Mycela Oslo - Believing in a Fungi Future
Mycela, founded by Sondre Eng, Renée Isabel Jung and Maria Aaslund is an Oslo-based mycelium studio and lab founded in 2020. On a warm summer day, Elementa visited Mycela at their studio at Tøyen in Oslo and got to know their concept a bit better.
Delphine Lejeune on Neo-lace, the history of domestic crafts and the potential of 3D-printing
In a mini-series of short interviews, Maren Bang of the Elementa crew presents the work of some of her fellow alumni from Design Academy Eindhoven.
Delphine Lejeune is a visual designer and material researcher working experimentally across 2D and 3D printed surfaces. Her curiosities lie within designed objects, and how they critically shape our social behaviors.
Carlos Sfeir on design as a Trojan horse
Carlos Sfeir is a Chilean architect, designer and artist currently based in Berlin. A little while back we had a talk about the rational and the poetic, forces of nature, and the consequences of colonialism. And about design and arts potential for being a trojan horse - bringing insight and perspectives within conventional systems.
Benedetta Pompili on conversing with matter
Benedetta Pompili is an Italian interdisciplinary designer currently based in Amsterdam. Her practice is focused on a dedication to earthwork ethics and local narratives, and she explores making processes, rethinking them for sustainability aims. We had a conversation with the designer about savior faire, toxicity and the dialogue between maker and material.
Audiophile Niclas Ekwall on vocal drum solos, the importance of play and the resonating body.
Swedish designer and artist Niclas Ekwall recently exhibited his project “The Resonance of Play“ as a part of the Graduation Show during Dutch Design Week, and this coming summer he will be showing his work during the design week in Milan. We had a talk with Niclas about his approach to design and his relationship to sound and music.
Nebil Zaman on lifting found objects out from digital space
In the work of Norwegian designer and artist Nebil Zaman, objects found in digital space are materialized and turned into unusual furniture and objects - sometimes with an almost otherworldly touch. We have met Nebil at his space at the Kroloftet makers space in Oslo to learn more about his work with found objects - digital and physical.
Bruno Baietto on going beyond the fake and the real
What can be found in the spaces in between the beautiful and the ugly, feminine and masculine? How can dragqueen culture inform and expand design thinking?
Maren Bang of the Elementa blog meets the Uruguayan designer and artist Bruno Baietto.
Oscar Honeyman-Novotny of Kroloftet on maker spaces and urban manufacturing
In the midst of the pandemic the communal coworking initiative Kroloftet has taken over an industrial complex formerly used as as a biker gang hideout - and turned it into a thriving hub of creative and social activity.
We have spoken to designer Oscar Honeyman-Novotny, one of the driving forces behind Kroloftet about maker spaces and design as a force of cultural change.
Joost & Marten of Plasticiet on plastic as the new gold
Plasticiet is a Rotterdam based startup that has found a way to upcycle plastic waste into long living new materials for use in interior design. We have chatted with the founders of Plasticiet about recycling and the role of small companies in closing the loops.
Tora Fougner Økland of Bybi on honey and the life and death of bees
Human life is intimately bound together with insect life, not only by means of honey bees - but with pollinating insects of all sorts.
We have spoken to biologist, beekeper and microactivist Tora Fougner Økland about the work of Bybi Oslo, on friendship with bees - and the role of architecture and design in preserving life.
Building your own kayak with Nina and Nico of Yamana Boats
A new kayak building kit from Yamana Boats in Oslo beautifully embodies design ideals that are getting ever more relevant:
Local production, use of natural materials, intuitive design and infinite repairability.
As they launch their first Kickstarter, we had the chance to meet with designers Nina Havermans and Nico Ibaceta about boat building, makerspaces and finding time to spend time outdoors.
Exploring biobased materials with Ralston Bau & Bioregion Vestland
Birgitta Ralston & Alexandre Bau are behind the design practice Ralston Bau, working with material science, research and design with an activistic approach. With the ambitious Bioregion Vestland project, initiated by Design Region Bergen, they are exploring how experimental material design can help revitalize local industry on the Norwegian west coast.
We have spoken with Birgitta on the project and the way forward for new plastics.