© Nordic Materials™ / C(h)ameleon in Transplant, Norway.

.
Discover the latest material innovation shown for the first time in Norway. We propose to look at how objects can reinvent themselves and break the monotony. Dead, dull and colourless environments could become things of the past. Biomimicry materials follow the example of nature, which adapts, change and metamorph in order to survive. We are used to deciphering and analysing the pictorial signals that nature gives us. The yellowing of the leaves from a lack of chlorophyll announces the arrival of winter. The chameleon shows what mood it is in by changing the patterns and colouring of its skin. “Colours are the smiles of nature,” wrote the English poet Leigh Hunt. Men have always observed the ways in which nature adapts to change and it has inspired them to come up with sophisticated technologies that improve our everyday lives and make them more enjoyable. Just as a chameleon can change the colour of its skin by altering its pigment cells, so does the latest technical materials that are active and reactive. There are thermo-chrome, thermo-regulating or phase-change materials. They are also able to detect and analyse changes in their environment and adapt. Their uses in the design of our homes, our offices and our furniture, mean that we can look forward to functional improvements that would have been hard to foresee. They encourage and contribute to the emergence of an almost boundless world of design possibilities.

.

© Nordic Materials™ / C(h)ameleon in Transplant, Norway.

.
Making of

Created by Nordic Materials / Motivated by Alexandre Bau and Elisabeth Jacobsen Heimdal

Prospective: material and design visions, innovator, artist and scientific point of view.
Material: showcase of 10 alternative processes and material samples
Application: examples shared as case studies
Lunch: warm lunch at Transplant and networking
Opening of “C(h)ameleon”: guided tour of the exhibition containing 68 materials.

.
After Finland, the latest material innovation is shown in Norway. C(h)ameleon is open to public for visit on reservation from: the 18.03.2010 10h to the 25.03.2010 16h. Visits are organized for companies, schools and institutions from 1500,-.

© C(h)ameleon in Paris, France / 2009.

.
March is all about materials. Sign on and meet furniture producers and designers at the opening of the C(h)ameleon exhibition, showing 68 biomimicry inspired materials. Transplant is also welcoming a PhD student from Denmark, studying textiles with architecture. If material innovation are not for you Transplant offers several other events in Transplant such as, free screening of the movie “HOME”, friday lounge and Ingrid Olava concert.

06/03 Feeling at HOME in Transplant

Its always been fundamental for us to care about the environment. We would like to invite everyone for a free public screening of the recent movie “HOME” directed by Luc Besson & Yann Arthus Bertrand at saturday night at 8pm. The movie is in english. Hang around after in our bar to chat about experiences and viewpoints on the matter. Welcome!

07-19/03 Danish PhD candidate at Transplant

Nordic Materials will receive a temporary team member during march: Elisabeth Heimdal, PhD candidate at the Technical University of Denmark will experience two weeks of research and work process,integrated into the material knowledge team. Her project is about new approach within textile materials through architecture. Elisabeth, welcome!

12/03 Friday pub

Our famous friday pub is kicking. This time around the host title belongs to Elis as. Can they deliver a quiz that will make your head spin or is it gonna be easy as a pie? Bring your friends, colleagues and neighbours to check it out. Quiz starts at 21:30 sharp. See you there!

18-25/03 Material Exhibition: C(h)ameleon

Discover the latest material innovations, shown for the first time in Norway. Transplant is exhibiting the Material collection of C(h)ameleon, showing over 68 innovative materials. The exhibition propose to look at how objects can reinvent themselves and break the monotony. The selection of biomimicry inspired materials follow the example of nature, which adapts, change and metamorph in order to survive. Book a material talk with one of our experts or visit us on our Opening day. For more information visit C(h)ameleon page or call +47 577 35 200.

18/03 C(h)ameleon Afternoon and opening

The opening of the C(h)ameleon Exhibition is a great time to get updated on the future in industrial processes and trends at the moment, as well as being a great venue to network with people. The day will give material updates, processes and case studies and a delicious lunch!

22/03 Workshop with Luster High School

A group of students from Luster High School are being coached in interior design by designers from Ralston & Bau.

27/03 Concert with Ingrid Olava

We are thrilled to be welcoming the up and coming Norwegian artist Ingrid Olava to an intimate concert at Transplant. Limited seats, so be quick, tickets are on sale from 27th of february at Dale bok & papir and Transplant and costs kr 200,- Doors open at 22:00 and concerts starts at 22:30.

Read the full program here

© 2010, The Year we make contact / Stanley Kubrick -MGM

.
The end of the year will be charged of nice intentions. At Nordic Materials, we believe strongly in some 2010 resolutions. For example, what will come out of the Copenhagen Conference, and the fact that we have to go down to zero (enough is enough says Gaïa) CO2 emission within maximum 80 years if we just want to stabilize the situation, according to 29 climatologs. It is not that things will be that horrible and that we will disappear at once; but it is just going to change faster, much faster than expected. It could be clever to buy pieces of land in what is for now rural areas of the Netherlands or outer Londonian suburbs. Because in one small century, they will become the next thermal city fashionista, as Bruxelles could be, in 200 years, an ocean city. To change our use of natural resources in the soon future, contribution can come from alternatives for the production industry within the field of materials.

From january 2010 Nordic Materials, is touring the exhibition called “C(h)ameleon“.
Over time and through evolution, animals have developed natural forms of defense and survival techniques.  One of the most visibly apparent examples of this is the Cameleon, a distinctive type of lizard.  Some, but not all, chameleons have the ability to change the colour of their skin as to blend into their surroundings and camouflage themselves from potential predators or prey.  This transformational ability and many more, such as the possibility to change under the influence of electricity, light, water or movement with varied optical effects can be found in  the materials exposed in the Nordic Materials latest exciting C(h)ameleon Material Exhibition. C(h)ameleon will open at Miktech, Mikkeli University in Finland the 5th of january 2010. Transplant will then show the exhibition during the month of March 2010 (an invitation will follow). Here can you discover materials from the textile industry to materials that have been used for building facades, C(h)améléon is an up to date insight into a field related to the Biomimicry field many are exploring at the moment. For more information about renting or attending the exhibition please contact us: about [ a t ] nordicmaterials [ d o t ] com.

© Superfabric

.
SuperFabric® technology by HDM inc.
Before the bubbly moment of this so called 2010 first day, we would like to share, after watching 2010 Odyssey of Kubrick (again), a material coming out if this anticipated dream: SuperFabric® technology by HDM inc, is a finishing process that takes ordinary fabrics ans transforms them into high performance fabrics. These new protective fabrics can be engineered from optimum resistance to abrasions, lacerations, punctures, stains, and more while remaining flexible. The plates are inert, eco-friendly materials. 
There are a wide variety of environmentally-friendly SuperFabric brand materials that can be constructed. For example, non-halogenated flame retardants can be used with SuperFabric brand materials along with a flame-retardant cotton substrate to produce an eco-friendly flame-retardant and tear-resistant product.

© C(h)ameleon at Architect@Work 2009

..

C(h)améléon Materials exhibition available now

As we move through a period of uncertainty economically, which ultimately can affect production, sales and the ability to make conscious long-term decision, there is a perpetual requirement to stay actively afloat and not sink by staying lead footed to the same point. Some say that smaller companies, although more susceptible to suffer from a downturn, are those that will have the ability to move the most efficiently and quickly with the changing times as opposed to the larger juggernaut sized companies that try and maintain out-dated working systems.  While the human world deals with what we perceive as crisis in waves and troughs, many animals face threats every day from potential predators, weather conditions and terrain.

Over time and through evaluation though, many animals have developed natural forms of defence or survival techniques.  One of the most visibly apparent examples of this is the Cameleon, a distinctive and highly specialized type of lizard.  Some, but not all, chameleons have the ability to change the colour of their skin as to blend into their surroundings and camouflage themselves from potential predators or prey.  This transformational ability and many more such as the possibility to cause change under the influence of electricity, light, water or movement to materials with varied optical effects can be found in Nordic Materials latest exciting and relevant Cameleon Material Exhibition.  From examples of use in the fashion and textile industry to materials that have been used for full building facades, Caméléon is an up to date insight into a field related to the Biomimicry field many are exploring at present.

Click here to find out more details on rental or other related Nordic Materials products that could feed your interests in new and innovative materials.

C(h)améléon Materials exhibition available to rent now ! Click here to know more.

Already booked for Finland beginning of January 2010, in Norway in February 2010.

photos: © 2010 Innovatheque for Nordic Materials

Leopards That Can Change Spots

While delving through our online digital resource as part of research for the latest exhibition Nordic Materials have available to rent, Chaméléon, we found a mass of exciting materials, initiatives and objects that followed the exhibition’s theme. From materials that could change under the influence of electricity, light, water or movement to materials with varied optical effects, there was a large amount of examples of their practical and aesthetic uses throughout.

Uses of Chaméléon materials we found during our research ranged from full building facades to microscopic changes that bared little impact to the eye but, served an important practical use.  An example of the latter can be found in Klimeo’s heat-regulating textiles which, combine the natural heat-regulating properties of Australian merino wool with micro-encapsulation technology.  The unique process ensures that the person wearing a Kimeo garment maintains a level and comfortable temperature throughout the duration of their use.  The high technical performance of this material means it can be used not only in the fashion industry but, even the automobile industry where high-performance materials are essential due to safety needs.  A more visible and interactive Chaméléon material we found was Modulor’s kinetic 3d-film.  A material that mirrors the effect of the shiny stickers many of us used to fervently seek out to fill our sticker albums during our youth, or for some still today.  The film has a layered honeycomb structure which, allows for the impression of depth and distortion to be accentuated or appear deformed – ideal to catch the eye of passer by.  The aesthetic nature of this material again lends itself to a more fashion related use such as  curtains, bags or for accessories and decoration.

photo: © 2009 Modulor