The Bark Project: material research in the natural science and design
The Bark Project explores the use of scientific tools to characterize materials and design methods to create longer lifecycle applications for bark, a massive byproduct of the wood processing industry. The project analyzes local tree bark species to explore potential durable applications in design and architecture through combining traditional crafting techniques and interdisciplinary research. Bark jackets and an installation were created to emphasize a dialogue between design and society.
Regional
Germany
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It addresses urban-rural linkages
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
Yes
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation) within the framework of the Cluster of Excellence (EXC) funding line within Germany's Excellence Strategy
Yes
2nd price: Visions / Solutions - Die Junge Akademie 2020 Leopoldina
Yes
2022-11-22
As an individual in partnership with other persons
First name: Charlett Last name: Wenig Gender: Female Nationality: Germany Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Am Mühlenberg 1 Town: Potsdam Postal code: 14476 Country: Germany Direct Tel:+49 171 4405191 E-mail:charlett.wenig@gmx.de Website:https://www.mpikg.mpg.de/
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Yes
New European Bauhaus or European Commission websites
The bark Project explores the potential of using tree bark as a material in design and architecture. 10-20% of every tree is bark. This makes bark to a massive byproduct of the wood processing industry. The project studies selected types of local bark using material science and design methods, and translate the findings into high-quality applications. Methods were developed without toxins and without affecting the recyclability of the bark. Pine bark was flexibilized into a leather-like material. Other bark species were processed into bark panels using only heat and pressure (without any adhesives). The results were successfully incorporated into design prototypes, including a flexible bark jacket, shoes with a robinia bark sole, an architectural installation/sphere that allows people to experience being surrounded by bark. This project is an example how we could work with biomaterials by combining research methods from science and design to ensure the future of sustainable materials.
Tree Bark
Practise-based research
Material driven Design
Waste material
Long cascade utilization
Current production methods substantially contribute to climate change, consume a large amount of resources, and lead to biodiversity reduction. Biomaterials are renewable resources associated with land use and thus also become subject to scarcity. Consequently, it is also important here to use biomaterials as long, as often and as efficiently as possible, and to only to use them for energy production at the end of their product lifecycle. Recent industrial use of bark is in the range a low cascade usage. That means that bark is either directly burnt or used for horticulture, chemical extractions or as an additive in the wood panel production. The bark project focus on bark as a relevant raw material for the production of a long lifecycle by the exploration of possible high cascade usages of different locally sourced barks. Applications that use non-toxic types of chemical modification or no chemical modification at all are preferable for all sustainable material scenarios, such as the flexibilized bark and bark panels. Both semi-finished products can be further modified in their shapes but also improved in their mechanical properties by processes like weaving and milling. Modifications can be reiterated depending on the type of processing. Flexibilized pine bark can be used in a multi-step cascade: whether as sheet material or after being processed into a textile (through weaving), both options still allow washing out the glycerol, pressing the bark afterwards and, lastly, burning it. In the case of the densified bark panels, modification of the structure and geometry is possible, for example, by processing (cutting, milling, sandblasting) for design applications or by shredding. Another later modification step can include removing chemical extracts or burning. The option to source bark regionally as well as the natural size of trees, enabling production of small- and large-scale objects alike, shows bark to be a high-quality material of the future economy.
The key objectives of the project were to explore the use of tree bark as a design material and to create objects that can provide a positive aesthetic and cultural experience for people. The project aimed to preserve the symbolic value of tree bark by minimizing the transformation of the material and allowing its unique characteristics, such as its resin smell and direct connection to nature, to be present in the final product.
The project resulted in three main objects: the bark jackets, the bark shoes, and the bark sphere installation. The bark jacket aimed to explore the protective function of bark and to analyze the feeling of bark on skin. The second jacket, made of woven bark strips, was improved in terms of flexibility and processing possibilities, making it a more practical and aesthetically pleasing product.
The bark shoes, including boots, high heels, and sandals, were created to utilize as much bark as possible while reducing the amount of waste in the fashion industry. The bark sphere installation was designed to allow people to experience being surrounded by bark and to encourage communication and exchange about bark as a potential material for design and architecture.
The Bark Project has inspired other designers to continue working with the material, such as J. Hehemeyer-Cürten who created a fashion collection using tree bark, and K. Heikkinen who designed furniture with bark surfaces. This demonstrates how the project can be exemplary in promoting the use of tree bark as a sustainable and innovative material in design and architecture.
The objective of this project is to create value from local waste material, specifically bark from trees, by processing it into usable products. The process of production is cost-effective as it does not require expensive chemicals, high temperatures, or pressures and can be processed with established methods such as weaving, pressing, and sawing. This results in low production costs for this biodegradable material. Additionally, the peeling and processing of bark can occur locally in weaker agricultural regions, providing employment opportunities for a large group of people through traditional handcrafting techniques such as weaving and pressing. This project aims to be inclusive by providing accessible and affordable products while also promoting local economic development and employment opportunities.
The utilization of tree bark has a long history and has been used for various purposes in different cultures. Tree bark is a byproduct of every wood production and in this project, different methods such as peeling of bark and weaving have been incorporated into the process. This involvement of local craftsmen not only makes it possible to consider new industrial processes using bark but also empowers local small businesses to work with locally available raw materials. The objective of the project is to share knowledge about tree bark and demonstrate how different sciences and knowledge about forgotten crafts can work together on equal footing. The project processes a local waste material, creates an opportunity to generate value in the region such as in Brandenburg and encourages the use of local materials. The involvement of citizens and civil society has been demonstrated through presentations to a wide audience and the involvement of local craftsmen in the process. The impact of this involvement has been to promote local economic development, share knowledge about tree bark, and encourage the use of local materials.
The project on utilizing bark involved various stakeholders at different levels. The local material, bark, was peeled in Brandburg and the national exchange on knowledge about bark craft was conducted with craftsmen for natural leather tanning (Hiltraud Ast) and bark peeling (Wulf Hein, Arctech). The weaving was done in cooperation with Weißensee Kunsthochschule Berlin. The first bark panels were produced in Switzerland (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich), but later in cooperation with the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development. This led to many exciting discussions about material and design in the Cluster "Matters of Activity. Image Space Material." The engagement of different stakeholders at various levels added value to the project by bringing in different perspectives and knowledge about bark craft, design, and sustainable production techniques. This allowed for a more comprehensive approach to the utilization of bark and made it possible to create a holistic knowledge around bark.
The Bark Project is a material-focused exploration that combines design and scientific methods to develop more sustainable objects using waste materials from the timber processing industry. The project brought together experts from various disciplines, including material science, engineering, design, and crafting. The primary goal was to establish and analyze the interaction between design and fundamental research in material science to develop sustainable design concepts and objects.
The material structure and composition of the bark was investigated, including its reaction to drying, density, and structural differences, and different types of bark were manually peeled and processed using various techniques. Mechanical characterization techniques, such as tensile testing and bending tests, were used to determine the effects of these processing methods on the material's characteristics. The first design test was a jacket made of pine bark, which showed promise for fashion due to its leather-like texture and flexibility. However, its limited flexibility was determined by tensile tests, so weaving techniques were used to improve the bark's properties and process narrow pieces of bark into threads. The second jacket showed major improvements in flexibility and processing possibilities, but the bulkiness of bark raised the question of its effectiveness for large-scale applications.
The "bark sphere," an installation that people can stand inside and experience being completely surrounded by bark, was designed and developed to reflect on design and architectural applications. It raises questions about the suitability of bark for temporary structures and encourages communication and exchange about bark as a possible material for future applications. Overall, the Bark Project shows how bark has the potential to be a sustainable material by combining material science and design and the added value of bringing together representatives from different fields to interact and c
The goal of the project was to promote a circular economy in the forest industry of Brandenburg by discussing the use of waste wood and bark (category 4). The research focused on developing a process for large-scale bark peeling, creating bark panles without artificial adhesives, and making the bark flexible to create a leather-like material. The outcome of the research included objects like jackets, shoes, and a walk-in installation designed to inspire designers to work with sustainable biomaterials. The project's impact was seen through scientific papers, book chapters, public lectures, newspaper articles, television and radio segments, and exhibitions both nationally and internationally. The discussion and exposure of the project not only sparked transformation in design but also in society, promoting new life cycle thinking for bark and specific value chain discussions for natural-based solutions and products. Direct and indirect beneficiaries of the project include designers, material scientist, the public, and the wood processing industry.
The project aims to expand the use of tree bark as a material beyond its current limited applications. The focus of the project is on using pine bark, which is one of the most harvested trees and therefore a significant waste factor. The project combines different areas of expertise to explore innovative applications and uses for bark. The outcome of the project includes not only data and research on bark but also design objects in various fields. The project introduced a new method for mass application of bark, such as weaving or creating panels, and a focus on low modification of bark in materials design. The research process also involved prototyping and material design from the beginning. The project is innovative in comparison to mainstream actions in the field as it explores new applications and uses for bark and introduces an innovative research methodology.
The end results of the project showcase the potential of using bark as a versatile and sustainable material in design, pushing beyond the boundaries of conventional small craft items and boxes.
A different approach to prevailing design methods is the integration of material into the design process right from the start. Often a design is developed first and the material is selected at a later stage of product development. If material selection were to be implicated immediately, it would lead to material-based design. This allows more targeted design experiments. By combining both scientific and design-based results, processing methods can be precisely adapted to the typical properties of different barks. In addition, fields of application are better defined, enabling more targeted and sustainable application. Through this lens, the natural properties of tree bark are not classified as weaknesses to be overcome, but as material boundaries to be considered in the design. The use of bark in such high-value applications – like in fashion or in other product design – allows us to use resources in a more sustainable way by bestowing them with a longer lifecycle. Therefore, cooperation between different disciplines is essential to understand the full potential of bark (and any other material).
Through a symbiosis of science, humanities and design, existing practices and knowledge can be combined, inspire each other’s (practical) work and lead to new research questions. This could lead to a revolution in the use of increasingly precious raw materials, which are currently treated as industrial waste.
The use of tree bark as a material has a long history and is a by-product of every wood production. This project combines local craftsmanship with the use of locally available raw materials, which not only enables new industrial processes with tree bark but also empowers small local businesses and crafts to work with available resources.
The project's focus on co-creation and diversity in research creates a sustainable environment for research. The bark jackets and installations made from pine bark have a wide distribution area beyond the European borders, and it is hoped that the project will inspire people everywhere to think about working with bark. Trees with unique properties can be found all over the world, and this work and the craft and design methods used can inspire others to start working with their own bark. The knowledge about the structure of the bark and its mechanical properties can be transferred to other regions, which will help designers and scientists as a new collection of questions and knowledge will emerge through the expansion of the project to different regions.
The project addresses global challenges of resource scarcity and increasing demand for renewable resources by providing a local solution. The use of local bark species and direct processing can increase the utilization of 10-20% of each tree, making it more efficient. This process can be replicated in any place in the world that processes wood. The project inspires the use of materials that are already present in the industry and not to produce extra products. It focuses on a material that can be found everywhere and uses processing methods that can be applied globally. However, the project specifically highlights the local processing of bark in Brandenburg. By incorporating cascade utilization into the development of product chains and encouraging local businesses to work with available raw materials, the project helps create a more sustainable resource use.
