A veritable cornucopia of over 100 innovative materials, this book also offers architects and designers clever ideas on how to use them. Think of smart materials, for example, which react to changes in the immediate environment, and of materials that produce exceptional optical effects. Consider light but strong composites, flexible building materials and finishing materials for use in architectonic projects. A short description accompanies each item, along with information on composition, technical qualities and possible uses. An application for each material featured includes a good description, illustrations and realisation-related data. A survey of manufacturers and/or suppliers, complete with details on how to contact them, makes this book an indispensable source of information for professionals.