Stool made from used coffee grounds wins at Milan SaloneSatellite

An Australian-designed stool made from recycled coffee grounds has won a major award at the SaloneSatellite at this year’s Salone del Mobile in Milan. Designed by Kristen Wang, the “Re.Bean Coffee Stool” is formed from used coffee grounds mixed with natural binding from organic waste that creates a new, biodegradable substance that can then be cast and formed.

“I wanted to work with new materials that were sustainable and more importantly biodegradable,” explains Kristen Wang of the project.

Kristen sourced coffee ground waste locally, while adding other industry waste such as recycled hessian coffee bean bags as internal reinforcement. Approximately one hundred cups of coffee go into producing one Re.Bean Coffee Stool, which is 100 per cent biodegradable.

“ [I wanted] to continue the love and sensation of [having a] coffee from one’s favourite café [in a] furniture piece!” elaborates Kristen.

The original work was developed in Ex-Lab at the Melbourne School of Design at the University of Melbourne and selected by Melbourne Movement for exhibition at SaloneSatellite 2019. Milano SaloneSatellite serves as a platform for young designers to exhibit their work on an international scale, and the SaloneSatellite awards honour the best in design from young professionals and students aged under 35.

Re.Bean Coffee Stool was awarded the Intesa Sanpolo Special Award for best capturing the theme of the event: Food as a Design Object. From the SaloneSatellite Award Jury: “The project responds perfectly to the concept underpinning the SaloneSatellite 2019 theme … bringing experimentation and functionality together.”

kristenwangdesign.com