Material World

Masahiro and Mao Harada of Mount Fuji Architects Studio wanted to break with the traditional definition of a house when they designed this small Tokyo home. They achieved their goal by using the same material for the ceiling, the walls, and the floor, creating a space that flows beautifully. Photo by Ryota Atarashi.

Nakada works from an Alvar Aalto table in the living and dining area, adjacent to the kitchen. He saved on some elements, such as the plywood cabinetry, and splurged on others, such as the Finn Juhl chairs and Vilhelm Lauritzen lamp. A skylight beneath the angled roof allows in a sliver of constantly changing light.

Recycled Polypropylene sheets are riveted together to create Individual cells . The entire structure has a biomimetic expression to it. A different experience is created on the inside because of its acoustic properties.

Designed by Nendo for Issey Miyake, the Cabbage Chair is made from tightly wound waste paper, cut and then folded over to create organic, irregular curves.

Pulpites Lamps Made from shredded and recycled cardboard but fashioned like a piece of wet clay, the Pulpites lamp serves as an object lesson in paper’s potential to not only record ideas, but also to become the raw material of good design. Photos courtesy of Dear Human.

Maru's Wasara collection features an array of beautifully designed biodegradable picnic plates, bowls, and cups.

Among the many sources of inspiration for Edelkoort and her team is Studio Gutedort’s 2015 handmade Paper Bowls, dyed with natural pigments from plants and spices.

Pozzi cut the eight-inch-tall, two-millimeter-wide lightweight paper stock into fringe by hand. Fittingly, the 1950s Valencia abode is near Xàtiva, home to Spain’s first paper mill.

Home of the Brave In the ground-floor eating area, the design team wrapped the walls in rich walnut to instill warmth often found in mid-century homes. “Sometimes one bold move is enough. Be brave with fewer statements,” Kiely advises. “Go for the big thing rather than lots of little things.” Kiely’s Upholstered Dining Chairs from her House collection surround a Danish vintage dining table. Her Gloss vases adorn the hallway console, which is also from her House line.

Passive House guidelines, like thick insulation, can often result in very simple forms, she says. Here, a recessed entrance in the shou sugi ban front facade provides privacy without complicating the design.

Designed by Architecture Research Office, FilzFelt's new ARO Block is a series of modular acoustic tiles add sound control in a customizable, easy-to-install system. The collection arose out of a need to resuse post-industrial remnant material at FilzFelt’s manufacturing facility. This material is generated from FilzFelt’s CNC cut products and projects and tends to be narrow strips that require smaller or modular products.

A detail shot of the window.

A detail of one of Jongstra’s “hides” distributed by the textile manufacturer Maharam. Each hide measures about 4¼ feet by 8½ feet, retails for about $4,000, and is produced in the Spannum workshop.

Pennsylvania Marble Series plates by Nate Mell and Wynn Bauer for Felt+Fat, $32-$64 each The tableware makers based in Philadelphia created a proprietary porcelain clay body to achieve the marblized effect, which is finished in a clear glaze. The plates come in sizes ranging from six to eleven-and-a-half inches in diameter.

Julie Lansom weaves different hues of cotton thread around a wood frame to fashion her intricate Sputnik lights.

The cork stairs with a rope railing lead down to the kids’ level.

It takes approximately four hours of handiwork to weave the chair's seat.

The plastic wagon, created in Japan in 1968, is number two from an edition of fifty. It's sold accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from the Kuramata Design Office, signed by Mieko Kuramata.