Reframing MDF: Arno Hoogland Explores Digital Craftsmanship and Biobased Materials at Milan Design Week
During Milan Design Week, Dutch designer Arno Hoogland presented Deus ex Machina, his first solo exhibition, located in the Isola Design District. The project places medium-density fibreboard (MDF) at the centre of a material and design investigation, combining digital manufacturing techniques with a biobased approach.
MDF in a New Light
MDF is widely used in construction and interior applications due to its affordability and ease of machining. However, the material is often perceived as visually and environmentally undesirable. Deus ex Machina challenges this notion by highlighting MDF’s design potential, particularly when paired with sustainable alternatives.
The MDF featured in the exhibition includes Unilin’s Fibralux Biobased, described as the world’s first biobased MDF board. By incorporating this version of MDF, made from renewable raw materials, the project engages with themes of circularity and material innovation—topics that are increasingly important to the built environment and product design sectors.
Human-Machine Collaboration
Central to the project is a CNC milling machine, used not only as a tool, but as part of the design process. Hoogland employed software that allows for variable control over parameters such as line thickness and form. The milling depth is determined by the machine itself, introducing a degree of unpredictability and spontaneity.
This approach positions the CNC machine as a design collaborator rather than a strictly deterministic fabrication device. The process may be of interest to designers working with digital fabrication, algorithmic design, and generative processes, offering a method where both human and machine influence the final result.
Installation and Context
The installation includes a modular structure described as a “temple of the future,” constructed from CNC-milled blocks created on-site. The space also features a selection of custom furniture pieces, all produced with the same material and technique. These elements illustrate a cohesive exploration of form, process, and material.
The exhibition reflects a broader interest in modular systems, CNC production, and material storytelling, and demonstrates how engineered materials can be adapted for expressive and functional purposes within contemporary design contexts.
Relevance to Designers
By focusing on a familiar yet often overlooked material, Deus ex Machina encourages a reconsideration of MDF’s role in sustainable design. The inclusion of a biobased variant aligns with industry-wide efforts to reduce reliance on fossil-based inputs and embrace biobased, circular materials. Combined with an experimental fabrication process, the project provides a reference point for professionals interested in merging sustainability with digital design.
Source: Press release via Bart Eysink Smeets
Photos: Bram Spaan