From Atoms to Patterns

From Atoms to Patterns tells the intriguing story of the Festival Pattern Group – a unique collaboration between scientists and designers at the Festival of Britain. Conceived by Dr Helen Megaw, a leading Cambridge crystallographer, and spearheaded by the Council of Industrial Design, the Festival Pattern Group co-opted diagrams of atomic structures for patterns on everyday products, including textiles, wallpapers, ceramics and glass. The result was a weird and wonderful collection of furnishings and accessories decorated with scientifically accurate crystal structure designs. Featuring numerous hitherto unpublished images and drawing on extensive new research, From Atoms to Patterns provides a definitive account of the Festival Pattern Group and explores the science behind the designs. Written by design historian and curator Lesley Jackson.