Let us resume a critical topic for coatings in architecture (and also in industrial design): which materials, how to use them, the relationship between the real material and its mimicry.
Architecture and design – that means the project - must always deal with time: in fact time is the variable that requires control. The main purpose of the coatings consists of protecting materials with a"waterproofing" layer in order to not let deteriorate them, not only in terms of appearance but, and above all, in terms of mechanical and functional characteristics. So we do not coat the materials just to give sensations but also to find the right balance between the naturalness of the material and the requirements connected to maintenance, cleaning, durability.
Everything is linked to time (and money): to prevent materials’ deterioration the designer has to find the right coating that enhances the idea and allows its appropriate use. A choice that makes the difference.
Anyway coating is the last step of a process that involves more products and more players: the choice of the treatment and of the surface finishing cycle is essential to achieve the desired appearance. So it is not right to talk only about coating, but you need to know the whole process. The right process will lead to the best finish for the enhancement of the surface. Some "risky" design choices about finish reduce manufactured pieces’ lasting and caused an increase of costs for the maintenance of an adequate appearance over time, for the cleaning and for the functionality.
What does time have ti do with the relationship between the "real" material and its mimicry? The link is due to the necessity to find the right compromise between the appearance of the material - especially when it is required in its natural appearance, for example by using wood, or natural aluminium or oxidized iron - and the problems that these materials have without any protective coat: they get dirty, change the appearance and lose structural features - for example wood; they release on other materials their own residuals and they can not be cleaned - like Corten; they do not keep an acceptable appearance, or may be it is inherent in the production technology the difficulty of keeping the same appearance, or in the process steps performed in different times- as the anodized aluminium.
For this reason coating products which “imitate” materials or some finishing, in terms of aesthetical appearance, have been developed.
How can you deal with the problem without incurring the copy? The debate is open
: which materials, how to use them, the relat...){kind=link}
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