Project Materia turns e-waste and coffee shells into furniture at 3 Days of Design

At 3 Days of Design in Copenhagen, the exhibition platform Project Materia presented sculptural furniture made from recycled electronic waste and coffee shells. Founded by Tableau and Edition Solenne, Project Materia collaborated with Danish brand Mater, which supplied its Matek material—a composite of plastic from discarded phones and laptops, coffee-shell fibre, and sawdust. Nine designers, including Sophie Dries, Lea Colombo, Willem van Hooff, Cathrine Raben Davidsen, Onno Adriaanse, Jacob Egeberg, Forever Studio, Filippo Andrighetto, and Oliver Thygesen, were given free rein to create pieces from flat Matek sheets. Highlights include Dries's striped Stria candleholders, Colombo's Atom stool referencing sacred geometries, and Van Hooff's archive cabinet carved with personal motifs. Mater also offers a biodegradable sugar-cane material developed for Patricia Urquiola's Alder collection. Tableau founder Julius Iversen noted the shift from last year's focus on bronze and marble to cutting-edge recycled materials. The exhibition runs from 10 to 12 June at Købmagergade 3, Copenhagen.