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Meng Du creates Unwasted bags from grape leather

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A woman holding a dark purple bag

The Unwasted collection of bags by Chinese designer Meng Du are made with an alternative leather produced from leftover grape skins.

Du created the bags from grape marc, a byproduct of wine production. Grape marc contains the skins, pulp, pips and stems of the fruit that are left after it has been pressed for wine.

A burgundy material made from grapesUnwasted bags are made from leftover grapes. Photo is by Osman Tahir

Du sourced the alternative leather material from Planet of the Grapes, a French producer of materials and natural dyes made from waste grape skins.

The company produces the textile by collecting grape marc from vineyards in France and drying it under natural sunlight. It is then ground into a powder and blended with natural ingredients to create a liquid, which is poured onto a fabric of natural stem fibres and left to dry again.

A square of grape leather materialThe material is a byproduct of the wine industry. Photo is by Osman Tahir

"The entire process takes around four or five weeks, as it starts off with the spreading out and the drying all of the grapes in the sunshine for a couple of weeks," Sam Mureau, co-founder of Planet of the Grapes, told Dezeen.

"After the grapes are truly dried out they are then used to make the grape leather and then once transformed into sheets of material they are left to air dry, which again takes two or three weeks depending on the time of year," she said.

A wine bottle and Unwasted bagDu shapes the alternative leather over her 3D-printed designs

According to Du, the supple, lightweight material has a lightly textured feel that is reminiscent of the real fruit's texture.

"You can feel the broken down pomace under your fingers and it reminds you from where it came, and that's what adds the character to the material," the designer told Dezeen.

"The material is lightweight and flexible and it has a really natural lustre to it and each piece is unique," Du continued.

A woman holding a bag shaped like a milk cartonThe bags come in two irregular shapes

The collection contains two bags: Unwasted Merlot, a larger bag designed to look like a squashed plastic milk carton; and Unwasted Chardonnay, a smaller pack-style bag that resembles a tin can.

Du says that these shape choices are intented to draw attention to the importance of recycling.

[ Green Sonnet155 bag by Lobke Beckfeld and Johanna Hehemeyer-Cürten

Read:

Sonnet155 is a "temporary handbag" made from discarded fruit peels

](https://www.dezeen.com/2021/04/27/sonnet155-lobke-beckfeld-johanna-hehemeyer-curten/)

"I found that beverage cartons and cans are often squeezed into strange shapes when they are recycled and to me, this imperfection illustrates the value of a second life," said Du.

"We called the concept Incognito - meaning that an item doesn't look the way you think it will: although it looks like a squashed beverage carton, it is actually a fashion product. And though it looks like it’s leather, it's actually made of grapes," she added.

A model wearing Unwasted bagAround 1,200 grapes were used for the Merlot bag

Around 1,200 grapes are used to create enough material for the large shoulder bag – the equivalent of 0.5 square metres of leather.

Du shapes the leather over a 3D-printed mould by hand in a lengthy process that takes two days for the larger bag and around 30 hours for the smaller bag. The inner lining of both is made from organic cotton.

Every year, approximately 290 million hectolitres of wine is produced around the world, but most of the grapes used in the process are then discarded and left to waste.

Du hopes that these bags will solve some of this waste problem and also encourage consumers to reconsider how their belongings are made.

The Unwasted bum bag made from grape leatherThe Chardonnay bag is shaped like a tin can

"The audience interested in this kind of product may be niche, but hopefully we are moving towards making long-term investments in something more meaningful than the casual fast fashion purchase," said the designer.

The bags are created in partnership with Swedish wine producer OddBird, and are currently available to pre-order ahead of on-demand production later in the year.

There is a growing trend for using fruit waste to create handbags or accessories and grapes aren't the only fruit that can be used. Banana peels were used by textile designer Youyang Song to create Peelsphere, a waterproof material for bags and accessories.

Berlin design students Lobke Beckfeld and Johanna Hehemeyer-Cürten developed Sonnet155, a translucent bag that dissolves in water made from discarded fruit peels.

The photography is by Meng Du unless otherwise stated.

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#all #design #fashion #products #bags #materials #accessories #leatheralternatives #biomaterials

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The Living creates "probiotic" architectural pavilion that supports living microbes

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The pavilion has an irregular form

New York studio The Living developed a pavilion for the Venice Architecture Biennale to demonstrate how organic materials with microbial properties could be used in architecture to help create healthier environments for humans.

The Living was invited by Biennale curator Hashim Sarkis to create the Alive pavilion for an exhibit titled Among Diverse Beings, which is presented at the city's Arsenale venue. The installation has been shortlisted in the small building category of Dezeen Awards 2021.

alive pavilion has an opening at the frontThe Living constructed the pavilion using microbial materials

The pavilion represents an evolution of ongoing research by The Living, which has worked with biologists and academics to explore the potential of multi-species architecture and how best to harness the microbes that surround us all the time.

According to The Living founder and principal David Benjamin, advances in biological technologies such as bio-computing, bio-sensing and bio-fabricating offer new opportunities for using living organisms in architecture.

alive pavilion has a winding path through itThe Alive pavilion displayed at the 2021 Venice Architecture Biennale

The exhibition at the Arsenale examines the potential for creating an "urban microbiome" that would see cities evolve to become more healthy and sustainable by employing bio-receptive materials in their construction.

"As a society, we are increasingly aware of how a good gut microbiome promotes individual health," Benjamin told Dezeen, "and in a similar way, it is now clear that a good urban microbiome promotes public health."

"This means that instead of creating architecture and spaces that are sterile and antibiotic, we should develop environments that are alive and probiotic."

Light filters through the skin of the pavilionThe structure was built as part of The Living's ongoing research project into biomaterials

Bio-receptive materials trap and host microorganisms in surfaces containing pockets with different temperatures, moisture levels, air flow and nutrients. These organic, living materials support colonies of microbes that in turn promote the health of people in their vicinity.

The Alive installation is made from dried fibres of luffa – an inexpensive, renewable and fast-growing vegetable that grows on vines in tropical and subtropical regions.

[

Read:

Tower of "grown" bio-bricks by The Living opens at MoMA PS1

](https://www.dezeen.com/2014/07/01/tower-of-grown-bio-bricks-by-the-living-opens-at-moma-ps1-gallery/)

Luffa's fibrous surfaces form a strong and organic material that is ideally suited to hosting diverse microbes and could be easily adapted to form panelling products or partitions for use in architectural projects.

"The project is a prototype for architecture of the future, but at the same time it is relevant to current buildings," Benjamin suggested.

"[Luffa] can be easily adapted into many environments like today's offices and restaurants, with partition walls and acoustic tiled ceilings, or tomorrow’s buildings with microbial facades that remove pathogens from the air."

A person is pictured inside the Alive pavilionThe material can be used across different architectural interventions

The pavilion's design promotes the architectural possibilities of luffa and other probiotic materials while also creating spaces that allow different levels of light and air flow.

Following the conclusion of the Biennale in November 2021, the prototype will be deconstructed and used for several ongoing experiments. One section will be returned to New York City and analysed to assess how microbes grow in different conditions.

detail image of the fibrous pavilionThe pavilion was made using luffa fibres

Researchers and previous collaborators Kevin Slavin and Elizabeth Henaff will use a DNA sequencer to determine what species of bacteria lived in the material.

Comparing this DNA with samples from other materials and locations will allow the project to feed into early studies about the biomes of various buildings and cities.

The pavilion is laid flat in one sheetThe pavilion was formed from a flat sheet of material

The Living's previous projects include a temporary pavilion made entirely from bricks grown using organic materials that was installed at the MoMA PS1 gallery in 2014.

Other projects shortlisted in the small building category of Dezeen Awards 2021 include a writer's cabin fitted with a wavy bookshelf by Mudd Architects.

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House built from 100 different plant-based materials unveiled at Dutch Design Week

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The Exploded View Beyond Building, a house made from biomaterials by Biobased Creations

Eco-design studio Biobased Creations has built a showhome almost entirely from biomaterials including wood, mycelium, seaweed, straw and vegetable fibres as well as earth and sewage.

Unveiled at Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven this week, the house showcases 100 different plant-based or natural materials that are either commercially available already or coming to market soon.

The Exploded View Beyond Building, a biomaterials house by Biobased CreationsThe house is built from 100 different natural materials

The only non-bio materials in the timber-framed house are metal screw fixings and glass windows.

"We used 100 bio-based materials because we wanted to show what is possible," explained Biobased Creations co-founder Lucas De Man. "It's an exhibition in the shape of a house."

Earth wallIt showcases 100 different biomaterials, including earth, plants and fungi

The project is called The Exploded View Beyond Building, although Dutch Design Week calls it The Embassy of Circular and Biobased Building.

The designers' aim is to show how eco-materials can be used in the construction of ordinary homes. All the materials used are listed on the projects' website.

Algae and seaweed in biomaterials house by Biobased CreationsMaterials include lime plaster coloured with algae and an algae textile screen

The house, which features a modular design, was mostly built in a factory. It has a layout based on a standard grid so it could become a template for a variety of different house designs.

"If we want to build a million houses here in Holland in the next 10 years, then the design has to be scalable," said De Man. "So it has to come from the factory and it has to be sustainable."

Bathroom wall tiles made from waste in biomaterials house by Biobased CreationsThe bathroom exterior tiles are 3D printed from sewage sludge and algae

"Some people think it's too expensive to be modular and sustainable, but it's actually cheaper," he told Dezeen. "Non-sustainable modular is way more expensive."

The building, which has been erected at Eindhoven's Strijp-S district for the duration of Dutch Design Week, is also designed to be circular.

The structural timber frame is demountable so the house could be relocated or recycled in the future.

Toilet in biomaterials house by Biobased CreationsThe toilet is framed by a 3D printed wall of filtered sewage residue

Biomaterials provide surfaces both inside and outside the house.

They cover walls, floors and ceilings, and are also used for furnishings including tableware and bedding.

[ An office with exposed hempcrete walls

Read:

Ten tactile interiors that make use of natural biomaterials

](https://www.dezeen.com/2021/07/17/ten-tactile-biomaterials-interiors-lookbook/)

These materials are presented in different categories relating to their material properties.

The bathroom features materials made from waste, with examples including blue wall tiles made from sewage and algae, and a compost toilet framed by a wall of 3D-printed sewage sludge.

Dining table in biomaterials house by Biobased CreationsTableware is made from food products including eggs and oyster shells

The kitchen showcases materials made from food and plants and includes tableware made from plants and food waste including plates made from eggshells and beakers from 3D-printed seaweed.

The ceiling is a material made from flowers, the walls are lined with grass and the door is clad in Totomoxtle, a wood veneer that promotes biodiversity because it is made from heirloom corn species.

Kitchen in biomaterials house by Biobased CreationsLinen coloured with waste from the metal industry is hung on the wall in the kitchen

Upstairs, elements on display include insulation made from reeds, seaweed wall tiles, acoustic wall panelling made from bioplastic and a bed made from natural rubber and linen.

There's also a whole room dedicated to products derived from bacteria and fungus. Mycelium is used to create wall tiles, insulation and a composite flooring.

Mycelium wall in biomaterials house by Biobased CreationsA wall of mycelium tiles is fire-retardant and water-resistant

This material is one that both De Man and Pascal Leboucq, lead designer for Biobased Creations, were already familiar with. The pair previously worked on The Growing Pavilion, a mycelium structure presented at Dutch Design Week in 2019.

"We're going to solve a lot of problems by reinventing bacteria," said De Man. "In Holland, they are now making bacteria that can eat plastic and give back oxygen."

Bedroom in biomaterials house by Biobased CreationsThe bed combines a natural rubber mattress with linen fabric

An air filtration system integrates plants and nutshells while rainwater is harvested and reused. The house also features six different roof types, including two types of green roof and paving that absorbs rainwater.

De Man hopes the project will show that biomaterials are a viable option for new housing developments.

"When we built The Growing Pavilion two years ago, a lot of people said it was too futuristic. This time we've created a house that is realistic and scaleable."

Grass wall in biomaterials house by Biobased CreationsStraw cladding is used on the outside of the house

The house is on show for the duration of Dutch Design Week. After that it will be demounted and reassembled at the Floriade Expo, a horticultural exhibition taking place in 2022.

Dutch Design Week runs from 16 to 24 October 2021 at venues across Eindhoven. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

Photography is by Oscar Vinck and Jeroenvander Wielen.

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#residential #all #architecture #videos #wood #dutchdesignweek #straw #houses #seaweed #architecturevideos #mycelium #sustainablearchitecture #biomaterials

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UK rules on building with timber are a "policy car crash" says Andrew Waugh

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Andrew Waugh

Rules restricting the use of wood in UK buildings are hampering the switch to low-carbon building methods, according to timber architecture expert Andrew Waugh.

Waugh attacked recent government legislation and new funding rules for affordable housing in London, both of which make it harder for architects to specify timber.

Andrew Waugh portraitTimber architecture expert Andrew Waugh

"It's a car crash," said Waugh, describing the restrictions as "pseudo common sense not based on any expert opinion."

Last month, London mayor Sadiq Khan unveiled rules governing the allocation of funds worth £3.46bn to build 29,456 homes in the capital.

The rules include a "ban on combustible materials being used in external walls for all residential development, regardless of height."

The rule goes further than recently introduced UK-wide regulations, which outlaw the use of combustible materials on the external walls of any building over 18 metres tall.

Rules introduced after Grenfell fire

Both rules have been introduced in the wake of the 2017 Grenfell Tower disaster, in which 72 people died after the plastic-and-aluminium cladding on the London housing block caught fire.

Waugh described the rules as a "politicised knee-jerk reaction" that confuse combustibility with fire performance and contradict efforts to tackle carbon emissions from construction.

"Carbon taxes on building materials are an inevitability," Waugh said, referring to the fact that construction accounts for around 40 per cent of global emissions.

"Carbon will have to be accounted for and as soon as that happens, then we will need to be building in low-carbon building materials."

Building site using timberWaugh Thistleton is building an all-timber structure office in Shoreditch

"At the same time, there's a politicised knee-jerk reaction against anything combustible, meaning that you won't be able to build in low-carbon materials," he added.

"That is going to create a policy car crash where they're legislating against something while at the same time legislating for it."

Waugh said that the London mayor's office has been unable to explain whether the ban applies to window frames and lintels, which are commonly made of timber.

[ Photograph of Andrew Waugh

Read:

BREEAM and LEED green certification schemes are "meaningless" says Andrew Waugh

](https://www.dezeen.com/2021/07/28/carbon-breeam-leed-certification-meaningless-andrew-waugh/)

Embodied carbon, which describes emissions caused during the construction process, has come under the spotlight recently.

These emissions account for around half of all emissions from the built environment but have been neglected when compared to operational carbon, which is the term for emissions caused by buildings in use.

"This needs to change," Waugh said. "I think governments are still wrapped up in talking about operational carbon [emissions caused by the building in use] but actually the western world is already really efficient at building efficient buildings."

Green certification schemes "meaningless"

In an interview with Dezeen earlier this year, Waugh described green certification schemes such as BREEAM and LEED as "meaningless" since they focus on reducing operational emissions while overlooking embodied carbon.

"They're meaningless," he said. "They are awards that prop up the existing systems."

Interest in biomaterials including timber, hemp, cork and mycelium has surged recently as architects explore ways of reducing the embodied carbon of their projects.

Several countries and cities have introduced legislation to encourage the use of biomaterials. Natural materials must now make up at least half of all the raw materials used in new public buildings in France.

In New York, the city council just approved the use of mass timber for the construction of buildings of up to 85 feet (25.9 metres) tall.

Shoreditch office buildingThe studio claims it is London's first multi-storey timber office to since the 17th century

Waugh is co-founder of London timber specialist Waugh Thistleton Architects. London projects by the studio include a demountable office block featuring a hybrid frame made of steel and cross-laminated timber, and a nine-storey timber residential building that was at the time of construction the tallest of its type in the world.

The studio is currently building a five-storey office building in Shoreditch, London, which features an all-timber structure. The architect claims it is the first multi-storey timber office to be built in the city since the 17th century.

A member of the Architects Declare steering committee, Waugh contributed to the RIBA's Built for the Environment report on how to decarbonise architecture. This was published last month ahead of November's COP26 climate conference.

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#interviews #all #architecture #wood #waughthistletonarchitects #woodenarchitecture #climatechange #biomaterials #andrewwaugh

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Scientists developing bio-based carbon fibres being "showered with requests" for sustainable version of the wonder material

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Carbon fibres

Scientists are working on carbon fibres made from biomaterials instead of fossil fuels in an attempt to create a version that does not generate carbon emissions.

Bio-based carbon fibres could be used to build lightweight electric cars with greater battery range, according to senior scientist Dr Erik Frank.

In architecture, concrete could be reinforced with carbon fibres instead of steel, allowing ultra-thin structures to be built.

Erik FrankErik Frank (above) is developing carbon fibres (top) from biomaterials

"It's a wonder material because it is very strong and yet light compared to metal," said Frank, who is head of carbon fibre development and new materials at the German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research in Denkendorf, southern Germany.

However, "the carbon footprint of carbon fibres is usually very bad," he added.

"The raw materials [for regular carbon fibre] come from petroleum but we're trying to move away from this," he explained. "Bio-based carbon fibres are in much higher demand than they used to be. We're being showered with requests."

Carbon fibres originally made from plant-based materials

Carbon fibres are incredibly thin threads of almost pure carbon crystals. Measuring just 5 to 10 micrometres, they are five times stronger than steel and twice as stiff.

The material was originally made from plant-based materials including cellulose and rayon, Frank said, until the lower price and higher performance of fossil-derived versions made bio-based carbon fibre unviable.

German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research.The fibres are being developed at the German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research in Denkendorf, Germany

But the production process requires vast amounts of energy and generates large amounts of emissions and toxins. "If we want carbon fibres to be carbon neutral, all of this needs to be redesigned," Frank said.

To make the fibres, petroleum is first processed into highly toxic polyacrylonitrile (PAN). This is pulled into thin threads and then heated in an oven without oxygen.

Growing demand for bio-based carbon fibres

The process requires large amounts of energy and generates pollution as everything except the carbon atoms are burned away. "A couple of years ago this wasn't even a topic," said Frank. "People only cared about costs."

"Nowadays, sustainability is much more important and petroleum isn't so cheap anymore so it's a different story. Carbon fibre is a major component in that because it's so energy-intensive."

Frank is exploring ways of turning lignin, a substance found in most plants and which is a byproduct of the paper industry, into carbon fibres.

"We're working with lignin as a raw material," he explained. "It's a waste byproduct which accumulates in huge quantities in the paper industry. Normally, this is added to concrete or asphalt or incinerated. We're using it to make carbon fibre."

"To do that, we use chemical methods to purify it and get it into a good shape," he continued. "Then we can spin this into fibres, which we're trying to do directly in water rather than having to use toxic solvents. And the fibres that you get can be directly turned into carbon fibres."

Carbon fibre currently expensive and unsustainable

The performance of bio-based carbon fibre is "on the medium to lower-end" compared to PAN-based fibres, he added. "I should say the bio-based carbon fibres won't replace the PAN-based ones. It will just be a second market running alongside."

Carbon fibre is widely used to create aircraft and cars as well as high-performance products including bicycles, tennis rackets and wind turbines. It is extremely lightweight, meaning that it can significantly improve performance and reduce energy requirements.

However, it is expensive to produce as well as having an increasingly bad reputation due to its unsustainability.

"In aircraft construction, it is already used as standard," said Frank. "It can make a difference in electric cars by helping to save on weight."

"The automotive industry would like to move to carbon fibre but it is as of yet too expensive and not sustainable enough. The car industry is extremely driven by price and increasingly looking to do things more sustainably."

Last year, work started on the first building featuring concrete reinforced with carbon fibre. CUBE, a two-story building designed by Henn Architekten at the Technical University Dresden in Germany, is due to be completed later this year.

"It's already happening on a small scale that concrete is reinforced with carbon fibre but it's not yet at mass adoption stage," Frank said. "The benefit is that you can make the concrete much thinner while being able to carry heavy loads so you can design completely different shapes. The aim is to get away from the huge amounts of concrete that are being used today."

Bio-based carbon fibres could be more affordable than petroleum-based options

The high cost of carbon fibre is partly due to the complex and energy-intensive production process. Frank said that the global output is just 150,000 tonnes per year.

Another drawback of the material is that it is difficult to recycle and dispose of, although ways of reusing it are now being developed. "Many people are innovating in this field," Frank said.

"There are already quite a few recycled carbon fibres and they're even being used in products. Of course, they become worse with every cycle and at some point, they will have to be disposed of. Burning isn't an option because it's really hard to burn. A lot of the time it is stored in old mines."

Airbus "looking for sustainable carbon fibres"

But the demand for sustainable, high-performance materials means that bio-based carbon fibres could soon be more affordable as research and development ramps up around the world.

"All industries are being forced to cut down on CO2," Frank said. "It's not voluntary any more because it's going to get very expensive if they don't. Even aviation companies such as Airbus are looking for sustainable carbon fibres."

"We’re working on using the raw materials of the plants and turning them straight into carbon fibre," he concluded. "This means we’ve taken the carbon from the air via the plants, rather than adding carbon from fossil sources like petroleum or coal into the atmosphere."


Carbon revolution logo

Carbon revolution

This article is part of Dezeen'scarbon revolution series, which explores how this miracle material could be removed from the atmosphere and put to use on earth. Read all the content at: www.dezeen.com/carbon.

The sky photograph used in the carbon revolution graphic is byTaylor van Riper via Unsplash.

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Ten tactile interiors that make use of biomaterials

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An office with exposed hempcrete walls

In our latest lookbook, we take a look at 10 earthy interiors from the Dezeen archive that are fitted out with biomaterials such as cork, hemp and mycelium.

Biomaterials or biobased materials are made from biodegradable living matter. Other examples include wood, paper and bioplastics made from plants such as algae.

They are increasingly being used to help create earthy, natural-looking interiors, but they also offer a number of healthy and environmental benefits including natural cooling, breathability and carbon storage.

This is the latest roundup in our Dezeen Lookbooks series providing visual inspiration for interiors. Previous articles feature loft conversions, L-shaped kitchens and Scandi living rooms.


An office with exposed hempcrete walls

Hemp

The walls of the off-grid Flat House by Practice Architecture are made from large panels of hempcrete – a combination of lime binder and hemp.

Hemp is a fast-growing strain of the cannabis plant, often used as an eco-friendly building material as it is able to sequester carbon. For this project, it was grown at Margent Farm in Cambridgeshire, England and used to ensure the house has low embodied carbon.

The panels have been left exposed throughout the interior to offer a warm and tactile interior finish, which is complemented by timber elements.

Find out more about Flat House


Stirling Prize-shortlisted Cork House by Matthew Barnett Howland with Dido Milne and Oliver Wilton in Berkshire, England

Cork

Cork is a renewable, resistant and insulating material that is harvested from the bark of the cork oak tree. In architecture, it is typically used in the form of solid blocks made by heating and combining cork granules, such as in Cork House by Matthew Barnett Howland with Dido Milne and Oliver Wilton.

In this project, the blocks are left uncovered throughout the building's interior for a textured, natural look. This also ensures the structure is recyclable after the dwelling's useful life.

According to the architects, using cork also means the house has negative embodied carbon, as it absorbed more carbon dioxide than it emitted during construction.

Find out more about Cork House ›


A pavilion with a bamboo structure

Bamboo

Bamboo is a fast-growing grass described by architect Simón Vélez as "vegetable steel" due to its strength and flexibility.

Architecture studio Brio used the material to support the roof of the Mumbai Artist Retreat in India. It is used in tandem with steel to create an easily demountable and rebuildable structure. The bamboo was left exposed internally but arranged in a zig-zag pattern to disguise its "natural irregularity".

Find out more about Mumbai Artist Retreat ›


US Architecture Agg Hab by i thee and Roundhouse Platform

Papier-mache

Papier-mache is a composite material made of paper or pulp bound with adhesives. In 2020, design-build studio I/thee used it to create a prototype home named Agg Hab. The structure combines nearly 300 pounds of recycled paper with 200 litres of non-toxic glues that were handmade by the studio.

Openings in the surfaces of the dwelling introduce light and accentuate its glossy finish. It was designed by the studio as an example of an environmentally low-impact home and to offer occupants "a primordial experience".

Find out more about Agg Hab ›


A mycelium pendant lamp

Mycelium

This pendant lamp is among several furnishings made from mycelium – the vegetative part of fungi – used to decorate the zero-waste restaurant Silo in London.

It was fitted out by Nina+Co to reflect the restaurant's sustainable ethos. Alongside the light shades, there are mycelium tables and pouffes, chosen as they are soft to touch, strong and biodegradable.

Mycelium is also able to sequester carbon and is cited by sustainability expert David Cheshire as "part of the solution" to creating carbon-negative buildings.

Find out more about Silo ›


Tiled and raffia-covered walls

Raffia

The Kaikaya sushi restaurant in Valencia, Spain, features large circular panels of raffia across its walls, which Masquespacio designed as a nod to the hats worn by rice field workers in Japan.

Raffia is a durable, renewable and biodegradable fibre obtained from the raffia palm tree that is typically used to make woven textiles, baskets and hats. In this restaurant, it is teamed with wooden furniture, colourful tiles and cascading plants to offer a tropical aesthetic.

Find out more about Kaikaya ›


O'Sullivan Skoufoglou create peach-hued skincare store in England

Cane

Cane is one of several natural materials used in the pared-back RÖ Skin store by O'Sullivan Skoufoglou Architects. It is sourced from the outer part of the naturally renewable rattan tree and is typically woven to create webbed patterns.

Here it has been mounted within an ash framework to create transparent display units and screens for treatment rooms, offering privacy while maintaining an open, light, earthy interior.

Find out more about RÖ Skin ›


A paper-lined interior

Paper

The cosy cave-like atmosphere of the pop-up Yorunoma bar in Japan was achieved by Naoya Matsumoto Design using swathes of crinkly tracing paper.

The paper was crumpled by the studio in collaboration with local residents, giving rise to a textured, rocky appearance. As the bar was created as a pop-up venue, the use of paper ensured the fit-out could be easily recycled after its closure.

Find out more about Yorunoma ›


Ashen Cabin by Hannah

Wood

Wood is the most common biomaterial of all. There are hundreds of examples of how different types of timber have been used by architects and designers in our guide to wood.

In this example, US architecture studio Hannah used ash damaged by an invasive beetle to create elements of this tiny Ashen Cabin in Upstate New York. The aim was to demonstrate the potential of infested material that would usually be rejected.

"The advantage to using compromised ash for construction is that it both binds the carbon to the earth and offsets the harvesting of more commonly used wood species," the studio told Dezeen.

Find out more about Ashen Cabin ›


Algae tiles

Algae

Thousands of injection-moulded algae tiles line the bathrooms in Frank Gehry's tower for Luma Foundation in Arles, France.

They were made by Atelier Luma in 20 colours by harvesting waterborne algae from salt flats in the nearby Camargue nature reserve. As algae consume and store CO2 as they grow, the tiles help lower the carbon footprint of the building's interior fit-out. The project also makes use of tiles made from salt and acoustic panels made from sunflowers.

Find out more about Atelier Luma's interiors ›


This is the latest in our series oflookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen's image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing L-shaped kitchens, calm living rooms and colourful kitchens.

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