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The First Digital Conference of ipcm®: Architecture and Design of the Future. Natural vs. Engineered Materials On 2 December 2020, ipcm® held its first fully digital conference on a topic of great interest to the finishing sector, aimed at a target group that has been among the readers of ipcm® since its inception: architects and specifiers.
W
ith the title “Architecture and Design of the Future. Natural
finished aluminium, composite materials, and powdered finishes) are
vs. Engineered Materials”, the conference presented
deceptive.
a series of cutting-edge technologies for sustainable
The conference saw the participation of a large number of speakers
architecture and design solutions.
from both the paint and coating sector (Marco Misani from Salchi
Imitating means exhibiting characteristics similar to those of another,
Metalcoat, Guido Pozzoli from Stardust, Klaus Karner from Tiger
usually more precious object or product. This term can have both
Drylac Italia, and Andrea Perelli from Pulverit) and the academic,
a positive and negative connotation but, in the construction sector,
architecture, and construction worlds (Arch. Massimiliano Mandarini
the negative one often, and wrongly, prevails. This happens due to a
from Biophilic Architect, Andrea Brotini from Marcegaglia, and Prof.
“clash” between natural materials (such as wood, marble, copper, and
Eng. Stefano Rossi from the University of Trento).
iron) and artificial, chemically engineered materials: in architecture
Lots of interesting topics and suggestions were discussed, including
and design, the latter are asked to imitate the finishes of the former,
the need for harmony between nature and engineering, for dialogue
which are considered more precious precisely because they are
between old and new, and for innovation aimed at improving our
natural.
quality of life both indoor and outdoor.
Contemporary construction and design, however, have to take into
The half-day conference was also attended by users from the metal
account numerous demands that are not compatible with the use
architecture sector as well as from the architecture, engineering, and
of natural materials, successfully used up until today, but not always
urban planning offices of a few Italian provincial capitals.
able to meet the current criteria for sustainability, anti-seismic
The talks authorised for broadcasting are available on the YouTube
construction, energy efficiency, durability with no or little maintenance,
channel and the social pages of @myipcm.
and, therefore, cost efficiency. Furthermore, in both design and architecture, engineered materials enable very important functions to be added to surfaces. It is the duty of the architecture and design sectors of the future to use sustainable materials, with a lower environmental impact than other products in their category, produced with lower levels of pollutant emissions and energy consumption, with the lowest possible amount of toxic chemicals or pollutants, and devised to ensure easy disposal and recycling of their raw materials. Finally, they have the task of offering additional functionalities, meeting the needs of their times (anti-microbial, photocatalytic, anti-graffiti), in an effective way. The aim of this conference was exploring the potential of new materials in architecture and design for energy-efficient, sustainable, lightweight, earthquake-resistant buildings and for hygienic and smart furniture, devices, and components, thus dispelling the idea that these new materials (such as pre-painted metal, sublimated and imitation-
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N. 67 - JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 - international PAINT&COATING magazine
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