suro+ explores large-scale additive manufacturing with biomaterials by upcycling post-consumer cork stoppers into modular acoustic panels for temporary spatial applications.
from post-consumer cork stoppers collected from restaurants in Barcelona, transforming a locally available waste. the stoppers are transformed and mixed with bio-based binders to form a printable composite used to fabricate modular acoustic panels through 3D printing. after multiple use cycles, the cork composite is broken down again and repurposed as urban garden mulch, helping protect soil from heat and reduce water evaporation. the new life cycle therefore shifts from tree to stopper, from waste to architectural product, and finally from panel to ecological substrate, establishing a cascading, circular material trajectory within the city.
why cork?
because it’s great!
concept
1 variation for geometric expression + 1 variation for acoustic performance = resulting geometry. an important factor considered besides the acoustic performance was having a surface deformation that would have a high resolution visible in the print.
prototyped geometry
material prep & fabrication
