fos project recycles plastic to build unique objects at barcelona design week 2016

fos project recycles plastic to build unique objects at barcelona design week 2016
(above) sculptures
all images © kait hutchison

barcelona-based designers octavi serra and clara romaní presented their ‘fos project’ during barcelona design week 2016, an initiative with an environmental nature in mind that uses recycled plastics in order to build unique pieces. its aim is also to dominate a new production technique that allows a huge number of formal possibilities. the project arises from the curiosity and the eagerness to experiment and to go beyond the standardized things in order to produce objects from a new perspective.

video courtesy of octavi serra

‘fos project’ by octavi serra and clara romani arises from the idea of a responsible consumption and production and a latent discomfort on how these two work on today’s world. it sees itself as an opportunity to conceive objects with identity and ecological awareness, and with the field of action focused on one of the most widely used materials and most difficult to recycle: plastic. this material represents one of the main sectors of the chemical industry, the second most important in europe. the global production and consumption of plastic have significantly increased in the last years, producing 300 million tons per years, from which europe consumes about 25% of it all.

sculptures

the production of thermoplastics supposes practically 80% of the total of the plastics that we consume nowadays and, unfortunately, the great technological development that allows its production has never been accompanied by a good recycling policy. the plastic that we use is the low-density polyethylene (LDPE), which is a thermoplastic that needs a temperature of 85 degrees celsius to be molded. it is a semi-crystalline plastic characterized by withstanding high mechanical stresses. it is classified in the group commodities; this means that it is a plastic used in many different day-to-day products due to its low cost and its suitable for mass consumption, therefore it is the plastic that generates more waste.

details

‘fos project’ started in a moment of experimental ecstasy, when the two spanish designers tried putting a plastic bag in the oven. when they took it out, they understood tat it was the beginning of a long haul experimentation. the plastic melts with heat and when it goes back to room temperature it solidifies and becomes rigid. they continued developing the technique for several months until they reached the point where the molding was what they wanted, giving plastic a second life. the pieces that result from this project are completely made of plastic; there isn’t any kind of internal structure. ‘for project’ is in constant evolution, as its possibilities are quite extensive, with a production method that gives unity to the objects.

details

medium lamp

detail 

big lamp

detail

big white and yellow lamp

lamp installation 

utopia installation 

concept

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.