This project is based on a material harvested in the Netherlands, Miscanthus (also known as elephant grass). My exploration began with a curiosity about the structural qualities of miscanthus and how we could avoid an object become waste after use. When I combined these two questions I came up with the material GRAVA which can become compost at the end of its life cycle.
I worked with finding natural, biodegradable binders that would help the miscanthus become more strong and help form it into a moldable material. I experimented with gelatin, agar and cornstarch.
Other than creating a new material I also focused on a product. A building block set to boost creativity of children. I designed shapes that don’t dictate how they should be used, allowing children to discover their own ways of stacking and building. Miscanthus contains 45.6% α-cellulose and 17.7% lignin which are components that give plants their strength and structure. Once the blocks reach the end of their life cycle, they can be composted instead of discarded, returning nutrients to the soil and supporting new plant growth. GRAVA follows a circular design approach, ensuring that what’s used today can give back to nature tomorrow.
I worked with finding natural, biodegradable binders that would help the miscanthus become more strong and help form it into a moldable material. I experimented with gelatin, agar and cornstarch.
Other than creating a new material I also focused on a product. A building block set to boost creativity of children. I designed shapes that don’t dictate how they should be used, allowing children to discover their own ways of stacking and building. Miscanthus contains 45.6% α-cellulose and 17.7% lignin which are components that give plants their strength and structure. Once the blocks reach the end of their life cycle, they can be composted instead of discarded, returning nutrients to the soil and supporting new plant growth. GRAVA follows a circular design approach, ensuring that what’s used today can give back to nature tomorrow.