Natural materials are in the focus for the next BDML Insider roundtable discussion

The Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency (HFDA) and the Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design (MOME) joined together to organize the fourth roundtable discussion of the event series presenting the use of the most up-to-date and innovative materials on the 24^th of November 2022. In the programme, sustainability issues that challenge product design and architecture are discussed, analysing the relationship between nature and society, and how these drive contemporary design towards traditional, natural materials. Before the discussion, those interested can view the material library through a guided tour.

The HFDA and MOME created the Budapest Design Material Library (BDML) in a joint project in 2021 so that Hungarian creative industry players can stay well-informed about the most innovative materials without having to spend on expensive trips abroad. The material library, which was based on international examples, renders samples from all around the world available in the form of a database. The knowledge made available by the library might incentivise Hungarian representatives of the industry to design their products using state-of-the-art materials and provide guidance on which material manufacturers to develop partnerships with.

The event series will get to the fourth roundtable discussion at the end of November 2022 when professional participants will talk about the Renaissance of natural materials with the moderation of Dávid Pap, Managing Director of Fablab. The discussion’s participants will be Fanni Hegedűs, carpenter and restaurateur; Edit Blaumann, researcher of MOME’ Innovation Centre; Gábor Wilheim, president of Fabunio; and László Szikszai, managing director of Sixay Bt. The participants will look for traditional solutions together that can provide answers to the modern age’s challenges.

Those visiting the BDML Insider roundtable discussion can gain insight into the newest trends of product design connected to sustainability and the role of materials in it while getting an overview of the Hungarian wood industry’s competitiveness and the implications of climate change in the furniture industry. Besides, they will discuss to what extent design products comply with the circular economy model, and participants will touch upon the topics of biodesign, furniture restoration’s sustainability aspects, and its technological challenges.

The discussion will last about one hour and will be held on the 24^th of November, 2022, at 6 pm on the second floor of MOME UP, in the Budapest Design Material Library. Half an hour before the roundtable discussion, you can take a closer look at the material library’s pieces in a guided tour. The event is free of charge, but due to the limited number of places, registration is required and can be done by clicking on this link.