(GROWING)

STUDIO SAMUEL TOMATIS – ALGA

Algae are taking over the beaches in Brittany at an alarming rate. Eutrophication – a process in which oxygen is extracted from the water as a result of pollution – allows this organic but polluting and toxic material to proliferate. Unusable? Not according to ALGA, a project run by Studio Samuel Tomatis that highlights a study initiated five years ago that reveals the thousand and one properties of seaweed. Re-purposing local waste and using it as a production material for design and layout is one of the major challenges we are faced with today. 

Samuel Tomatis has been collaborating closely with specialists from various scientific fields in recent years. Not only did he understand the intrinsic properties and qualities of algae, he also processed them using artisanal methods. Joining forces with a chemist, Tomatis managed to deploy a semi-industrial process to develop new materials entirely made of algae.

The properties of different types of algae are the basis for a number of practical applications, ranging from furniture to lighting, tools and building materials, food packaging and textile. Moreover, these new materials have fascinating characteristics. Tomatis has a surprising approach to texture, mechanical resistance, flexibility, biodegradability and opalescence – light diffusion.

At Design Fest Gent you will be able to experience first-hand what the close link between science and design can signify in terms of a sustainable future. Follow the path from algae to design, from research to functional applications. As an inter-discipline exploit ALGA not only highlights the diversity, but also how today’s design world can play its part in the pressing debate about sustainability.