1 m² / 1 segundo: Sculptural System Measures Deforestation at Milan Design Week

During the 2026 Milan Design Week, Ecuadorian design studio Don Nadie presented '1 m² / 1 segundo (Tiempo, bosque y desaparición)' as part of the collective exhibition 'In Between – Processes from Ecuador' at Fuorisalone. The sculptural system translates abstract deforestation statistics into a physical, measurable experience. The work consists of 16 pieces arranged on a table-base, each combining a 3D-printed root base and a folded paper upper body, forming a silent constellation that metaphorically represents progressive loss measured in time and material. Don Nadie, founded in 2016 in Buenos Aires by Ecuadorian designer Mono Alvarado and Argentine Lisandro Carrasco (now based in Quito), uses manual craft as a means of observation and critical thinking. The project was supported by the Argentine Embassy in Ecuador and PUCE WASI LAB. By avoiding direct illustration or prefabricated solutions, the installation forces viewers to pause amid the frenzy of the world's largest design event, confronting the scale of deforestation through proximity, silence, and concentration.