As we move towards more sustainable practices, it’s important to
consider the roles of materials in our built environment.
Wood, as a
natural and renewable resource, has the potential to play a significant
role in regenerative design. However, if consumption rates and
population growth make it difficult to meet the demand we cannot
avoid unregulated logging.
To subvert the value of virgin materials, I am looking at the material of
wood and its meaning in contemporary culture, trying to redefine the
perception and romanticism that surrounds wood as a living material.
Inspired by the growth of a tree, Hyper Wood looks at the anatomy of
wood, attempting to create a new identity from waste fibre material,
aiming to co-design with living systems.
Can we still maintain a human
centric approach when designing for the future built environment?
In a world where forests could disappear within a couple of centuries due to current consumption rates, HYPER WOOD questions the sustainability of wood as a resource. I highlight the urgency for solutions to meet the increasing demand for wood products while underscoring the need for a shift towards a regenerative, waste-conscious approach.
At the heart of my vision is the HYPER WOOD material. Informed by the study of tree growth, this project mirrors wood's anatomy by harnessing a reversed dip moulding technique. the process results in a structural engineered material that is entirely compostable and sourced from ubiquitous waste streams in agriculture and food.
The "truth to materials" approach, championed by Walter Gropius, emphasized using materials in their unadulterated form is taken further in HYPER WOOD, challenging preconceived notions of materials authenticity.
