An elevated environmental consciousness is entering the building sector. The increasing respect for nature is found in the growing adoption of circular economy principles, which focus on designing buildings and products that can be recycled, remanufactured or re-used after they have served their initial purpose, and are biophilic in design while fostering connections to nature.

Swedish furniture brand, Green Furniture Concept, takes these concepts to heart in its range of sustainable furniture. From their offices in Scandinavia and North America, to their Australian home at K5 Furniture, the company has been recognised as pioneers, working closely with architects, facility managers, and industry stakeholders to create customised furniture that connect people to their surroundings, all while making a world-positive impact.

Circular Furniture Solutions

By severing the link between economic activity and the use of limited resources, the circular economy addresses issues such as pollution, waste, and biodiversity loss in addition to climate change. The three key principles of a circular economy, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, are to design out waste and pollution, keep products and materials in use, and regenerate natural systems.

Green Furniture Concept’s Leaf Lamp Lighting Series is an ambient lighting and acoustic solution for public spaces that emphasises circular design. These products are made from biological materials that come from nature and technical materials that can be reused, remanufactured, or recycled multiple times. Each product can be easily taken apart for repair, replacement or recycling, demonstrating that they have been designed with their eventual circulation in mind.

The Ascent Seating Series takes a different approach to circularity. This modular beam seating system for large-scale interiors is made of sustainable wood. Designed and developed to support a longer use cycle, this flexible system can be adapted and reconfigured with ease, making it capable of meeting the demands of evolving public spaces now and into the future. 

Like Ascent, the Nova C Seating Series, a modular seating system for indoor spaces, prioritises a long use cycle. For this range, the emphasis is on making maintenance and replacement of parts as easy as possible. Each piece has been constructed in separate building blocks, with each piece individually repairable. The focus on circularity also extends to material selection, including the use of certified responsibly sourced wood, recycled steel and plastic, and non-toxic adhesives.

Connecting with nature

Biophilic design is the practice of fostering beneficial connections between people and the natural world within our built environment. It seeks to tap into humans’ innate physical, emotional, mental and spiritual affinity with the natural world by bringing nature into interior spaces.

One of the most common biophilic strategies is the use of nature analogues; borrowing elements like colour, shapes, lines, patterns and textures from nature and incorporating them within a design. With harmonious organic shapes and the use of untreated birch wood, Green Furniture Concept’s Leaf Lamps are a prime example of nature analogues. Ascent and Nova C also feature organic lines and wood materials while referencing reptilian shapes and forms.

Another biophilic strategy is replicating nature through the organisation and orientation of spaces. The design of both the Ascent and Nova C seating systems creates seamless seating lines, evoking natural flows and processes. With their soft contours and smooth textures, both of these solutions make public space interiors warmer and more welcoming.

Available from K5 Furniture

Sustainable furniture by Green Furniture Concept is available from K5 Furniture, suppliers of architectural products in furniture, lighting and acoustics. Like its partner brands, K5 Furniture practices a circular economy approach, offering products that contain regenerative materials, are designed for disassembly, and prioritise longevity.

K5 Furniture

kfive.com.au