Elvin Karana

Meanings of Materials Elvin Karana

This book is about meanings we attribute to materials of the objects around us. Materials convey meanings: they look traditional, they express luxury, they are associated with factories, or they conjure up one's childhood. How do materials obtain these meanings? How do they interact with other elements of product design in expressing certain meanings? How can designers systematically incorporate meaning considerations into their materials selection processes? This book presents the concept of 'meanings of materials' and has made a start in making this concept more actionable in design thinking.