MATERIALS MATTER EXHIBITION 2024 COAC
A report on the third Materials Matter Exhibition at the COAC: the Contemporary Materiality exhibition, 33 exhibiting brands and some thirty talks.
EventsMaterials Matter Exhibition4 of 53 min read
On 16 and 17 October 2024, the Barcelona headquarters of the Col·legi d'Arquitectes de Catalunya (COAC) hosted the Materials Matter Exhibition 2024, organised by Matter. It was the third edition of the MME and the second held at the COAC: two days, from 11:00 to 19:00, with free admission on prior registration, designed to bring industry closer to architecture and interior design professionals.
The event prioritised the exchange of knowledge between architects, interior designers and material manufacturers, and over two days of intense activity it made it possible to build connections and share experiences between the different professionals in the sector. In this report we review the three spaces of the show, the Contemporary Materiality exhibition, the exhibiting brands and the programme of talks.
Three spaces at the COAC headquarters
The exhibition was spread over three floors of the COAC headquarters on plaça Nova, with the Picasso sgraffiti on the façade, each with its own purpose:
- Intermediate floor (mezzanine): the Contemporary Materiality exhibition, curated and designed by Matter's consultancy team.
- First floor: the exhibiting brands, with one table per brand to see, touch and discuss new products with their representatives.
- Top floor: the talks programme, running continuously over both days, from 12:00 to 19:00.
Contemporary Materiality: materials that anticipate trends
A selection of innovative materials, some not yet on the market.
New for this edition, the COAC mezzanine hosted the Contemporary Materiality exhibition, a show of innovative materials that focused on technology, natural fibres and the use of industrial, agro-industrial and food waste, among others. The selection, curated by Matter's consultancy team, included materials not yet available on the market that offer an early view of the most advanced trends.
Among them were composites made from algae, olive stones, pine bark, hemp or eggshells: resources that highlight circularity and the technological potential of waste as a raw material for construction.
Thirty-three brands on the first floor
From lime finishes to façade systems.
Thirty-three exhibiting brands took part, from different parts of Spain and from other countries such as Italy, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. On show were products such as lime finishes, sprayed recycled materials, compressed earth blocks, acoustic finishes, technical textiles, large-format porcelain, decorative ceramics, recycled leather, rugs, decorative finishes and bathroom accessories, taps, switches and façade systems, among others.
The product exhibition stood out for its quality and for an increasingly evident desire to improve manufacturing processes. Each brand had a table where attendees could take a close look at the latest products on the market, see them, touch them and talk to their representatives. This space for exchange made it possible not only to discover products, but also to understand their technical characteristics and their potential for use in projects.
Exhibiting brands
Aistec, Ardex, Bolibar, Casalis, Centroalum, Cevica, Cooloo, Cristina Profesional, Decustik, Duravit, Egger, Elval Colour, Farrugia, FEDE, Florim, Formma, Gessi, Gracco, GSI, Ideal Work, Lamadrid, Malai Eco, Matter, Neolith, Polimertecnic, Ritmonio, Rols, Sanycces, Serge Ferrari, Targa, Tarimatec, Vertisol and Wall&Decò, among others.
Some thirty talks on materiality
Established and emerging studios, many in dialogue with a brand.
Alongside the exhibition space, the top floor hosted a continuous programme of talks: some thirty presentations by architecture and interior design studios from Barcelona and other cities, plus the Matter presentation that opened each day. The speakers shared recent projects with new and sustainable materialities, and many of the talks were given together with one of the exhibiting brands.
The talks offered a first-hand view of renowned professionals' perspectives on contemporary design and architecture. Each one opened a dialogue on current issues and on projects with great sensitivity towards their surroundings and users, and highlighted the importance of complementary work between manufacturers and studios: the manufacturer helps to build better projects and design, in turn, dignifies materials. This was the programme published by the organisers:
Wednesday 16 October
Thursday 17 October
Thank you, and see you at the next edition
With the mission of promoting excellence in architectural design and sustainable innovation, the Materials Matter Exhibition 2024 was an enriching experience for all participants. At Matter we remain committed to being a link and facilitator of exchange and collaboration between designers and manufacturers, to drive innovation in the sector.
Thank you to the exhibiting brands, the speakers and all the attendees who joined us. We look forward to seeing you at the next edition! In the meantime, if you would like to see our Materioteca and talk about the materials for your next project, you can book a visit to Matter Barcelona or Matter Madrid.
