D.DLAB ideated the WoodenWood project, based on the circular lifecycle of wood

Wood is a natural resource that is frequently utilised as a building and industrial material. Ample wood waste is produced each year, although the lifecycle of wood as a material is far from circular despite its potential for reuse, renewal, and biodegradability. To transform the life cycle of wood into one that is sustainable the WoodenWood project was ideated. The project investigates the possibility of 3D printed design and takes a circular approach to utilise the supposed 'waste wood' as a material. A team of researchers at the Technion Israel Institute of Technology led by Disrupt.Design Lab (D.DLAB) director Shany Barath ideated the project to reduce the demand for wood. WoodenWood project is a prototypical chair and stool collection crafted using 3D printed wood. The design was even chosen by the jury of the Design Educates Awards 2023 for a Gold award in universal design. Additionally, the project was on view during Milan Design Week 2023, and Fuorisalone deemed it one of the top 12 projects related to sustainability.

To develop prototypes of seating, the project combines 3D printing of an all-natural wood paste with conventional modular woodworking techniques. An integrated circular design for wood waste towards a new life is presented by means of traditional and digital design. The printing toolpath leverages sawdust, an underutilised material, to produce a new wood-textile which resembles a rattan weave. The wood textile obtained is placed on a raw wood structure, employed as the base of the chair and stool which prevents extra waste from by-products.

The project is a proof of concept by D.DLAB whose main objective is to encourage a blending of traditional design techniques and advanced fabrication methods. The combination is meant to create a workflow geared towards zero waste sustainable design solutions. A process that emerged from the tradition of fine woodworking was employed for the project. The common expression of wood as a modular component was merged with the deposition of wood weaving through 3D printing, bringing to fruition the prototype seating wood textile.

To attain 100% biodegradability, the wood paste utilised for printing is made from Daika, sawdust with a cellulose-based natural binder. The chair design, the robotic toolpath, and the material properties were interrelated through a parametric model and production process. In order to tailor human comfort, outputs are evaluated in terms of strength, elongation, visual expression, and geometrical compatibility. Through this method, a 'one of a kind' wooden furniture within a mass manufacturing workflow can be created by exploring a wide range of potential designs. The printed sawdust completes the braided back and seat of the chair and stools, which is anchored by solid raw wood. Through the furniture design of the WoodenWood chair and stools, the two life cycles of raw wood and sawdust are united, exhibiting a circular design expression of wood towards zero waste.

Text by Ria Jha