The Red Dot Design Museum in Essen, Germany, is hosting the exhibition “Smart Materials and Solutions for Better Product Design,” through January 10. The show explores how environment is a sensory experience and how materials and products are linked to daily life. Materials are the force behind major innovation, both technological and economic. Well-designed materials improve quality of life and lead to advancements in product ingenuity, according to the museum.
The exhibit showcases about 80 designs, and visitors are encouraged to discover new materials that present solutions for designing any future living space. All of the materials shown have been awarded the 2015 Red Dot Award: Product Design in the Materials and Surfaces category, or the 2015 Interzum Award for Intelligent Material & Design—and some received both awards.