Dezeen Magazine

Why Materials Matter by Seetal Solanki

Competition: win a copy of Why Materials Matter by Seetal Solanki

The latest Dezeen competition offers readers the chance to win one of five copies of Why Materials Matter: Responsible Design For A Better World, a book written by Seetal Solanki.

This competition is now closed. Congratulations to the winners, which are Stephen Hutton from Angus, Scotland, Ivana Jordanovska from Paris, France, Alexandra Auer from Stuttgart, Germany, Tom Walker from Newcastle, England, and Malin Ring, from Trollhättan, Sweden.

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A manifesto on how to consume, manufacture and design for a better future, Why Materials Matter is written by materials conservationist Solanki, who is the founder of London-based research studio, Matter.

Competition: win a copy of Why Materials Matter by Seetal Solanki
One of the projects included in the book is Carolien Neibling’s mortadella. Image by Jonas Marguet

Featuring a foreward by Liz Corbin, doctoral researcher at London's Institute of Making, the book includes 250 colour illustrations that present projects by designers, artists, makers and scientists.

It is a "colourful panoply of ideas, technologies and creative efforts that focus on the earth's most basic elements, while also showing how these elements can be transformed into new materials," says the book's publisher, Prestel.

Edible energy: Simon Perez, SPACE10’s chef- in-residence, developed a ‘Dogless Hotdog’ using the algae spirulina. © Kasper Kristoffersen
Simon Perez developed a "dogless hotdog" which is explored in the book. Image by Kasper Kristoffersen

Examples of such projects include Edible Energy – a range of future foods including a hotdog made using the algae spirulina – created by Simon Perez, SPACE10's chef-in-residence, as well as Granby Workshop's range of sawdust-treated door handles and light pulls.

The book also explains how ancient ways of making glue and dyeing fabric, could be used to make environmentally friendly products in the future.

Solanki hopes the book will teach readers how materials of the past combined with modern techniques can hold the key to entirely new materials in the future.

Why Materials Matter by Seetal Solanki
Granby Workshop's range of sawdust-treated door handles is also highlighted. Image courtesy of Granby Workshop and Assemble

An exhibition about Why Materials Matter will coincide with the book's launch at London Design Festival, 15-23 September 2018.

We're giving away five hardcover copies, containing 240 pages. The book is published by Prestel, and is also available to buy online.

Competition closes 10 October 2018. Five winners will be selected at random and notified by email, and his or her names will be published at the top of this page.