Basse Sttitgen
Tree-ism, 2023
Germany
EN
European spruce fir (Picea abies) has evergreen leaves and grows deeply in moist soils. Once harvested, it can be processed into wood shavings and then into cellulose fibres by extracting a brown material called lignin. Cellulose and lignin are the two most abundant organic polymers on Earth.
While one is overused in various industries such as paper and textiles, the other remains mostly undiscovered, remaining an underutilized by-product.
"Tree-ism." is a design-research project that explores, through storytelling and tangible physical properties, the enormous potential that lignin offers when it is reunited with cellulose through processes of recombination and rematerialisation of residual substances.
EN
European Spruce (Picea Abies) has evergreen leaves and likes to grow in deep, wet soils. Once harvested it can be turned into wood chips, and then into cellulose fiber by ways of extracting a brownish
substance called lignin. Cellulose and lignin are the two most abundant organic polymers on earth.
While one is used excessively in a host of different industries such as the paper and textile industry, the other remains largely unexplored, remaining an underutilized by-product.
"Tree-ism." is a design-research project exploring, through storytelling and by means of tangible physicalities, the
immense potential offered by lignin when reconnected with cellulose, through processes of recombination and
rematerialisation of residual matters.