The New Raw, a Dutch research and design studio, can take citizens’ used plastic waste and “upcycle” it into stylish urban furniture through 3D printing technology. (Stefanos Tsakiris / Courtesy of The New Raw)
The New Raw, a Dutch research and design studio, has launched a research project called Zero Waste Lab, which can take citizens’ used plastic waste and “upcycle” it through 3D printing technology into stylish urban furniture. “into stylish urban furniture.
Rotterdam, Netherlands-based architects Panos Sakkas and Foteini Setaki founded The New Raw studio in 2015 in response to the global plastic crisis, hoping to raise awareness of the human impact of single-use plastic consumption while demonstrating that plastic waste can be turned into delightful furniture for homes or public spaces in cities.
The New Raw, a Dutch research and design studio, can take citizens’ used plastic waste and “upcycle” it into stylish urban furniture through 3D printing technology. (Stefanos Tsakiris/Courtesy of The New Raw)
“The plastic was designed to fail, designed to last forever, but we often use it once and then throw it away,” the founders say. The two founders say.
“The Zero Waste Lab, equipped with a robotic 3D printing arm and a plastic recycling facility, converts collected plastic household waste into malleable plastic sheets that can then be made into usable furniture by a 3D printer.
The project’s Pots Plus series, which initially works with European city officials and responds to urban lifestyles, uses recycled materials to 3D print pieces such as ergonomic stools, bike racks, fitness facilities, plant pots, pet feeding bowls or bookcases. Each piece has a metal label indicating the number of kilograms of plastic used to make it.
“The Zero Waste Lab is equipped with a plastic recycling facility. (Stefanos Tsakiris / Courtesy of The New Raw)
According to the studio’s website, the geometry of the 3D-printed furniture is based on ergonomic curvature that better adapts to a person’s relaxed posture.
The New Raw has evolved from concept to city scale, with the second phase of its program called Print Your City, and in 2019 is partnering with Coca-Cola to create a “zero waste lab” in the ancient Greek city of Thessaloniki. “Zero Waste Lab” in Thessaloniki, hoping to make Thessaloniki the first city in Greece to become a zero waste city.
They are also inviting local citizens to interact, where they can learn about the recycling process of plastics, learn about the circular economy, and design new furniture for the neighborhood.
3D printing of stylish urban furniture. (Stefanos Tsakiris / Courtesy of The New Raw)
Citizens can shape their designs uniquely to their needs, and they can also choose which public space to house their pieces, as well as the shapes, colors and specific integrated features that promote healthy and environmentally friendly lifestyles in the city.
Once someone completes their design, the Print Your City website will provide information on how much plastic needs to be recycled in order to get enough raw material to 3D print a specific piece of furniture.
Panos Sakkas and Foteini Setaki said, “With ‘Print Your City,’ we strive to showcase better ways to use plastics in long-term and high-value applications.”
A 3D printed ergonomic stool. (Stefanos Tsakiris / Courtesy of The New Raw)
On January 20 of this year, The New Raw posted a new project update on their social media accounts, explaining that while they were unable to travel due to travel restrictions caused by the Epidemic, their Pots Plus series was on display at the Moscow Design Museum as part of their “Plastic Fantasy” exhibition. The project is being shown at the Moscow Design Museum as part of their “Plastic Fantasy” exhibition.
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