Su Yang Choi’s innovative use of seaweed in design
Sustainable design often grapples with perceptions tied to being labeled as “eco-alternative,” creating a comparison with traditional materials. Designer Su Yang Choi challenges these notions with the Slow Project series, exploring seaweed-derived agar as more than just an alternative. The project’s second work, Slow2, showcased at Salone Satellite 2026 in Milan, features unique glowing tubular light installations.
Design inspiration and structure
Choi’s design draws from baramgil, a principle in Korean hanok architecture, where aligned doors and windows create layered depth. The installation comprises vertically interlocking circular tubes that achieve perceived depth through repetition. These tubes are crafted around a steel frame using layers of seaweed-derived agar, a biodegradable biopolymer without synthetic additives. LED strips run through the tubes, emitting light that interacts with the semi-translucent agar’s surface texture.
Color and illumination
Natural pigments like gardenia and paprika provide color, creating a gradient from warm amber at the bottom to deep red at the top. This color shift is gradual, with LED light enhancing variations through the agar layers. The installation is suspended from the ceiling, casting dynamic shadows that add a secondary visual layer, echoing the depth concept of baramgil.
The argument of material independence
Slow2 is more than an exploration of what seaweed agar can replace. It’s about whether the material can stand on its own merit. The baramgil reference, natural pigments, and construction are not just sustainability messages but integral design decisions prompted by the material itself. This convergence of concept, form, and substance represents the progression of the Slow Project series.
Source: yankodesign.com