Transmaterial:
A Catalog of Materials that Redefine our Physical Environment
Blaine Brownell

These days, whether you're designing a building or a toaster, a savvy knowledge of materials is increasingly critical. And keeping up with the constant flow of new materials, let alone their applications, properties, and sources, is an increasingly difficult and time-consuming task. Blaine Erickson Brownell, author of Transmaterial, known to thousands of web users for his "product of the week" email service alerting designers to new materials that are reshaping our world, has created this handy and affordable reference to the most interesting and most useful new materials now available.

Transmaterial is indexed in multiple ways for the sake of maximum convenience, and utilizes the new CSI Master- Format 2004 product categorization system. With more than 200 materials, organized by category, described, pictured, and annotated with technical and sourcing information, this catalog is an essential tool for any architect or designer interested in keeping up with the rapid developments in the field of materials, looking for a source of inspiration for their designs, or just eager to get their hands on real materials in an effort to understand the incredibly innovative palette now available to us.


Blaine E. Brownell is an architect, sustainable building advisor, and a researcher of materials based in Seattle. Educated at Princeton and Rice Universities, he is an advocate of harnessing the latest materials expertise to transform the way we make buildings and products.
add to cart

Editorial Reviews

Green Innovations from the Pacific Rim, Building Design and Construction :
"From fully recyclable architectural resin panels to self-cleaning glass, Blaine Brownell has pretty much seen it all when it comes to sustainable building materials. " — Dave Barista (February, 2008)

Faces, Places, Architect:
"(Transmaterial) identifies products that make a difference - aesthetically, environmentally, socially, and, yes, structurally." — Ned Cramer, Editor in Chief (December, 2006)

Azure:
"From concrete that absorbs carbon dioxide to scratch-and-sniff wallpaper, the innovations compiled in this book are transformative, multi-functional and ultra-performing. . . . The pages that fill Transmaterial cover 10 categories in the conversational yet informative tone of a material fanatic." (Jun 2006)

Skyscraper Envy Lives On, Globally, Architectural Record:
"Show(s) potential for replacing some standard materials by providing better performance while not harming the planet as much." — Nadine M. Post (October 31, 2005)

Quiet, Please!, Building Design & Construction:
"Brownell makes it a priority to track down and report on the newest products from around the world." — Jay W. Schneider (May, 2006)

Architectural Record:
"Avoids obsolescence by structuring itself around categories configured to provide architects some breathing room in the under-appreciated realm of new materials. . . . Transmaterial is useful as a materials book for the architect who would never think of leaving such matters to a consultant, but instead would rather dive into the reserarch directly." (June 2006)

The Kansas City Star :
"An illustrated compendium of environmentally friendly materials." (July 1, 2007)

res magazine:
"The definitive compilation for discovering the materials that are reshaping our world. A must-have for designers of all walks . . . . From concrete to mineral, metal to wood, plastic to glass, our material futures are bound to be lighter and brighter, thanks to this book." (March/April 2006)

Material Witness, Architect:
"Transmaterial convey(s) a new message about materials: That they can be exciting, suprising, and, perhaps most important, of benefit, not just to buildings, but to people and to the environment. " — Braulio Agnese (December, 2006)

Fast Company:
"Fulbright-winning architect Blaine Brownell brings the material world to the virtual, blogging about innovative building materials at Transstudio.com. His book . . . is a catalog and exploration of some 200 global eco-techno hybrids, an emerging field that has the attention of designers and scientists alike. " (November 2006)

Builders embrace recycled construction products, The Bulletin:
"Its exciting because it absolutely is the right idea." — Cindy Hoedel (July 17, 2007)

Architectural Lighting:
"Through his research, his writing, and his design, architect Blaine Brownell is changing the professions awareness of building products and materials." (May, 2007)

New Scientist:
"Colorful and stimulating, and you don't have to be an architect or even a home improvement enthusiast to appreciate it. . . . There is endless inspiration here." (2/04/2006)

Daily Journal of Commerce:
"The book is not the kind that'll stay pristine for long. It's not a coffee table book. It's not a flip-through-and-look-through-the-pictures-type book. It's not even a bookshelf kind of book. (The author) says 'It should be like a portable, very accessible travel guide that you would carry with you. . . . This book is going to be on a designer's desk, and it's going to have pages folded and marked.'" (February 24, 2006)

Journal of Architectural Education:
"Truly innovative . . . Transmaterial will be of interest to all involved in the design arts who seek a greater understanding of emerging materials and to all who are committed to expanding the traditional classifications of materials within the building industry." (November 2006)

International Design:
"This is a treasure for material enthusiasts. " — Mark Weiss (May, 2006)

Reader Comments

Press Review copy request (rating out of 5):

I'm the buildings editor of Engineering News-Record, the McGraw-Hill construction weekly. I am writing to request a review copy of Transmaterial. My address is: Nadine M. Post ENR McGraw-Hill Cos. 2 Penn Plaza, 9th floor NY NY 10121-2298 212-904-4139 (phone)

- nadine post from NYC (10/25/2005)

Add your own comments about this book!