Could new materials be the solution to current challenges such as climate change, mobility, and demographic change? The exhibition at the Design Museum Gent – “Fibre-Fixed. Composites in Design” – answers the question affirmatively with designers demonstrating new design possibilities using fibre-reinforced plastic.
Composite materials made of (natural) fibres and (bio-)plastics combine properties such as stiffness and lightness. Using them for car bodies, for example, could make for considerably lighter cars that use less fuel. If the fibres have a plant origin and are combined with biodegradable plastics, the material is even compostable. Curators Ignaas Verpoest and Lut Pil will use a range of projects from the past five years to highlight the potential of this type of material – demonstrating not only their technical advantages, but also their creative potential. Officina Corpuscoli, along with Our Own Skin, for example, developed the Caskia project for the exhibition “Items: Is Fashion Modern?” at MoMA. It uses the hyphae of mushrooms to grow a boot that can be used on Mars.
The exhibition scenography was created in collaboration with Envisions. Standing on a platform, visitors initially get an overview of the large number of objects on display. They then go down to a lower level to learn more about the materials, processes, and concepts of the projects showcased in the exhibition.
