The Materials Sourcebook for Design Professionals
About this book
The Materials Sourcebook for Design Professionals is a reference by Rob Thompson and Martin Thompson for industrial design students and practitioners seeking a practical overview of materials used in product design. Published by Thames & Hudson in 2017, this 544-page English-language book is part of a materials and manufacturing reference collection. It is for readers who need to broaden their knowledge of material options and understand how selection affects the appearance, handling and making of objects.
Read more
As they study a brief, students can use a sourcebook approach to compare candidate materials, note questions for prototyping, and check whether visual intentions align with manufacturing realities. The value of Rob and Martin Thompson’s volume for industrial design is its role as a working reference: material choices are not isolated aesthetic decisions, but influence weight, strength, feel, durability, assembly, cost. It encourages specific research and gives a basis for discussion with workshop staff, manufacturers and collaborators. It also helps students build a visual and technical vocabulary that can make design rationale more precise. This is a useful university reading list resource for studio projects, material investigations and product design development. Readers can return to it when preparing samples, comparing options and documenting decisions for a project.
Acceso may receive a commission from purchases made via links on this page.
