A Collaboration That Presents Endless Loop: From Waste to Wanted

Artist Mike Han, sustainable furniture design and manufacturing company Model No., and PROWL design studio joined together to bring to life Endless Loop: Waste to Wanted in Miami during this year’s Art Basel. With a shared vision and a plan to reduce environmental harm caused by manufacturing practices in the furniture business, the installation shared local, circular, and digital practices to reduce the industry’s footprint.

“As a studio, we use design to tell stories about the climate crisis we are facing and the ways we can shift our manufacturing practices towards positive change,” said Lauryn Menard and Baillie Mishler of PROWL. “We saw Model No. as the perfect partner to implement this narrative material way of thinking.

Jeffrey McGrew, Model No.’s co-founder and CTO, shared that “Almost everything we use to make our furnishings is either available in our backyard, like the salvaged hardwoods we’ve been using, or we can get it domestically by tapping things like agricultural bi-product. Not only can our 3D printing and digital manufacturing turn it into useful objects, but it’s also customizable and scalable.”

The installation featured one-of-a-kind stools and tables by PROWL, standing sculptures and pendant lights by Model No., and a monolith by Mike Han. Model No. custom produced each piece using fallen trees, sawdust, and upcycled plant waste – all of which were sourced near its microfactory in the Bay Area. Through the use of local materials, clean tech, domestic manufacturing, and made-to-order products, the results are beautiful and sustainable. The collaborative also has a stance against producing and shipping overseas to further reduce the industry’s harmful footprint, a harmful model that’s accepted by most of today’s leading furniture brands.

“My creative practice is driven by the understanding that in order to create, you must destroy. I believe there is a burden and responsibility in making things, so having the opportunity to collaborate with Model No. to create with zero waste has been inspiring,” said Mike Han.

You can also find an animated NFT collectible from the trio in partnership with Solana, a carbon neutral blockchain. Together, the partnership not only puts the collaboration on the map, but positions the group at the forefront of art, design, and technology.

To learn more about Endless Loop: From Waste to Wanted, visit model-no.com.

Source: design-milk