Willow tree

Willow Project

The Willow Project is an investigation into one of Iceland’s newly gained raw materials, the willow tree. Since the start of forestry about 70 years ago, this material has become available in larger quantities. The result is a material palette created through the deconstruction of the tree in all its elements, including the leaves, inner and outer bark and wood. It is treating by boiling, burning and distilling, before re-constructing the elements into new materials.

Making process

During the research process, three main processes of boiling, burning, and distilling were rendered. Inspired by the natural circulation of matter, nothing but water and heat are added to the wood and all byproducts are processed as valuable resources.

By deconstructing the tree into a micro-scale and reassembling the found elements, the rendered new materials could stand alone. With each rendered material able to return to the forest for nutrition.

Text submitted by the maker and edited by the Future Materials Bank. For information about reproducing (a part of) this text, please contact the maker.