Merkx+Girod Architects

a Material Library > http://www.merkx-girod.nl

Mission of library: collecting materials for there projects. when the projects is

Users/clients: Merkx+Girod Architects, as well as the project clients, as materials collected in order to make projects. * Suppliers: different companies all around the world, most of them - from Holland samples/ catalogues for free. its a very good + for companies to be in such libraries as they have a bigger potential to sell them materials for the projects.

Staff: Ruben and other girl (2 people) bought of them spend 1/3 of them time in company, for library

System of choosing materials for library: most of the choice is based on projects: if there is a projects and they need - wooden floor, Ruben does search on it, and if there is company who has the right product, they ask companies to send them catalogues of what they have. some times can be as well different type of material, details, textiles… act. as well they do random search, going to designer fairs. or if they fined something interesting in shops or markets, this material is going in to library as well. some times they pay for material sample.

Material classification: has mane groups and sub groups: -wood /subgr:/sealing/flour/decor details/ -metal -carpets -curtains -kunstof(man made materials)/plastic/foam/rubber/others/ -new materials section -made materials /they have possibility of remaking existing materials, decorating them, such changes they show to suppliers and if they like it, they can create a 'new' material, which will become the property of that company. -project based section or work in process cabin: its a place where each project has it own place, there you can fined project model, selected materials for that project. -lights -concrete/ structures -ceramics

Physical library: open structure, you see all materials there are about 10 rows of open cupboards. each row belongs to different group, such as /wood/metal… act. inside the group you will fined plastic open cases with materials inside. each material has name of the company it came from and material description (short) on the top row of the cupboard, you fined information on the company, materials and act.

Reference number: just the manes of companies and the name of material, on each sample

Website navigation: (don't have, they wanted to do it, but it never worked)

Consultancy: as its not public library, they don't have one -extra activities, they provide:

Library usability: as only two people know how to operate the library, in side the company, everybody asks them for one of other material.