Two thousand years of European architecture kept faith with lime mortars and plasters. These well-proven materials help control condensation and damp, contribute to structural integrity and facilitate reclamation if buildings are dismantled. A Welsh based company, Calch Tŷ Mawr Lime, has launched a new range of lime plasters mixed with ground glass waste from recycled bottles recently at The Surface Design Show, London. Playing on a catchy pun, ‘Glaster’ can be roughcast, sponged, trowelled and painted offering a range of matt or sparkley surfaces. Aesthetically fresh and challenging, Glaster also reduces extraction of virgin sand while developing a market for a waste product. Time will tell if these surfaces offer increased durability and survive the whimsies of a fickle, fashion-conscious public. [©Alastair Fuad-Luke, 2005]

Here There Designs

Bendy batteries: the MIT Slimcell