nikolas gregory studio's auto-fabricating industrial waste scrap stool

nikolas gregory studio’s auto-fabricating industrial waste scrap stool
all images courtesy of nikolas gregory studio

the lofty goal of saving the world via design is nothing unheard of. ideas, formulated in the minds’ of ambitious creatives, have even gone so far as to show the plausibility of such a statement. yet, even forward-thinking design is rooted in the culture of mass-production and industry; effectively countering every step forward with one step backwards. the ‘scrap stool’ by new york-based nikolas gregory studio, proposes a different approach.

‘scrap stool’ upside down

given the name and five seconds of critical thinking, one can likely gather what the small furniture element is composed of: industrial waste, specifically paper. nikolas gregory studio approached various local paper businesses in the new york area, asking them (kindly) to place their detritus into trashcans that had been filled with several inches of a slow drying glue.

the object can take a large load without shifting

in the process of discarding unneeded materials — without any change in procedure — the employees essentially created the ‘scrap stool’. since the element is composed of almost 100% waste (minus glue), with labor that is already paid for, production cost is nearly zero.

‘scrap stool’ 

nikolas gregory studio has, after seeing the untapped potential of such a method, made moves to apply similar processes to create other usable objects. chairs, tables, sofas, beds, and more are in the works. in the words of the designers the ‘scrap stool’, ‘kills two birds with one stone’. re-contextualizing the existing and repurposing for good may not save the world, but like other innovative designs before it, the ‘scrap stool’ is a positive step in the right direction. 

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‘scrap stools’ in nikolas gregory studio’s gallery 

the ‘scrap stool’ 

the seat is made of industrial paper waste held together by dyed glue 

‘scrap stool’ by nikolas gregory studio 

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.

edited by: nick brink | designboom