Surface & Panel Editor Launches Material Intelligence Website |
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Kenn Busch, Publisher
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Drawing on his nearly 20 years of experience in the furniture industry, veteran magazine editor Kenn Busch has created Material Intelligence (www.materialintelligence.com) – a comprehensive resource on furniture and interior surface options for architectural and interior design specifiers.
“Material Intelligence addresses questions I've been hearing from professional interior designers architects for many years,” says Busch, “which essentially boil down to: 'Are there smarter materials choices I could be making for my projects? Where do I find out about them?' And, 'Where can I see examples of these products being used in similar applications? I want to know they'll work before I specify them.'
“The website answers those questions with designer-specific definitions and frequently asked questions about a range of materials, including HPL, TFM, 3-D laminates, engineered veneers and decorative metals, as well as laminate flooring, engineered panels and value-added components. You'll even find information on matching materials programs and laminate design resources.
“It also hosts a constantly expanding archive of stories on real-life applications where these materials are used in specific markets – health care, hospitality, retail, office, etcetera – to help promote their specification by professional designers. We’ve even made them searchable by both the type of project and the materials used.” |
Busch says Material Intelligence will operate as “a hybrid of a loose-knit marketing association and a PR agency,” helping materials suppliers educate the ultimate users of their products.
“One thing we’ve already begun to do is create press releases and targeted content for magazines in the interior design and furniture production markets, including certified Continuing Education Unit features.
“Designers are required to complete a certain number of CEU exercises each year to validate their memberships in professional associations like the IIDA and ASID. By placing these features in magazines they already subscribe to, as well as on the Material Intelligence website, we make it easy for them to get credit while learning about how to use our industry's products.
“And as we’ve seen with other types of materials, if we educate the design community properly they will pass along our ‘story’ to their clients, and on to consumers as well – informational ‘trickle-down,’ if you will.
“Material Intelligence is something our industry has been asking for, for a very long time,” says Busch. “I look forward to partnering with its suppliers, publishers and associations toward our common goal: raising awareness and specification of our materials and the products made with them.” |
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