The studio is constantly working to develop new materials. Many of the malleable, sculpty materials we make are created by mixing solid matter with adhesives. Similarly the Tree Chair  that we presented in Basel last year, is finished with a mix of powdered leaves and a binding agent.

The leaves are ground down into a range of different powder densities and mixed with the adhesive in a giant dough mixer.

It is an important part of our materials research that we try where possible to use what is available and found around us. The Evolution series, that is finished with our own specialized paper mache, uses waste newspaper and other found paper refuse. In the same way the raw material for the Tree Chair, is leaves collected by members of the team from the streets and parks in and around Eindhoven where the studio is based.

Selection of the rich variety of leaf colours we found.

We have been in the process of producing a second version of the Tree Chair, and whilst re-creating the original material, we have enjoyed experimenting with the leaves of different trees, to see what range of material colours we could produce using only the natural pigments within the fallen leaves.

Initial tests where the material is pushed through wire meshing to create texture.

More samples.