Emerging designers increasingly use material experimentation to rethink how furniture, lighting and objects are designed and made. At UKURANT Makes Room, presented during 3daysofdesign 2026 in Copenhagen, twenty international designers showcased new approaches to materials and manufacturing. The exhibition took place at Fabrikken for Art & Design and explored digital fabrication, renewable resources, industrial waste and traditional craftsmanship. Together, the projects demonstrated how material innovation can support more sustainable and circular design.

Materials Drive The Design Process

Instead of focusing only on finished products, the exhibition placed materials and production methods at its centre. The participating designers explored renewable, recycled and bio-based materials alongside advanced manufacturing techniques. As a result, they created new structural, tactile and aesthetic qualities.

Several projects pushed additive manufacturing beyond its traditional role. Copenhagen-based studio Oberdoerfer & Krebs presented the Bend Chair and Bend Stool, produced from lightweight PLA with a large-format pellet 3D printer. The designers print each piece as a flat sheet. They then heat flexible zones and bend them by hand into the final form. This process remains clearly visible in the finished furniture.

Danish designer Lasse Sylvest Lilleør also explored the possibilities of 3D printing. His outdoor Dazing Devil sun lounger combines exposed structural infill with vapour-smoothed surfaces. The result balances organic geometry with the durability of UV-resistant ASA plastic.

Waste Materials Gain A New Purpose

Several designers transformed industrial and biological waste into valuable design materials.

RUSSO BETAK developed lighting objects from biopolymers mixed with ground oyster, mussel and scallop shells sourced from the food industry. After printing thin sheets, the designers shape them by hand while the material remains warm. This process creates self-supporting lamps that reinterpret traditional Japanese lighting while showcasing the natural colours of shell waste.

German designer Friedrich Gerlach presented Lecrease, a stool made from RELEA, a material produced from shredded and rebound leather offcuts. Its folded construction creates a stable structure with slight flexibility. Because manufacturers can process the material using existing plywood production methods, the concept also offers potential for industrial scaling.

Exploring Renewable And Natural Materials

Natural materials formed another important theme throughout the exhibition. Jakob Niemann expanded his Branchwood series by using living tree branches as structural elements. Instead of harvesting entire trees, he steam-bends branches into furniture components. This approach treats branches as a renewable resource that continues to regrow.

Italian designer Ludovico Grantaliano explored the relationship between natural and engineered materials with MADRE, a lighting collection featuring mother-of-pearl shells. The shells naturally diffuse the light and create subtle colour variations. Their internal structure determines the final visual effect, making every lamp unique.

Meanwhile, Korean designer Subin Bae investigated the expressive qualities of fire. She chars the edges of plywood panels to create surfaces that resemble welded metal joints. The resulting furniture creates an intriguing dialogue between woodworking and metal fabrication.

Rethinking Everyday Materials

Several designers also challenged conventional ideas about familiar materials. OBJETFORMT transformed disposable paper packaging into limited-edition lighting using high-resolution PLA 3D printing. The collection gives temporary packaging forms a permanent value.

Cristiano Picão Pereira drew inspiration from drywall construction to create ceramic vessels that reflect on gypsum recycling and overlooked architectural materials. At the same time, Finnish designer Tatu Laakso combined live-edge oak with exposed MDF. His work encourages visitors to reconsider ideas about authenticity, craftsmanship and the relationship between natural and engineered materials.

Together, the projects presented at UKURANT Makes Room demonstrate how contemporary designers increasingly treat materials as active participants in the design process. By combining renewable resources, recycled waste streams and advanced fabrication techniques, the exhibition offers a compelling overview of emerging material innovation.

Source: UKURANT
Photos: Maya Matsuura