone who works in a creative industry. It's not only a beautifully designed masterpiece, but it successfully brings the worlds of technology, materials, and design together in an easy to understand, helpful and above all else, inspirational and fun way. A must-have resource.
Great Matherial Pathfinder May 11, 2008
waterlilly (Skopje, Macedonia)
I bought this book long time ago and it proved to be a great choice. Whenever I need an unusual and/or sustainable material I go back to this book!
Great Resource! August 15, 2008
Susan H. (NC, USA)
This book is a thorough and interesting compilation of green materials for a wide variety of uses. I highly recommend!
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