Materials Research

April 30, 2021

Materials Research

Now that the final design of the exhibition has been decided, we are able to bring everything together and start rendering some views of what we imagine the space would look like. To be able to do this, we need to select the material that we think would be the most effective for the space. The research team has been looking into different materials that the display structure could be made from and comparing their properties to help us choose the most appropriate materials for the scale of our design.

One of the factors that we gave thought to when investigating the different options available to us is the appearance of the materials and how this will affect the overall look of the exhibition space. Although we would like the exhibition to be interesting so that it stands out from the other designs, the materials we use should not take away from the work that will be displayed. As the form of our exhibition is greatly inspired by trees, we intend to use a type of wood that is simple and maintains an organic look.

Material Considerations

UV light can fade the work, especially because most of the work is directly in front of the windows. The exhibition could be an enclosed space to protect the work from fade, or when printing the work, a UV protection could be added over the top.
UV printing uses UV curing technology. The inks dry quickly when exposed to UV light.
Ink is dry immediately, so no smudging.
Works on “fabric, canvas, glass, wood, plastic, coated media, Polystyrene, PVC, acrylic, wood and aluminium and more. Quality, clear images are achieved at all times and the images are long lasting since the UV ink is more resistant to agents of corrosion.”
UV printing does not use a lot of energy and they are not solvent based, so no harmful chemicals.
UV printing resists fading, scratches and ink transfer.
Brushed aluminium or sheet glass gives a more modern/contemporary feel - expensive

These options would probably work better to present student work as it should be presented as a big achievement.

MDF to give a rougher aesthetic – cheapest option

Could probably be sanded and coated but would still look cheaper than the more expensive options.

What image is the material conveying?
Materials should align with the type of event.
A nautical theme could embody the location of the exhibition of Portsmouth. Recycling fishing equipment like nets, baskets ropes would be cheaper and better for the environment. Could even buy new equipment and then donate them to local fishermen.

Theme could also represent Peckham in some way if that is the work being presented.

The work is light so weight should not be an issue and being indoors allows for more of a choice of materials because there is no weather to contend with.
Ensure you use UV safe printing if printed directly onto exhibition panel
Fireproof coating or materials?
Glass panels range from £30 + in a hardware store. If the glass is not the right size, it would also have to be cut by a specialist, perhaps by the staff at the Eldon Production Centre. As a plus, the glass panels can be used in future exhibitions at the university as these are a common occurrence for displaying student work.
MDF boards price around £10 + at hardware store. A lot safer to use than glass (have risks of breaking with glass in both the construction and exhibition). Aside from initial cost, glass is more likely to break than MDF, so the replacement cost is higher compared to MDF. Glass panels would have to be carefully stored for the next exhibition use and would take up storage space whereas MDF could be used for student work easier. Aesthetically, glass has a cleaner look, and this would have to be considered. Alternatively, to MDF, white chipboard is around the same price, but with a white glossy finish which may give the work a clean background to create more focus on the work.
Breeze from the entrance could interfere with the placement of the work so possibly bolting the work in should be considered. Bolts should be suitable for the aesthetic of the overall exhibition design. If the work is suspended, the cables/attachments would have to be stable enough to keep the work from moving.
Could the work be protected with glass or acrylic? The work may be a reprint but an accidental stain on the work by visitors or workers could ruin the exhibition. The work itself could be printed onto a waterproof material.

Possible Timber Sponsorship

Community Wood Recycling

Website: https://www.communitywoodrecycling.org.uk/

Nearest place: Southampton (via Southampton Wood Recycling Project) – 19 miles (31 minutes’ drive)

Who they are:

National Community Wood Recycling Project (NCWRP) – founded in 2003 to set up a national network of wood recycling social enterprise.
Aims to save resources by re-using waste timber that would otherwise be land filled as well as create sustainable jobs, training and volunteering opportunities for local people.
Aims to make sure that perfectly good timber does not end up in landfills and is used in community building / DIY projects instead.

This would be a desirable sponsor for our timber structure as they ethically align with our Group Ethos, as well as the fact that using recycled wood lowers our carbon footprint because all of the timber is recycled and therefore does not involve cutting down new woodland.

Prices are not presented on the website, however there is a large variety of wood types / objects that are available to buy. Overall, this would be the most sustainable option for our exhibition and would show great support to the community.

IMPORTANT: afterwards, the timber structure can be taken apart and donated back into the business or given to locals for DIY projects / given to EPC for student projects = SUSTAINABILITY

Possible Fishing net sponsors:

Need to look into local fishing industries - use used / damaged fishing nets from local fishers in order to reduce waste - can afterwards be recycled by local recycling projects?

Material Costs

This table lists the type, size and costs of the materials we have been looking at for the exhibition and the locations that they can be sourced from. The materials that we will be using are various types of timber for the main structure of the exhibition display, and a fluorocarbon fishing line for hanging the pieces of work that will be presented.

Material Properties

Once we made a final decision on the materials that we will be using for our exhibition design, the research team was able to have a more in-depth look at the properties of each material and the manufacturing process that they go through to determine that it is a suitable choice for the structural needs of our design.