Materials Library
Innovative Products for Exceptional Design
Corgan’s Materials Library: Cultivating Design Inspiration
Corgan’s Materials Library is a pillar of the firm’s design excellence—an immersive, hands-on resource that brings the best of the building industry directly to our designers. With thousands of samples at their fingertips, our teams have access to an unparalleled range of interior and exterior finishes that inspire creativity, elevate design, and support informed, tactile decision-making.
Bridging the Gap between Ideation and Practical Application
Established in 1986, the library has evolved into a premier collection featuring everything from customizable terrazzo and sustainable cork flooring to acoustic wall panels, luxurious textiles, and richly varied furniture materials—from leather to velvet. There is also an array of exterior finish samples, including glazing systems, brick, and metal panels—making it easy to align aesthetics with performance.
The Materials Library serves as a launchpad for every project—offering a setting that’s practical and inspiring. It’s a space where designers can explore and experiment with confidence.
The library is a dynamic, future-focused resource—each sample both physically and digitally meticulously cataloged to support designers in translating vision into reality. Located at Corgan’s Dallas headquarters, the Library spans a generous footprint of 1,575 square feet and is lined with carefully organized cabinetry and displays. The space features double-height windows for natural light variation, layout tables for building palettes, and an overhead camera that projects material details onto an 85-inch screen with 30X magnification—enabling both designers and clients to examine finishes in crisp detail— and allow virtual collaboration through video conferencing.
More than just a sample room, the Materials Library is a strategic design asset, continually updated to reflect the latest innovations and sustainability standards. As part of Corgan’s commitment to sustainable, health-conscious design, the library also plays a key role in the firm’s Red List–free initiative, aligned with the Living Building Challenge. The Materials Library Resource Manager actively educates Corgan designers and architects on material health and continually replaces samples containing harmful Red List chemicals, ensuring that the products we specify contribute to safer, more responsible built environments.
Design Inspo for the Next Gen
At Corgan, our commitment to design excellence extends into the community. The Materials Library team plays an active role in fostering the next generation of architects and designers by maintaining strong, ongoing connections with high school and university design programs.
Through regular donations of gently used and surplus materials—ranging from textile samples and finish swatches to tile, wood, and wallcovering remnants, Corgan provides students with the resources that elevate their work and encourage experimentation. These contributions give aspiring designers access to professional-grade materials that might otherwise be out of reach, allowing them to build more informed designs from the start of their education.
The Materials Library continues to serve as a bridge between professional practice and educational growth, investing in the future of the industry while making a meaningful impact today.
