Arts Thread

I am a New York based industrial designer with an MFA in Industrial Design from the Parsons School of Constructed Environments. I am an avid maker with a background in building and commit my practice to the exploration and development of sustainable materials and their applications in an effort to amend wasteful and extractive practices. I use my knowledge of making along with research and iterative testing to get tangible results. Currently, I spend much of my energy pursuing waste-based material experimentation and product development. My most recent project, SEAD, is a collection of biodegradable gardening products made from chitin, an organic polymer derived from byproducts of the seafood processing industry. These containers can be planted in the ground with seeds they hold, facilitating the cultivation of heirloom plants. Beyond its potential in packaging and plant cultivation, SEAD highlights the value of post-industrial chitin. More broadly, SEAD is a case study that demonstrates one of many opportunities for replacing virgin material with so-called “waste”.