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“Matter revealed” and “Transitions III” are titles of the Broeinest dual exposition opened during the DDW2017. One of the goals of the exhibition is to “reveal the matter” – to attract attention of the visitors to the ingredients and components which make up design materials. Another goal is to demonstrate the transformations that materials undergo in designers’ hands – hence the name “Transitions”. Broeinest exposition includes materials by Baars & Bloemhoff, Spectrum, Modular Lighting Instruments, Forbo Flooring Systems, Interface, Barrisol, Busch-Jaeger.

Matter revealed

“Most people don’t even think about what the design material is made of – so much we are used it”, say the creators of the exhibition. For example, HPL (High Pressure Laminate) that is widely used for furniture surfaces or wall paneling.  On Baars & Bloemhoff’s stand visitors can see that HLP, which appearance and tactile properties are so familiar to everybody, is something like a sandwich made of kraft paper, pigments and a covering layer.

In Broeinest it is shown what is hidden inside of one of Spectrum’s classic designs – BR 02 sofa bed. BR 02’s are not only famous for their recognizable, timeless design and comfort of usage but also for their durability. Martin Visser’s renowned design allows for easy upcycling and its high durability is achieved through the numerous possibilities of refurbishing the sofas. “Refurbishment is something that is very relevant for a design like the BR02 by Martin Visser. Every piece can be replaced easily”, says Marjolein Manintveld, advisor at Broeinest.

On Forbo Flooring Systems stand one can see a jar of linseed oil. It is not commonly known that linseed oil is an essential component of the well-know material with a long history – linoleum. Linoleum dates back to the end of the XIX century but it is now when it is enjoying great popularity with designers due to being environmentally sound. The exhibition includes Marmoleum Cocoa – an innovative, all-natural flooring material developed by Forbo Flooring Systems. Marmoleum Cocoa is linoleum that is made with cacao beans husks – a waste material from cocoa production. Thus Marmoleum Cocoa is related to delicious chocolate bars, so the names of the product colours are tasty, too: white chocolate, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, earl grey chocolate and chocolate blues.

Some of the objects on the exhibition look very familiar to everyone due to their omnipresence in daily life but their components make them extraordinary: for example, one can see carpet tiles that absorb more carbon than it is emitted during their production or mirrors which are as flexible as foil and many other designs which components deserve as much attention as the design itself.

Transitions III

Transitions III by Baars en Bloemhoff is a very interesting exhibition because it is where one can see how designers experiment with the materials and how limits of the materials are being pushed”, says Marjolein Manintveld. Six leading Dutch design studios are invited by Baars & Bloemhoff to take part in “Transitions III”. Design materials offered by Baars & Bloemhoff are applied and processed in various and mainly non-standard ways – they are stretched, heated, torn, printed on and, as a result, transformed into unique creations. For example, “Hollow” designed by Job van den Berg – a bulky, heavy-looking object, which is actually very lightweight because it is made of oak veneer rolled into hollow tubes.

“Linear wood” series by Christian Heikoop make a sharp contrast to “Hollow”. “Linear wood” designs look very light but they are relatively heavy because of metal constructions inside of them. The wooden look is achieved through covering the metal parts with veneer in smoothly and seamlessly. These and other design projects featured in “Transition III” inspire the designers to experiment and to use the new ways of working with materials.