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Haemoglobin
Rowlands, Martyn, born 1923 - died 2004 - Enlarge image
Haemoglobin
- Object:
Panel
- Place of origin:
Hertfordshire, England (made)
- Date:
ca. 1951 (made)
- Artist/Maker:
Rowlands, Martyn, born 1923 - died 2004 (designer)
Warerite Ltd (manufacturers) - Materials and Techniques:
Laminated plastic
- Museum number:
CIRC.45-1968
- Gallery location:
In Storage
This sample panel of 'Warerite', or plastic laminate, was designed by Martyn Rowlands and made by Warerite Ltd, England. The product was intended as a finishing surface for table tops and kitchen counters, as a substitute for traditional wooden veneers. The design is based on the crystal structure for haemoglobin.
The study of crystal structure, or crystallography, is the experimental science of determining the arrangement of atoms in solids. The findings of this modern science provided a starting point for the twenty-six manufacturers of the Festival Pattern Group involved in the 1951 Festival of Britain. They used Dr Helen Megaw's diagrams of the crystal structures for substances like boric acid, insulin and aluminium hydroxide to create surface designs for ceramics, textiles, wallpapers and other products.
