Downtown Design
redazione 9/09/2025

Material transformations

Design objects reimagining what materials can be: from recycled rubber to mycelium, lava stone to concrete, design is exploring innovative processes and sustainable approaches, transforming ordinary materials into extraordinary visual and tactile experiences

Nerosicilia (on the cover), in collaboration with BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group, presented 1669, a collection of lava stone dining and coffee tables. The project stems from a process in which the stone, exploiting only its physical properties and heat, is transformed without glue, metals or binders. When subjected to extreme temperatures, it returns to lava, losing its original geometry and taking on fluid and unpredictable shapes. This reaction gave rise to 1669: a circular top fused directly onto a hollow cylinder that acts as a pedestal.

Rerecycled by Caimi, design AMDL CIRCLE & Studio Michele De Lucchi

Rerecycled by Caimi,                                                design AMDL CIRCLE & Studio Michele De Lucchi

Ancora by Magis, design Ronan Bouroullec

Ancora by Magis,                                                     design Ronan Bouroullec

Caimi‘s ongoing commitment to the environment is reflected in RERECYCLED, designed by AMDL CIRCLE / Studio Michele De Lucchi: a stool, which can also be used as a planter, made from over 50% recycled polyethylene and completely recyclable. The hollow interior of the frame allows multiple stools to be stacked, optimising space.

Ancora is a project involving tables – or rather, concrete structures – developed by French designer Ronan Bouroullec for Magis. The collection, designed for indoor and outdoor use, stands out for its essential, sculptural style typical of the designer. It includes a rectangular table and a round table with concrete bases and tops made of different materials, accompanied by two single-material side tables made entirely of concrete.

Jambo by Ocean Sole, design Serena Confalonieri - Photo © Serena Eller

Jambo by Ocean Sole, design Serena Confalonieri – Photo © Serena Eller

Arbor Supsension Light by MycoWorks, design Fredrik Gustav - Photo © Armin Tehrani

Arbor Supsension Light by MycoWorks, design Fredrik Gustav – Photo © Armin Tehrani

Serena Confalonieri‘s Jambo collection was born from her encounter with Ocean Sole, a Kenyan social enterprise that transforms flip-flops washed up by the ocean into reusable materials, providing employment opportunities for local artisans. Regenerated rubber is the starting point for a series of three vase models, each available in different colours and decorative variations. The primordial and organic shapes are enhanced by a vibrant and saturated palette, enriched with ornamental inserts in raffia and cotton rope.

MycoWorks presents Reishi™ in the Nordic Light, a new collection made with the revolutionary biomaterial Reishi™, cultivated from mycelium, the intricate network of mushroom roots. The collection involves five Danish studios, including Frederik Gustav, who designed the Arbor pendant lamp, inspired by the structures of traditional kites. The project combines Reishi™ and lightweight steel frames, exploring the relationship between organic form and industrial design.

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