From Atoms to Patterns Crystal Structure Designs from the 1951 Festival of Britain : the Story of the Festival Pattern Group

The Festival of Britain provided an extraordinary platform for British ingenuity and creativity in science and the arts. From Atoms to Patterns tells the story of the Festival Pattern Group, a unique collaboration between scientists and manufacturers. Conceived by Dr Helen Megaw, a leading Cambridge crystallographer, and spearheaded by the Council of Industrial Design, the Festival Pattern Group used diagrams of atomic structures for patterns on everyday products. The result was a weird and wonderful collection of furnishings and accessories decorated with scientifically accurate crystal structure designs. Featuring numerous unpublished images and drawing on extensive new research, From Atoms to Patterns provides a definitive account of the Festival Pattern Group and explores the science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.