we+ explores urban mining through copper wire collection titled ‘haze’

the 'haze' series reframes the human-material relationship by looking at tokyo as a mineral deposit where copper can be sourced and assigned new values.

we+ edited by lea zeitoun July 27, 2022 2 min

‘haze’ by we+ is a commentary on the anthropocene

Contemporary design studio we+ literally digs into an urban mineral deposit in Tokyo to create ‘Haze,’ a new series of copper objects and partitions that reframe our relationship with materials, a relationship that has long impacted Earth’s geological cycles and ecologies; this phenomenon, commonly referred to as the ‘Anthropocene,’ initially took off in 1950 with irreversible damages.

Exhibited during Milan Design Week 2022, the collection specifically looks at how ‘mining has developed worldwide without regard to natural cycles, and [how] manufacturing processes have become very complex. As a result, understanding an overall picture of resource extraction, manufacturing, and disposal is extremely difficult, and people have yet to find a way out of the current situation,’ explains we+.

we turn their attention to urban mining to create a new series haze a part of their new project urban origin 2

all images © Masayuki Hayashi

assigning new values to copper

For the ‘Haze’ series, we+ returns to the roots of the complex human-material relationship by looking at Tokyo as a mineral deposit where copper, a symbol of modern civilization, can be sourced sustainably to assign it new values — ones that go beyond its original function and utilities. That said, the team started collecting discarded copper wires in Tokyo before breaking them apart to mold and hand-shape them into sculptural design elements. The studio completed this collection as part of its ‘Urban Origin’ research and development (R&D) project.

we turn their attention to urban mining to create a new series haze a part of their new project urban origin 1

‘Haze’ by we+ was exhibited during Milan Design Week 2022

we+ explores urban mining through copper wire collection titled 'haze' - 1

close-up shot of the hand-shaped copper wires we turn their attention to urban mining to create a new series haze a part of their new project urban origin 5

the collection explores new values for copper as a way to reframe the human-material relationship
we turn their attention to urban mining to create a new series haze a part of their new project urban origin 6

copper wires were flattened and molded into sculptural design objects

we turn their attention to urban mining to create a new series haze a part of their new project urban origin 7
the collection is part of ‘Urban Origin’, a research project by we+

project info:

name: Haze (Urban Origin)
design: we+ | @weplus.jp

material: copper wire

photography: Masayuki Hayashi | @masayukihayashi

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.