Moono is a sliding pendant light developed by Tbilisi-based @shrestudio. The project centres on the use of solid oak or walnut not only as a visible finish, but as the primary structural and mechanical component of the luminaire. Rather than concealing technology within synthetic housings, the design integrates movement, structure and light within a single timber body. The lamp consists of a fixed wooden base and a movable wooden panel that houses the integrated LED light source. By sliding the panel along a concealed track embedded within the solid wood, users can adjust the light’s direction and intensity. The physical movement alters the spatial presence of the luminaire, shifting from a flat, linear element to a more projecting architectural feature. Read more at https://materialdistrict.com/article/moono-sliding-pendant-light-explores-kinetic-lighting-in-solid-timber/ #MaterialInspiration #Materials #SolidTimber #SlidingPendant #LightingDesign #MaterialInnovation #InteriorDesign #ProductDesign #SustainableLighting

Material of the day: Leafy Panels 🌿🏢 Developed by Leafy, these modular green façade panels combine biobased materials with living vegetation. Each panel integrates a wooden frame, regenerative substrate and carefully selected plants, transforming building façades into resilient, climate-adaptive ecosystems. The system connects to a passive rainwater irrigation setup, eliminating the need for pumps or complex technology. Leafy Panels contribute to façade cooling, insulation, CO₂ capture, biodiversity and sound attenuation, while remaining robust and low-maintenance. By combining natural aesthetics with measurable environmental performance, they redefine green façades as active building components. Read more at MaterialDistrict.com 👉 Discover this material and many more at MaterialDistrict Utrecht 📍 Werkspoorkathedraal, Utrecht 📅 4–6 March 2026 🎟️ Get your ticket now via link in bio #MaterialoftheDay #Material #LeafyPanels #GreenFacade #BiobasedMaterials #HealingEnvironment #SustainableArchitecture #MaterialDistrict #MDUtrecht

From 4 – 6 March 2026, MaterialDistrict Utrecht returns to the @werkspoorkathedraal with a clear focus: NextNow - materials and solutions that are no longer experimental, but ready to be applied today in architecture, interiors and the public realm. With 125+ exhibitors, nearly 60 speakers and and a materials exhibition featuring 200+ physical material samples, discover where material innovation stands today — and where it is already being applied. What you’ll find at this year’s edition: 🟢 125+ international exhibitors From @frontmaterials (NL), @stelapop_upcycle (TH), @ambitious.mt (MT) and @newmorwallcoverings (UK), showcasing circular design and material innovation. 🟢 Live circular furniture production @triboo_eu and technology partner YIZUMI demonstrate real-time 3D printing of furniture using recycled materials — a fully functioning production system on the exhibition floor. 🟢 Materials exhibition | 200+ samples See, touch and compare materials ranging from biofabrication and circular tanning to residual streams and biobased alternatives — curated as tools for design thinking and specification. 🟢 Lecture programme | 60 speakers Featuring The Tomorrow’s Timber Talks* with Pablo van der Lugt, contributions from @venhoevencs, @team.v.architecture, @roadarchitecten and @orangearchitectsnl, plus sessions on biobased materials, the Young Talent Programme and and The Leather Lectures on circular leather. *For Dutch architects, the Tomorrow’s Timber Talks are officially recognised CPD training courses, registered with the Architects’ Register. 💡 Experience it live in Utrecht or watch the livecast online 🎟 Get your ticket today via link in bio MaterialDistrict Utrecht is not about distant futures. It’s about material choices for projects happening now. MaterialDistrict Utrecht 2026 📍 @werkspoorkathedraal, Utrecht 📅 4 – 6 March 2026 Opening hours: Wed 4 March | 10:00 – 18:00 Thu 5 March | 10:00 – 18:00 Fri 6 March | 10:00 – 17:00 #MaterialDistrict #MDU2026 #NextNow #MaterialInnovation #CircularDesign

Engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (@MIT) are developing structural building components made from recycled plastic using large-scale 3D printing. Their latest prototype — a 3D printed floor truss — shows how polymer waste could become a viable alternative to timber in housing construction. Read more at MaterialDistrict.com #MaterialInspiration #Materials #RecycledPlastic #3DPrinting #CircularConstruction #SustainableHousing #PolymerComposites #AdditiveManufacturing #ModularBuilding #MaterialInnovation

A private villa in Velje Ådal by PAX Architects features a biobased acoustic system rather than treating acoustics as a secondary addition. The ceilings are outfitted with Søuld Acoustic Boards FR, manufactured in Denmark from locally collected eelgrass. Eelgrass is a marine plant that grows along the coastline and absorbs CO₂ during its growth. When the material is left to decompose onshore, this carbon is released. By converting eelgrass into building products, the stored carbon remains captured within the material. According to the manufacturer’s Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), the panels act as carbon-storing components. Read more at MaterialDistrict.com @sould.dk #MaterialInspiration #Materials #Eelgrass #BiobasedMaterials #AcousticDesign #SustainableArchitecture #CircularBuilding #CarbonStoring #InteriorArchitecture #MaterialInnovation

A recyclable and load-bearing material with locally extracted salt, sand and plant based natural binder. Ocean Articulated by @studioeidola / More at MaterialDistrict.com #MaterialoftheDay #Materials #Sand #Salt #Construction #Architecture #InteriorDesign

The full lecture programme of MaterialDistrict Utrecht 2026 has been announced! Discover insights from Dave Lomax (Waugh Thistleton Architects), Vivian Erdtsieck (VivErdie), Lotte Douwes (Studio Lotte Douwes), Aled Roberts (Dekiln) and Marjanne Cuypers (SeaWood Materials) — alongside many other architects, designers and experts shaping the future of materials. Check out the full programme on the MaterialDistrict Utrecht website via the link in our bio Visit us 4–6 March, Werkspoorkathedraal Utrecht. Get your ticket now and enjoy 50% off (link in bio) #MDU2026 #MaterialDistrict #NextNow #Materials #MaterialInnovation

Researchers at @Swinburne University of Technology have developed a bio-composite insulation material made from shredded mattress foam and mycelium. By combining discarded polyurethane foam with a common fungus, the team created a lightweight and solid material suitable for building applications. Mattresses are notoriously difficult to recycle. Because they are bulky and made from multiple materials, many still end up in landfill. In Australia alone, around 1.8 million mattresses are discarded every year. Of these, approximately 740,000 go to landfill. This equals roughly 22,000 metric tonnes of waste, and each mattress can take up to 120 years to decompose. Instead of sending this waste to landfill, the researchers use it as a feedstock. In doing so, they demonstrate how biological processes can support circular construction. Read more at MaterialDistrict.com #MaterialInspiration #Materials #Mycelium #CircularConstruction #SustainableMaterials #BioBasedMaterials #RecycledFoam #BuildingInsulation #MaterialInnovation #FireResistant #WasteUpcycling #GreenArchitecture