From the moment of purchase, pristine objects are subjected to an array of stimuli including wear, impact, heat, light, water and air which alter their tactile and aesthetic properties. Material change is often regarded as ‘damage’ or ‘degradation’, but has potential to be used as a tool to engender emotional engagement with an object.

But how can we convey to the designer the role of the complex interaction of material choice, surface finish, form, physical interaction with the user & environmental exposure in determining the future aesthetics of a product?

The ENDURE team have got some ideas… click on the thumbnail for a full size image showing some of our initial thoughts on resources to educate designers about ‘material metamorphosis’:

ENDURE material metamorphosis resource development