LiU's material library, the Material Realisation Laboratory (MRL), is most likely unique in its kind in Sweden. Here, inside A Building on Campus Valla, more than 1,500 different materials are gathered – all carefully sorted, categorised and labelled.
It's a place where visitors can get a sense of different materials through their tactile and visual senses as well as learn more about them. MRL is available to everyone studying at LiU. Part of its purpose is to serve as a meeting point, a place to discuss materials and material choices. Its also functions as a classroom, where teaching and workshops are held.
The best on paper – not always the best
When developing new products, it is important to have good material knowledge. Knowing what a material feels like should not be underestimated. David Eklöf says that it is quite common that students change their minds and choose a different material for their project after a visit to MRL.
"It's very much about how you experience the materials. You can't get information about that from a screen. You experience the materials very strongly when you come here. It could be a material that has very good properties, but feels very off-putting when you hold it in your hand," he says.
According to him, LiU's material library is unique in its kind.
"I don't know of any other material library in Sweden that is linked to a university. When we started here, we visited some that had material rooms, but not at all in the same way."
According to David Eklöf, thousands of students pass through the premises every year. Those who have good knowledge of materials when they start working have a head start, he believes.
"They have a great advantage over other universities, in that they have actually experienced materials on site in a completely different way than many others have."
