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  • Opening 2017 A rising generation of innovative materials based on carbon. Carbon is one of the most abundant elements in nature: biosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere participate in constant chemical transformations of carbon compounds. But, more than that, carbon is one of the most abundant elements in living matter. As the structural basis of organic molecules, it is present in carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids, resulting in every plant or animal being formed by complex organic compounds where carbon is combined with hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and others. Life would thus not be possible without carbon. Humans understood the importance of carbon since the very first hint of civilization, and began to use it as an energy generator to fight darkness and winter. From the first wood burnt in a bonfire, a succession of carbon-based materials accompanied humans throughout history with this purpose: coal, gas, oil, etc., with so much significance that even a market based on this new set of values was established. Read more

    «Global Carbon»
    New carbon materials announce a technological revolution

    Opening 2017

    A rising generation of innovative materials based on carbon.

    Carbon is one of the most abundant elements in nature: biosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere participate in constant chemical transformations of carbon compounds. But, more than that, carbon is one of the most abundant elements in living matter. As the structural basis of organic molecules, it is present in carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids, resulting in every plant or animal being formed by complex organic compounds where carbon is combined with hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and others. Life would thus not be possible without carbon.

    Humans understood the importance of carbon since the very first hint of civilization, and began to use it as an energy generator to fight darkness and winter. From the first wood burnt in a bonfire, a succession of carbon-based materials accompanied humans throughout history with this purpose: coal, gas, oil, etc., with so much significance that even a market based on this new set of values was established.

    Read more

  • Now open! From 23rd March 2015 (closed in August) At Disseny Hub Barcelona As a result of the technological surveillance performed by the Materfad materials centre, a selection of advanced materials that represent a breakthrough in design, engineering and architecture is being exhibited at the Disseny Hub Barcelona. Materfad gathers together and exhibits: — Samples of advanced materials and technologies of international origin. — Snapshots of companies, professionals, designers, connecting centres and technology centres engaged in advanced materials and technologies to generate innovation. — Projects and research work by schools and universities. All materials and projects on display belong to 10 families of materials that are leading innovation today Read more

    «What’s next?»
    Materials that will shape the future

    Now open!

    From 23rd March 2015 (closed in August)
    At Disseny Hub Barcelona

    As a result of the technological surveillance performed by the Materfad materials centre, a selection of advanced materials that represent a breakthrough in design, engineering and architecture is being exhibited at the Disseny Hub Barcelona.

    Materfad gathers together and exhibits:

    — Samples of advanced materials and technologies of international origin.

    — Snapshots of companies, professionals, designers, connecting centres and technology centres engaged in advanced materials and technologies to generate innovation.

    — Projects and research work by schools and universities.

    All materials and projects on display belong to 10 families of materials that are leading innovation today

    Read more

  • An international overview of I+D projects about flexible and active materials The “Smart Flexibility: Advanced Materials and Technologies” exhibition seeks to explore the current capabilities provided by certain structures and materials to raise awareness and adapt architecture to its environment. From this perspective the exhibition is situated on the borderline between matter and structure, investigating the flexibility and intrinsic reactivity of specific materials and advanced technologies. In order to do so, this event should not only bring together architects, designers and construction engineers but also creators from other sectors (sports, fashion, automotive, etc.), whose projects and products are focused on smart flexibility. These contemporary works and projects involving materials, sensitive systems and articulated supports enable us to imagine the functionalities an intelligent and flexible architecture may provide. Read more

    «Smart Flexibility»
    Advanced Materials and Technologies

    An international overview of I+D projects about flexible and active materials

    The “Smart Flexibility: Advanced Materials and Technologies” exhibition seeks to explore the current capabilities provided by certain structures and materials to raise awareness and adapt architecture to its environment.

    From this perspective the exhibition is situated on the borderline between matter and structure, investigating the flexibility and intrinsic reactivity of specific materials and advanced technologies.

    In order to do so, this event should not only bring together architects, designers and construction engineers but also creators from other sectors (sports, fashion, automotive, etc.), whose projects and products are focused on smart flexibility.

    These contemporary works and projects involving materials, sensitive systems and articulated supports enable us to imagine the functionalities an intelligent and flexible architecture may provide.

    Read more

  • 60 samples of European advanced materials 2013 Materialism European Tour is an exhibition focused on European competitiveness, designed to educate and inspire creative industry by displaying 60+ advanced materials chosen from material families that drive today’s innovation: active materials, nano materials, advanced manufacturing, high-performance polymers, light alloys, gels & foams, coatings, advanced composites, advanced textiles and fibers. The exhibition has been staged as part of the DAMADEI project (Design & Advanced Materials As a Driver of European Innovation), co-organized by Materfad Materials Centre Barcelona, Happy Materials in Prague and the Copenhagen Danish Design Centre, and funded with support from the European Commission. The 2013 tour took in London (Roca Gallery), Copenhagen (Danish Design Centre), Prague (Faculty of Architecture) and finally Barcelona at the new FAD - Fostering Arts and Design headquarters, the Disseny Hub Barcelona. Read more

    «Materialism European Tour»

    60 samples of European advanced materials
    2013

    Materialism European Tour is an exhibition focused on European competitiveness, designed to educate and inspire creative industry by displaying 60+ advanced materials chosen from material families that drive today’s innovation: active materials, nano materials, advanced manufacturing, high-performance polymers, light alloys, gels & foams, coatings, advanced composites, advanced textiles and fibers.

    The exhibition has been staged as part of the DAMADEI project (Design & Advanced Materials As a Driver of European Innovation), co-organized by Materfad Materials Centre Barcelona, Happy Materials in Prague and the Copenhagen Danish Design Centre, and funded with support from the European Commission.

    The 2013 tour took in London (Roca Gallery), Copenhagen (Danish Design Centre), Prague (Faculty of Architecture) and finally Barcelona at the new FAD – Fostering Arts and Design headquarters, the Disseny Hub Barcelona.

    Read more

  • New eco-efficient materials for the construction and rehabilitation of buildings 2012 A collection of 70 eco-efficient materials, available on the international market, ready to be used in both rehabilitation and new construction projects, together with concrete examples emphasizing their functionalities and benefits in terms of sustainability. Materfad has been commissioned by the Direction of Housing of the Territory and Sustainability Department of the Government of Catalonia to conduct an investigation and identify 60 advanced materials and associated technologies to promote improvements in the field of energy efficiency in the construction and rehabilitation of buildings. How to improve the environment in which we live, both in the construction and the rehabilitation of buildings? The eco-efficient enhancement of existing buildings is crucial for the environment, even more so at a time when the industry is replacing new builds with rehabilitation. This show is the result of a double investigation: research conducted among the architects’ collective and research conducted in other sectors of activity. The 70 selected materials to be found in it have two characteristics in common: they are innovative and are available on the international market, ready to be used. A real-case application is associated to the majority of them. Read more

    «The Future under Construction»

    New eco-efficient materials for the construction and rehabilitation of buildings
    2012

    A collection of 70 eco-efficient materials, available on the international market, ready to be used in both rehabilitation and new construction projects, together with concrete examples emphasizing their functionalities and benefits in terms of sustainability.

    Materfad has been commissioned by the Direction of Housing of the Territory and Sustainability Department of the Government of Catalonia to conduct an investigation and identify 60 advanced materials and associated technologies to promote improvements in the field of energy efficiency in the construction and rehabilitation of buildings.

    How to improve the environment in which we live, both in the construction and the rehabilitation of buildings? The eco-efficient enhancement of existing buildings is crucial for the environment, even more so at a time when the industry is replacing new builds with rehabilitation.

    This show is the result of a double investigation: research conducted among the architects’ collective and research conducted in other sectors of activity. The 70 selected materials to be found in it have two characteristics in common: they are innovative and are available on the international market, ready to be used. A real-case application is associated to the majority of them.

    Read more

  • Overview of the innovation in Spanish industry through materials and technologies 2008 - 2009 For two years a team comprised of specialists, experts from CDTI, CSIC, from the Industrial Development Department of the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade, as well as the Cotec Foundation and Materfad team have been investigating the current Spanish status of R&D&Innovation in the field of materials. More than four thousand companies, technology centres, universities and other stakeholders interested in this specific field have been contacted. As a result 335 projects have been selected, a sample that gave an overview of what was going on in Spain in the materials sector, taking into account not only the innovation represented by the materias themselves, but also their associated technologies, monitoring their use and which applications were successful and which ones were expected. With the situation in Spain established, the goal has been to extend the knowledge generated during the investigation phase to the whole country. The instrument to achieve this result was the "Mater in Progress. New Materials, New Industry" exhibition, which succeeded in turning the project into a shared platform of knowledge and technology transfer that did not exist before. Read more

    «Mater in Progress»: New Materials, New Industry

    Overview of the innovation in Spanish industry through materials and technologies
    2008 – 2009

    For two years a team comprised of specialists, experts from CDTI, CSIC, from the Industrial Development Department of the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade, as well as the Cotec Foundation and Materfad team have been investigating the current Spanish status of R&D&Innovation in the field of materials.

    More than four thousand companies, technology centres, universities and other stakeholders interested in this specific field have been contacted. As a result 335 projects have been selected, a sample that gave an overview of what was going on in Spain in the materials sector, taking into account not only the innovation represented by the materias themselves, but also their associated technologies, monitoring their use and which applications were successful and which ones were expected.

    With the situation in Spain established, the goal has been to extend the knowledge generated during the investigation phase to the whole country. The instrument to achieve this result was the “Mater in Progress. New Materials, New Industry” exhibition, which succeeded in turning the project into a shared platform of knowledge and technology transfer that did not exist before.

    Read more

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