Materials
Why Paper Holds a Crease: Fibre Direction and Fold Sharpness
Why paper holds a crease depends on fibre direction and fold sharpness. Learn how grain and pressure affect folding…
The reading shelf
All pieces
Browse explanations of materials, the ways they are made into objects, the design choices they embody, and what happens when their first use is over.
Making
Woven or Knitted: Two Ways Cloth Takes Shape
Woven or knitted fabric behaves differently because of its structure. Learn to spot threads and loops, judge stretch…
Design
The Windowpane and the Changing Craft of Glass
Clear window glass changed how a room meets the outdoors. Learn how pane-making, frames and glass choices shape…
Design
The Matching-Set Myth: Why Materials Need Not Match
Materials need not match for a room to feel coherent. Use contrast in texture, shape and visual weight to give…
Reuse
A Jar's Second Use: Choosing a New Job for Glass
Choose a second use for a glass jar by matching its shape, opening and visibility to dry storage or display, without…
Our point of view
Materials shape the things we live with.
Knowing what an object is made from can make its design, care and history easier to understand. Curiosity starts with looking closely.