During this semester at PUCMM’s School of Architecture and Design, I returned to teaching Materials and Construction Techniques I, exploring how material knowledge can become an active part of the design process.

After studying materials and their use throughout history, we moved into traditional and contemporary materials, combining theoretical understanding with hands-on experimentation.

Before the first assessment, students were invited to translate their initial ideas into physical material compositions — working directly with samples to explore texture, colour, contrast and material relationships rather than relying solely on digital references.

The exercise offered an opportunity to understand materials beyond their technical properties: how they interact, how they influence perception and how they can help shape the character of a space.

A special thanks to DL+A Arquitectos for opening their studio and material library to the students, giving them access to real samples and a professional environment in which to explore their ideas.

Here is a selection of the students’ work and the results of the exercise.

Because understanding a material begins with more than knowing its properties — it begins with experiencing it.