sculpture

A sculptural wooden chair by designer <n>Jan Howlin</n>.

Fragmented onyx bust by Italian sculptor <n>Massimiliano Pelletti</n>.

The Crystalline Busts of Massimiliano Pelletti — Colossal

<n>EWE Studio</n>'s <n>Unfinished Vessel no. 3</n> from their <n>Exhuma</n> exhibition. Photo by <n>Alejandro Ramírez Orozco</n>.

<n>Got a Hole in My Head</n>, a sculpture by artist <n>Erik Olson</n>.

<n>Excavated Scent</n> by <n>Studio Brasch</n>.

<n>Valentin Carron</n>'s sculpture <n>Ciao Muddy Plain</n>, 2014. Photo by <n>Stefan Altenburger Photography</n>.

The <n>Timber Chair</n> by designer <n>Onno Adriaanse</n>, created using the Japanese <n>Shou Sugi Ban</n> method.

<n>Chair no 42</n> (2004) by Israeli artist <n>Natanel Gluska</n>.

A stainless steel dining table designed by <n>Martin Brühl</n> in the 1990s.

The <n>HEARTLESS</n> chair in lacquered pine, designed by <n>Homework</n> in Denmark, 2024.

<n>Cubist</n> planter by <n>Antonín Procházka</n>, 1916.

Aluminium and oak wardrobe designed by <n>Jean Prouvé</n>, ca. 1946.

<n>Landfill No. 28</n> by <n>Jonathan Mess</n>, 2012.

<n>V1LC 24</n>, a concrete chair by artist <n>Martin Laforet</n>.

<n>Chêne & Liège</n> chair by <n>Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance</n> for <n>Made In Situ</n>. Photo by <n>Paul Bastié</n>.

<n>Raphael</n>'s painting <n>Canigiani Holy Family</n> (c. 1507-08), annotated to show its triangular composition.

Promotional artwork for the 11th edition of <n>NODE festival</n> in Modena, co-produced by <n>fuse*</n>.

“The greatest value you can give to a material is to give it a load-bearing role in a structure.” Load-bearing components – foundations, beams, columns, walls, etc. – are designed to resist permanent or variable forces and movements. Similar to the bones of a human body, these support, protect and hold everything together. To fulfill that indispensable function, they must be made from materials with outstanding mechanical properties, which explains the prominence of cement and steel in structures. However, their high performance comes at a high cost: together, they account for 15% of global CO2 emissions. This makes us wonder, is it possible for structural materials to be truly sustainable? We know solutions like greener version of concrete already exist, but there are many other alternatives to explore. And sometimes, the answer is closer than we expect; in the earth beneath us and the nature that surrounds us.

Naturally derived materials – also called bio based or bio materials – like  mycelium, hemp, straw and cork have long been utilized in the architecture and design industry. Despite their continuous development, these tend to be associated with cladding and finishes rather than with strong, durable and load-bearing systems. But, along with new technologies, research has advanced tremendously, resulting in bio material innovations that show great potential in structural applications. Below, we present three promising examples that replace steel, concrete and limestone. Although these are in experimental or early stages of development, they certainly contribute in paving the way towards a more sustainable future built environment.

The <n>Tavit Armchair</n> by designer <n>Florence Louisy</n> for <n>æquō</n>, from the 2022 <n>RAW</n> collection.

<n>Ritual axe for mountaineering priest of Shugen sect</n>, Japan, 14th century.

A fragment of the <n>Murchison meteorite</n>. Photo by <n>NASA</n>.

<n>Cosmos</n> (2012), a sanded book sculpture by artist <n>Nicolás Lamas</n>.

An <n>Ancient Egyptian black serpentine scarab</n> amulet, dated to 664-332 BCE.

<n>Patinated Aluminium Shelves</n> by <n>Laurids Gallée</n>, courtesy of <n>MANIERA</n>.

Artwork by <n>Ignas Blazys</n> for <n>David Hanke</n>'s album, <n>Der Kugelkreis</n>.