Spotted: While statistics illustrate that a majority of US consumers still consider it morally acceptable to wear fur, there has been a notable shift away from its use in the fashion industry. Prada, Phillip Lim, Macy’s, Chanel, Burberry, and Net-a-Porter Group have all removed real animal fur from production and sales floors.
Today, vegan alternatives are available, but many fur substitutes are made from petroleum-based synthetic fibres, which are unsustainable, even if they are animal-free. Now, New York and Paris-based bio-materials startup, BioFluff has pioneered a luxury collection based around its plant-based alternative to fur.
The collection, dubbed Savian, featured artificial fur crafted from natural plant fibres using proprietary methods. The line includes fur, shearling, and fleece-like fabrics that are vegan, GMO-free, and incorporate natural- and mineral-based dyes. The materials both look and feel natural.
Savian is the first materials brand created by BioFluff, which recently secured $2.5 million (around €2.3 million) in a seed round led by Astanor Ventures, a leading name in agrifood tech impact investing. This follows a 2022 pre-seed round that raised $500,000 (around €457,000). The company aims to expand into developing plant-based interior designs, packaging, and even toys.
Plant-based materials are slowly replacing petroleum-based products in many areas. Recent innovations spotted by Springwise include clothing made from seaweed and all-natural sneakers.
An architecture centre founded by British architect Terry Farrell has opened in Newcastle, England, with an exhibition exploring building materials of the future and “urban rooms” for local residents.
The Farrell Centre is an exhibition gallery, research centre and community space that aims to provoke conversation about architecture and planning, both in the city and at a global scale.
The project was instigated by Farrell, who donated his architectural archive and put £1 million towards the build.
The Farrell Centre occupies a former department store building in Newcastle
Fake fur, mycelium and wool insulation feature in a series of installations designed to challenge traditional methods of producing architecture.
Elsewhere, three urban rooms host workshops and other events where locals can learn about the past and future of Newcastle and voice their opinions on development plans.
The ground floor is designed to encourage people in, with glazed facades on two sides
“The centre is here to bring about a better, more inclusive and more sustainable built environment,” said Farrell Centre director and Dezeen columnist Owen Hopkins during a tour of the building.
“The belief that underpins everything we do is that we need to engage people with architecture and planning, and the transformative roles that they can have,” he told Dezeen.
“Architecture and planning are often seen as something that’s imposed from above. We need to shift that perception.”
Seating bleachers create an informal space for talks and presentations
Forming part of Newcastle University, the Farrell Centre occupies a four-storey former department store building in the heart of the city.
Local studios Space Architects and Elliott Architects oversaw a renovation that aims to make the building feel as open and welcoming as possible.
The exhibition More with Less includes an installation by HBBE made from mycelium, sawdust and wool
The ground floor has the feel of a public thoroughfare, thanks to glazed facades on two sides, while bleacher-style steps create a sunken seating area for talks and presentations.
A colourful new staircase leads up to the exhibition galleries on the first floor and the urban rooms on the second floor, while the uppermost level houses the staff offices.
McCloy + Muchemwa’s installation is a table filled with plants
According to Hopkins, the launch exhibition sets the tone for the type of content that visitors can expect from the Farrell Centre.
The show features installations by four UK architecture studios, each exploring a different proposition for future buildings.
“We wanted to create something that expands people’s understanding of what architecture is, beyond building an expensive house on Grand Designs,” Hopkins said, referencing the popular television show.
Dress for the Weather has created a mini maze of insulation
Newcastle University’s Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment (HBBE) has created Living Room, a cave-like structure made by cultivating a mixture of mycelium and sawdust over a giant wool blanket.
Next, a mini maze created by Glasgow studio Dress for the Weather aims to showcase the thermal and experiential qualities of building insulation, with varieties made from low-grade wool and plastic bottles.
Office S&M’s installations include a silhouette of the head of Michelangelo’s David made from pink fur and a chaise longue covered in expanding foam
London-based Office S&M proposes low-tech but fun solutions for making buildings more comfortable.
These are represented by a silhouette of the head of Michelangelo’s David made from pink fur, a metallic space blanket, a chaise longue topped covered in expanding foam and a dichroic-film window covering that casts colourful reflections onto the floor.
“This whole room is about actually doing really simple mundane stuff, but in a way that is joyful and tells a story,” said Hopkins.
In the final room, an installation by London-based McCloy + Muchemwa brings nature indoors with a boardroom table covered in plants.
The urban rooms host events where people can learn about the development of the city
On the floor above, the three urban rooms have been fitted out by Mat Barnes of architecture studio CAN with custom elements that make playful references to building sites.
They are filled with historic maps, interactive models, informal furniture, display stands made from scaffolding poles, and architecture toys that include building-shaped soft play and Lego.
In one of the rooms, planning proposals are displayed on stands made from scaffolding poles
The idea of setting up an urban room in Newcastle was the starting point for the creation of the Farrell Centre.
A decade ago, Farrell was commissioned by the UK government to produce a report on the state of the UK’s architecture and planning system.
One of the key recommendations in the Farrell Review, published in 2014, was to create an urban room in every major city, giving local people of all ages and backgrounds a place to engage with how the city is planned and developed.
One urban room contains a model of a Terry Farrell-designed masterplan for Newcastle
As Farrell grew up in the Newcastle area and studied architecture at the university, he became keen to make this concept a reality in this city.
Although the Farrell Centre is named in his honour, Hopkins said that Farrell is happy for the facility to forge its own path in terms of programme and approach.
“He established the idea and vision for the centre, but he is happy for us to build out that vision in the way that we think is best,” added Hopkins.
The Farrell Centre forms part of Newcastle University
The director is optimistic about the centre’s potential to engage with the community.
“Newcastle is a city like no other,” he said. “The civic pride here is off the scale. People have such a deep-rooted love of where they live.”
“It’s amazing to be able to tap into that as a way of creating a better built environment.”
More with Less: Reimagining Architecture for a Changing World is on show at the Farrell Centre from 22 April to 10 September 2023. See Dezeen Events Guide for more architecture and design events around the world.
