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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.

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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.