we+’s urban mining of tokyo landfills revives industrial waste as new composite materials
through a process of milling and heating waste in a kiln, we+ harnesses the bonding properties of glass as an adhesive to create entirely new substances.
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we+ transforms non-recyclable waste into new design materials
Seeking to reconstruct our complex relationship with materiality, we+ presents Remains, the next chapter of their ongoing research project Urban Origin. By turning Tokyo into its urban mining field, the project delves into the essence of the human-material connection, seeking to return to its origins. Reviving waste materials and transforming them into new composite materials, the design studio aims to uncover the potential value of waste that is often difficult to recycle and ends up in landfills. Through a process involving milling, mixing, and heating these discarded materials in a kiln, the team harnesses the bonding properties of glass waste as an adhesive to create entirely new substances.
‘remains’: an artistic fusion of modern industrial materials
In Japan, the recycling rate of industrial waste is projected to be around 53% in 2020. Yet a substantial volume of residual waste persists – including glass, ceramics, concrete, debris, and composite materials that are challenging to dissolve and sort due to their intricate structures. This unsorted waste exceeds 9 million tonnes, destined for landfills. However, Tokyo-based studio we+’s approach seeks to rediscover the fundamental connection between humans and materials. As the Remains project unfolds, the potential of these seemingly worthless materials unveils itself, offering an intriguing perspective on the sustainable design possibilities that lie within our grasp. The result is an expression resembling the geological strata of the Anthropocene era — representing a glimpse of what future generations may one day excavate from our landfills, revealing the artistic fusion of materials from our time.
project info:
name: Remains (Urban Origin)
designer: we+
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