20. Blast Studio - Tree.
Taking inspiration from natural ecosystems, Blast Studio has created a cycle where London’s discarded coffee cups are transformed into unique furniture and architectural elements using 3D printing technologies.
The team has created a series of columns - trees - that were designed using an algorithm inspired by the cross-sections of tree trunks with the aim to shelter living organisms: mycelium, insects and plants.
For its last project, commissioned by WeWantMore Design Studio, for an optician store in Belgium, Blast designed and 3D printed two out-of-this-world columns using mycelium, the root network of fungi.
The two columns have become structures that hold mirrors on one side and display glasses from the shop on the other.
Designer: Blast Studio
Project: Tree
Material Breakdown: 80% coffee cup waste, and 20% blend of natural binders, such as gum and starch
Main Uses: Residential and commercial interior design
Key Fact: Over 6,000 used coffee cups are diverted from landfill for every column produced.
