alcarol explores the potential for moss and lichens to create furniture

alcarol explores the potential for moss and lichens to create furniture
all images courtesy of alcarol

mosses and lichens are primitive organisms that grow in damp locations such as rocks and trees. they form the lowest layer of vegetation and are equipped with chlorophyll, giving them a green color with varying degrees of intensity. with respect to this natural occurrence, alcarol, the design duo of andrea forti and eleonora dal farra, traversed the terrain of the italian dolomite mountains for a project they call ‘undergrowth’. 

dolomite forest

mosses and lichens 

oak wood

from the forest, they cut planks while preserving the natural edges of the material. from the lumber, they were able to develop a bookshelf that displays the plants in a resin resembling the water that generated their life. the furnishing is a self-supporting construct looking for utmost essentiality, providing the sections of the mossy log the effect of being suspended in the air. with its precarious balance, it is a refined dispute between visual instability and actual stability. it is a dizzying challenge to the force of gravity, the expression of a profound aspiration to a transparent, metaphysical lightness, as trees blowing in the breeze.

the structure is reduced to a minimum: three slender steel rods passing through and supporting the shelves. embedded in the wood is a hidden mechanism that locks the pieces of the vertical metal rods into place, giving them the appearance of a single component and increasing the overall strength of each joint. the result is a simple and quickly assembly without the use of tools, according to the minimalist nature of this piece.

oak solid wood planks with natural mossy edges, clear resin, burnished steel rods system

the work is to be presented alongside creations by established & sons, agape casa, and others at the mint gallery with an aim to capture some unusual atmospheres of unique settings by freezing time at the end of the material’s life cycle, thereby giving it a new life. to this end, alcarol employs experimental processes to preserve raw ingredients exactly as they appear in their original habitats. the subsequent sectioning of the physical substances allows for an appreciation of their intimate and profound natures, introducing the idea of environmental cross-section. the section planes – through touch, sight and olfaction – allow them to transcend the ordinary perception of a place.

the constructed console 

steel rods system 

wood, resin, mosses 

detail of an intersection

the moss is preserved with a layer of resin

detail of the

extra clear resin

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.