Interior Design students visit architecture firm Wilmotte and Associates

Last week, the Interior Design’s Materiality class was invited to view the material library maintained by the prestigious architecture firm Wilmotte and Associates. Since the early nineties, Wilmotte and Associates has collected a vast amount of material samples to inspire their numerous interior design and architecture projects. Housed in the firm’s basement floor, the material library performs a vital role in many of their ongoing projects. The architects often use the thousands of organic and man-made samples as research tools for their projects and client meetings. Two full-time employees are dedicated to both guiding the architects to materials they may need, as well as to keeping the Library up-to-date with the newest and most technologically advanced materials in the field.

The PCA Interior Design department is currently collecting samples for a material library at PCA, so it was a wonderful opportunity for us that Wilmotte and Associates opened their doors to us. Guided by the Library’s staff, we were able to touch and interact with a wide range of material samples and industrial products. Ranging from reclaimed wood and stabilized moss to electrically charged two-way mirrors and light fixtures carved from marble, we were able to see how much knowledge and inspiration a material library can provide. The staff members were happy to answer all of our questions and allowed us open access to their vast database of material contacts and architecture journals.

The visit was a great experience for us to see firsthand how a material library is used, and get excited about starting our own!

Claire Johnson, Interior Design Class of ’18