This book argues for the value of the material prototype as a critical site of design innovation, through a series of design and architectural case studies. Illustrated by physical objects such as chairs, columns, and building fa-es, these full-scale material investigations reflect their designers- deep knowledge of material, manufacturing, and geometry. The projects do not simply express how they are made, rather their designers leverage the capacities of metal forming to exert distinctive influence on the object-s expression and performance, embracing manufacturing processes as instruments of material innovation.
Organized in two parts, part one presents the material framework informing work by Arad, Newson, Heatherwick, Future Systems, Foster, OMA, Rex, Hadid and others. Seven metal forming techniques including Press Forming, Press Brake Forming, Spinning, Panel Beating, Casting, Extruding, and Superplastic Forming are presented alongside work implemented with these process
