Smart Surfaces and their Application in Architecture and Design

July 2009 - Art direction: onlab, Nicolas Bourquin, Thibaud Tissot
Layout: onlab, Maike Hamacher, Barbara Hoffmann, Matthias Hübner
Illustrations and linocuts: onlab, Nicolas Bourquin, Marte Meling Enoksen, Maike Hamacher, Matthias Hübner
Project coordination: onlab, Judith Wimmer

Editor: Thorsten Klooster
Authors: Niels Boing, Simon Davis, Thorsten Klooster, Almut Seeger
Published by: Birkhäuser
Book, 184 pages, 17 x 24 cm, 460 illustrations (230 in color), softcover
ISBN: 978-3-7643-8812-6 (english), ISBN: 978-3-7643-8811-9 (german)
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A limited editon of linoprints was produced during the book launch of "Smart Surfaces and their Application in Architecture and Design", on July 2nd 2009, from 18:30-22:00 at Modulor Haus, Berlin.

"The thing’s hollow – it goes on forever – and – oh my God – it’s full of stars!"

(Arthur C. Clarke, 2001 – A Space Odyssey)

Luminescent wallpaper, curtains which generate electricity, self-cleaning windows: new developments in the field of surface technologies not only influence the ways in which materials are applied in architecture, interior design and design, but they also change the creative process and the very understanding of design. Smart surfaces expands the understanding of design for architects and designers. New design options lead to new concepts which can meet the changing requirements of buildings and their environment. “Smart Surfaces” seeks to place this topic in the creative focus of planners and designers. A book for anyone who wishes to be inspired by the possibilities offered by innovative surface technologies.

The design reflects this paradigm shift by introducing linocuts to illustrate high-tech surface innovations. The linocuts were developed and produced (cut by hand and mechanically) for the book to visualize components, processes, production methods or application of diverse surfaces.