Brilliant origami-like paper furniture creates portable rooms that can pop up anywhere

If you think paper is too flimsy to build furniture with, prepare to have your mind blown by <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/molo-design/" target="_blank">molo design's</a> brilliant paper constructions. Made from 100% recyclable natural kraft paper with 50% recycled fiber, these foldable and modular furnishings are constructed with a tight honeycomb form that gives the structures high stiffness and compression strength to withstand heavy weights. As long-time fans of molo, we were delighted to find them at <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/greenbuild/" target="_blank">Greenbuild 2015</a> where they not only created their own pop-up booth, but also designed customized booths for <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/dwell" target="_blank">Dwell</a>, <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/arup" target="_blank">Arup</a>, and the Expo rest area.

Most of soft collection’s adaptable furnishings are made from 100% recyclable, fire-retardant kraft paper, half of which is made from post-consumer recycled fiber.

Framed on two sides by an earthy brown kraft paper softwall, molo’s pop-up booth captured the feel of a cozy living room furnished with hanging white lights, a table surrounded by stools, and a storage closet with wool handles in the rear.

Molo also created a minimalist circular writing pad for tables.

The flat-pack structures expand like an accordion and flex to create sculptural partition walls, seating, tables, lighting, and even storage units.

Made mostly of air, the honeycomb geometry allows the space-saving lightweight units to expand from a thickness of less than two inches to over 15 feet in length.

Magnetic end panels snap together to connect multiple elements or to hold together a circular form.

When not in use, the furnishings fold away into a compact unit that’s no wider than the thickness of a textbook.

The stools can be carried in a wool tote.

Thick 100% wool cushions topped the seats for comfort.

Forsythe also brought two partitions—one made of white polyethylene and the other dyed black from UV-resistant bamboo charcoal ink—to demonstrate how quickly and easily the walls can be expanded, shaped, and then recompressed to a space-saving size.

Forsythe also brought two partitions—one made of white polyethylene and the other dyed black from UV-resistant bamboo charcoal ink—to demonstrate how quickly and easily the walls can be expanded, shaped, and then recompressed to a space-saving size.

The lights are made from 100% recyclable polyethylene non-woven textiles, called Tyvek©, that can be cleaned with a rag and soap.

Cut-outs in the softwall are perfect for displaying objects.

100% recyclable polyethylene non-woven textiles, called Tyvek©, that can be cleaned with a rag and soap.

Dwell hung posters on the interior and exterior of their booth.

Cutouts in the softwall hold dwell magazines.

Architecture firm ARUP stacked and expanded different colored ‘softblocks' for an eye-catching and undulating appearance.

The Greenbuild rest area featured two curving molo benchwalls that frame a large circular table, offering the perfect respite from the bustling expo floor.

The wool cushions are also recyclable.