Hello and welcome back to my blog!

This week starts a new theme: ‘Materials and (New) Materialism: Bodies, resources and pollution’.

Jane Bennett’s ‘Vibrant Matter’ is a refreshing piece of work that shifts the perspective we have been looking at environmental design through from a traditional concept of matter to a philosophical and political point of view. To me, this new approach makes perfect sense as we are getting to a point where, with all the information we now have, the seemingly only solution is indeed to change our perception of materialism as a society.

One of the main ideas introduced in the preface and the first chapter is the one of ‘thing-power’ (rather than active human subjects and passive objects). ‘Thing-power’ suggests that non-human entities, such as objects, materials, and forces, possess a form of agency and an active role in shaping experiences, emotions, and behaviours.

This idea is something I have particularly noticed to be true for material selection in interior design. Materials like wood, metal, or glass and also elements like light and acoustics are not just passive elements; they have distinct qualities (texture, colour, temperature) that influence the atmosphere and user experience. For instance, the warmth of natural wood might evoke comfort, while the sleekness of metal can convey modernity. This is something that was explored in the lecture given a couple weeks ago by Fiona McLachlan on colour theory.

Acknowledging ‘thing-power’ encourages us to be more careful and mindful in material selection, valuing the lifecycle and ecological footprint of items. Sustainable interior design can align with this philosophy by respecting the inherent “life” of materials and reducing waste.

Bibliography:

Thing-power! (W7) / Emilie Noel / Environmental Design: Materials, Ecologies, Futures (2024-2025)[SEM1] by is licensed under a