A glimpse beneath the surface of surfaces

On a scale of one to ten, how big a materials geek are you? Do you obsess about new finishes, and go out of your way (down perilous cliff faces, into hostile buildings) to collect them? Or are you happy to work with tried-and-tested favourites? Or none of the above?

The question was put to several designers as part of the Surfaces Show at the Business Design Centre, opening this week. Thomas Heatherwick is a self-confessed Spinal Tap-style 11; Ilse Crawford is a sensible ‘one and ten – it’s all a question of appropriateness’; and Project Orange? ‘Sometimes we could be considered obsessive – but it can be dangerous.’

You’re right there, guys.