Harvard's Grinham Research Group Debuts Waste Wool Cladding at Oslo Architecture Triennale

Key facts

• Grinham Research Group at Harvard University developed an insulating cladding tile made from waste wool.
• The installation, Upcycling Wool Ecologies, was presented at the Oslo Architecture Triennale from 17 September to 1 October.
• The tiles were showcased on a timber frame at Sofienberg Church in Oslo, Norway, as part of the triennale's main exhibition.
• The multi-layer tile has a low-density insulating back panel and a denser, durable outer panel for weather resistance.
• Production involves treating wool with an alkaline solution, mechanical separation, and adding citric acid to create a rigid composite without petrochemical resin.
• Around 1.95 billion kilograms of raw wool are produced annually, with approximately 60 per cent used for clothing; unused wool is often stockpiled, burned, or buried.
• Preconsumer waste wool was sourced from the American Woolen Company in Connecticut, using a mix of naturally coloured and dyed fibers.
• Founder Jonathan Grinham stated that the project aims to create scalable retrofit solutions and retain biogenic carbon in the built environment.