Paris Design Week 2026: Found Associations turns cafe into bio lab
Found Associations and Kalve Coffee present a circular economy cafe exhibition at Paris Design Week, turning coffee grounds and water into materials.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Found Associations partnered with Kalve Coffee for an exhibition at Paris Design Week
- Presents a circular economy model connecting consumption directly with production
- Transforms coffee grounds into filters, milk into adhesives, and water into spatial elements
- Turns the cafe environment into a continuous bio-material testing laboratory
Design studio Found Associations has reimagined the traditional cafe setting as an experimental bio-laboratory, showcased during Paris Design Week in collaboration with coffee brand Kalve Coffee. Titled Collective Found Associations, the exhibition explores new frontiers in circular economy design.
The core concept of the project is to directly bridge consumption with production. Rather than functioning solely as a commercial beverage spot, the cafe operates as an interactive space where continuous material experimentation takes place in front of visitors.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Key highlights of the exhibition include innovative material transformations, such as utilizing coffee grounds as filters, repurposing milk to function as an adhesive, and treating water as a tangible spatial material to shape the interior environment.
The integration of everyday cafe byproduct waste into functional architectural elements highlights the growing importance of sustainable design within major global events like Paris Design Week. Repurposing organic waste streams not only minimizes environmental impact but also redefines the retail interior experience through circular innovation.
This project was submitted to designboom through our DIY submission platform and edited by Christina Vergopoulou.
Source: designboom
Found something wrong in this article? Report an issue with this article
Comments
Leave a Comment