Study Visit in Milan: Inspiration for the Materials Library at Center Rog

How to Build a Materials Library?

At the Department of Design at Politecnico di Milano, the team explored the workings of one of the oldest university materials libraries in Europe – Materioteca, which today comprises around 10,000 samples. Particularly valuable was the insight into documentation methods, classification systems, and accessibility of materials, as systematic organization is key to the long-term relevance of such a collection.

They also visited the biomaterials research laboratory B.Lab and learned about current projects in the field of sustainable materials. These examples of good practice confirm that a materials library is not merely an archive, but an active research and educational environment.

From Exhibition Studios to Traditional Materials

At Materia 2.0, they encountered a model that connects manufacturers and designers through curated material presentations. At Rong Mini Library, created by the studio PINWU, they explored ways of integrating traditional materials and technologies into contemporary design processes.

These approaches raise an important question for Center Rog as well: how can the Materials Library become a space that, beyond presenting technical properties, also communicates the stories of materials—their origins, processes, and cultural contexts?

Materials as a Learning Medium

The visit concluded at the children’s museum MUBA, home to the creative reuse center Remida. There, surplus industrial materials are presented as educational tools that encourage exploration, play, and creativity.

A comparison with the Materials Playroom implemented at Center Rog opened up concrete questions regarding spatial organization, the role of mentors, and ways of engaging different age groups. The insights gained will directly inform the programme’s further development.

What’s Next?

The first samples from the Materials Library will be presented during Materials Week (13–18 April), featuring an exhibition and a roundtable discussion on biomaterials, workshops for children and adults, and a course on natural building. The Materials Playroom will also return, this time in collaboration with Mala ulica.

The study visit marked an important step in shaping both the conceptual and organizational model of the Materials Library. The goal remains clear: to create an open, accessible, and dynamic space where materials are not merely samples on a shelf, but starting points for exploration, learning, and new ideas within the Center Rog community.