16 Inspiring eco-friendly furnishings from Art of Progress at London Design Festival 2015

An elegant townhouse in London has been transformed into a temple of eco-conscious design and green living at <a href="http://inhabitat.com/london-design-week/" target="_blank">London Design Festival 2015</a>. The five-story building at 19 Greek Street is currently showcasing <a href="http://www.artofprogress.co/" target="_blank">The Art of Progress</a>, an exhibit featuring upcycled furniture, earth-friendly fixtures, and sustainable accessories. The walls, covered with non-toxic paint, and surfaces are also decorated with environmentally friendly artwork from UK-based collective <a href="http://www.humannatureshow.com/" target="_blank">Human Nature</a>. We’ve rounded up 16 inspiring green furnishings from the thought-provoking collection—read on to see them all!

Art of Progress LDF 2015 venue

Art of Progress LDF 2015 venue

<h2>40 x 40 series in marble by Moreno Ratti and Paolo Ulian</h2> The <a href="http://www.morenoratti.com/product.php?id_product=41&amp;name=40x40_marble%20collection" target="_blank">40 x 40 series</a> by <a href="http://www.morenoratti.com/" target="_blank">Moreno Ratti</a> and <a href="http://www.paoloulian.it/" target="_blank">Paolo Ulian</a> experiments with the ubiquitous 40cm x 40cm marble tiles with a new twist. The artists used water-jet machines to cut the tiles with the objective of making tiles with minimal waste material.

<h2>Solar Cell Current Windows by James Shaw and Marjan Van Aubel</h2> <a href="http://www.caventou.com" target="_blank">Caventou</a> replaced the windows at 19 Greek Street with <a href="http://www.caventou.com/products/current-window" target="_blank">Current Windows</a> for The Art of Progress project. These "stained glass" windows are integrated with <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/solar-cell" target="_blank">solar cells</a> to generate renewable energy. London designers <a href="http://www.jamesmichaelshaw.co.uk/" target="_blank">James Shaw</a> and <a href="http://www.marjanvanaubel.com/" target="_blank">Marjan Van Aubel</a> designed the Current Windows and added USB outlets into the window frame for easy access to solar powered charging.

<h2>Crazy Marm table by James Shaw</h2> The wild pattern of the <a href="http://www.jamesmichaelshaw.co.uk/CrazyMarm.html" target="_blank">Crazy Marm</a> side table by <a href="http://www.jamesmichaelshaw.co.uk" target="_blank">James Shaw</a> comes from a veneer of upcycled linoleum found in a flooring factory. Traditional linoleum is made from wood flour and linseed oil.

<h2>Vegetable Light by Peter Marigold</h2> Why expend energy and cost to transport a heavy base for a lamp when a yam or similarly heavy vegetable will do? <a href="http://www.petermarigold.com/vegetable_light.shtml" target="_blank">Peter Marigold's vegetable light</a> champions the sculptural and functional properties of vegetables as well as their edible functions.

<h2>Split Shelves by Peter Marigold</h2> Each irregular <a href="http://www.petermarigold.com/SPLIT.shtml" target="_blank">Split Box by Peter Marigold</a> starts with a single small log, split into four pieces. Taking cues from nature, the unequal pieces determine the angle of the wooden box corners, resulting in off-kilter, but still useful storage.

Split Shelves by Peter Marigold

<h2>Doka tables by Muzzle</h2> The side tables by <a href="http://muzzle-design.com/en/" target="_blank">Muzzle</a> are made from Doka, a prefabricated formwork usually used in concrete pouring. The flat-packed pieces can be easily transported and quickly assembled.

<h2>Kaffeeform by Julian Lechner</h2> Yes, you can drink your coffee from a cup and saucer made from coffee! Designer Julian Lechner invented <a href="http://www.kaffeeform.com/" target="_blank">Kaffeeform</a>, a material made from recycled coffee grounds and renewable raw materials. The coffee cup and saucer are washable and reusable.

<h2>Beads Table by Studio deFORM</h2> The surface of the <a href="http://www.studiodeform.com/BEADS" target="_blank">Beads Table by Studio deFORM</a> looks simple, but is surprisingly made of hundreds of readily available glass beads from the Czech Republic.

Beads Table by Studio deFORM

<h2>Aircraft Lamp by Fallen Furniture</h2> The <a href="http://www.fallenfurniture.com/product/a320-leading-edge-floor-standing-lamp/" target="_blank">A320 Leading-Edge Floor Lamp by Fallen Furniture</a> has a shade made from reclaimed aircraft parts. The former section of an Airbus A320’s leading edge slat was highly sanded, polished and powder-coated for a reflective, Art Deco-inspired look.

<h2>Idea of a Tree bench by mischler'traxler</h2> <a href="http://www.mischertraxler.com/projects_the_idea_of_a_tree_recorder_one.html" target="_blank">The Idea of a Tree bench by Austrian design duo mischler'traxler</a> is made from colored recycled cotton, glue and resin, in a process powered by solar energy. The shape and size of the finished pieces are determined by the amount of sunlight in a day.

<h2> Day-by-Day rug by mischer traxler</h2> The <a href="http://www.mischertraxler.com/projects_day_by_day.html" target="_blank">Day-by-Day rug designed by Austrian duo of mischer'traxler</a> for Nodus makes evident the human labor that goes into making hand-knotted rugs. The shape and pattern of the naturally dyed wool rug is affected by the working rhythm of the craftsmen.

<h2>Console Table by Lionel Jadot</h2> Belgian designer <a href="http://lioneljadot.com/" target="_blank">Lionel Jadot</a> debuted his furniture collection at The Art of Progress, including this console table made of <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/reclaimed-wood" target="_blank">reclaimed wood</a>, pierced by thin copper tubes.

<h2>Low Table by Lionel Jadot</h2> Belgian designer <a href="http://lioneljadot.com/" target="_blank">Lionel Jadot's</a> coffee table boasts a top made from part of a reclaimed ceiling and a frame made from <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/fsc-certified-wood" target="_blank">FSC-certified wood</a>.

<h2>Bell Lamp by Lionel Jadot</h2> The Bell Lamp by <a href="http://lioneljadot.com/" target="_blank">Lionel Jadot</a> is a glamorous take on upcycling, made from a restored 19th-century brass frame and glass globes.

<h2>Wood Sculpture by Lesley Hilling</h2> <a href="http://lesleyhilling.co.uk/" target="_blank">Lesley Hilling's</a> wooden sculptures, shown as part of the Human Nature environmentally conscious art exhibition, are made from salvaged wood, reclaimed floorboards and rescued furniture.

<h2>Chewing Gum Art by Ben Wilson</h2> <a href="http://www.humannatureshow.com/meet-the-artist-ben-wilson/" target="_blank">Artist Ben Wilson</a> paints intricate scenes on discarded chewing gum. The gum canvas is primed by first heating it with a blowtorch, then lacquered before being painted, with some pieces taking up to 10 hours.

chewing gum art by Ben Wilson

chewing gum art by Ben Wilson

<h2>Virtual Reality by Human Nature</h2> Visitors at The Art of Progress can experience the 360-degree <a href="http://blog.abundancegeneration.com/2015/08/natural-reality-21-virtual-reality-at-human-nature/" target="_blank">Virtual Reality film Natural Reality 2:1</a>. Supported by eco-investment platform <a href="https://www.abundancegeneration.com/" target="_blank">Abundance</a> and directed by Third Channel, the film was commissioned and co-produced by Human Nature. The film explores the human connection to the digital world and "reality."

40 x 40 series in marble by Moreno Ratti and Paolo Ulian....<br><br><a href='https://inhabitat.com/16-inspiring-eco-friendly-furnishings-from-art-of-progress-at-london-design-festival-2015/'>READ ARTICLE</a>