Mixed Matters

Assessment of the present position in the research into applying multi-material design to architecture.Multi-material design, which has been utilised with great success for a long time, for example in vehicle manufacturing or aerospace engineering, could also open up completely new possibilities in architecture. Significant amounts of energy, resources, and material could be saved and the use of multi-material 3D printers could revolutionise the design process and bring forth a new aesthetic.Mixed Matters summarises for the first time the current status of research about multi-material design in architecture - based on a symposium at the AA School of Architecture in London. Contributions by leading researchers, architects, designers, scientists, and theorists from renowned institutions and practices - including Zaha Hadid Architects, the Institute for Lightweight Structures and Conceptual Design at the University of Stuttgart and the Harvard Graduate School of Design - explore the fascinating possibilities that this game-changing multi-material shift will bring about for architecture.