As designers, it’s important to try and reduce our impact on the environment as much as we can. One of the ways we can do so is by specifying environmentally friendly products and manufacturers. Our September material board showcases a few of the sustainable products we like to try and incorporate into our designs, plus some new finds that we would love to see installed – see details below!
Reclaimed wood flooring and wall paneling: Terramai Woods
What’s your memory for summer? Lazy afternoons, golden sand beaches, lounge chairs, white sails over blue water… Do you ever wonder where the used sails go?
As architectural designers who is always looking for new way to use material, we would love to introduce this contract furniture brand – DVELAS.
“DVELAS started as a creative reaction to reuse the huge quantity of material thrown away by the sailing industry. Material, which is not apt for sailing but which possesses excellent qualities in terms of durability and resistance. The models in the contemporary furniture collection reclaim the sculptural form of the sail and they use as inspiration, the rigging techniques, technology and the making of the professional sailing makers. DVELAS avoids using the material as a lining or upholstery, on the contrary, the idea is that the material stays in tension, working the same way as when it was used for sailing, giving back this way its dignity even though the sail has been taken into parts.”
If you love the idea that your furniture is “one of a kind”
or “have a story behind it”, you will love this “upcycling concept”
furniture brand. “Each sail is used to produce a limited series of
products, and all of them are tagged with an inscription that
provides information regarding the sail ́s origins: the port it comes from, the
ship, the type o sail, the original manufacturer and its numbering edition.”
Are you overwhelmed by the lack of fun and colorful acoustic
panels? Well don’t fret! The best new thing is moss sound absorbers. Nordgrona
is a Swedish company that have been around for just a few short years. During
that time they’ve already built a large customer base, including BMW, Apple,
Porsche, BCG, Microsoft, IKEA, etc. They handpick their moss from forests and
mountainous areas in northern Scandinavia.
Their products include three different types; convex, pixel, and
ceiling tiles. Best part about this product is, YOU get to decide how you want
it placed and/or hung. On their website, you can create your own design. Get as
creative as you want, rotate the shapes, choose your color scheme, and upload
your own background. And for any designers out there, Nordgrona also provides
3D modeling and materials such as CAD and Sketchup, as well as other programs.
If you’re still not sold on this awesome product, maybe some fun
facts about how this product is eco-friendly should do the trick! This product
is made of renewable materials where possible, fully recyclable, and good for
the environment. Did I forget to mention it’s a hypoallergenic material, and no
maintenance is needed? The moss is persevered and treated with colors, so it is
no longer alive and does not require any sort of maintenance or water or
sunlight.
Heitler Houstoun Architects 