Transforming coffee grounds into 3D printed design elements | VoxelMatters

Every day, the billions of cups of coffee consumed around the world result in an estimated 560,000 tons of coffee grounds thrown out. So it’s no wonder that innovative minds around the world are looking for ways to make use of this organic waste. One such initiative has taken place in a coffee shop in Barcelona, where used coffee grounds have been transformed into functional 3D printed furniture and design elements like light fixtures, stools and—most impressively—the coffee shop bar.

You can see the 3D printed coffee-derived designs first hand if you pop into the D·Origen Coffee Shop, located in the Casa Calvet, one of Antoni Gaudi’s famed buildings in the Eixample district of the city. There, you will find an impressive bar, coffee-bean inspired stools, and lamp shades all made using a combination of extrusion 3D printing and a material made from recycled PLA and used coffee grounds. The material, LOWIMPACT, is made up of 98% organic materials and is notable for its gradient amber appearance, which is particularly captivating when lit from behind.

The 3D printed elements were designed by Italian architect Arturo Tedeschi, who specializes in algorithmic design, in partnership with Madrid-based sustainable 3D printing company LOWPOLY. Tedeschi has been behind a number of innovative 3D printing design projects, including the HorizON suspension lamp and a massive 3D printed sculpture in the Adidas Berlin store. In this project, Tedeschi and the LOWPOLY team were inspired by coffee itself and turned to intelligent parametric design to create a series of unique products that would result in a cohesive space.

The furniture and décor elements were ultimately 3D printed using robotic large-format systems fitted with modified Rev3rd extruders which are engineered to process materials with high organic content. The use of 3D printing also had the sustainable benefit of not generating any material waste, as would be the case with more traditional production approaches.

LOWPOLY has worked on a number of sustainable 3D printing installations, which utilize materials made from organic waste derived from olives, grapes, bananas, oranges and, of course, coffee grounds. The company typically works in collaboration with artists and architects to come up with original designs. For example, LOWPOLY recently teamed up with architect Leonela Rivas to 3D print interior design for Marbella Design & Art.