By Thorsten Klooster

Whether luminous wallpaper, curtains that produce electricity, or self-cleaning windowpanes, more than ever before innovations in surface technologies are influencing and will continue to revolutionize the use of materials in architecture, interior design, and design.

The impression we have of a building or an object is increasingly determined by its surface qualities.  Designers are thus confronted anew with the question of appropriate materials when dealing with surfaces.

Newly developed surfaces expand design possibilities for architects and designers.  Their use leads to new typologies and concepts that can change our expectations of buildings and design.

Smart Surfaces brings this field of design into the creative focus of planners and designers, and emphasizes concrete possibilities for applications.  Planning fundamentals, including cost-benefit analyses, and questions related to building, including details of constructions, are presented in a clear and intelligible way. The various materials are introduced and their potentials assessed.

This is a book for everyone who wishes to be inspired by the possibilities for innovative surface technologies.