Dezeen Magazine

Watch our talk with Arthur Mamou-Mani about his bioplastic COS installation

Dezeen editor-in-chief Marcus Fairs spoke to architect Arthur Mamou-Mani about the design of Conifera, his 3D-printed bioplastic installation for COS, in this talk filmed by Dezeen during Milan design week. 

On show for the duration of Milan design week, Conifera is a fully biodegradable structure made from 3D-printed bioplastic blocks.

Mamou-Mani has installed it in the courtyard of the 16th-century Palazzo Isimbardi.

Conifera, the COS installation by Arthur Mamou-Mani, at Milan design week
Arthur Mamou-Mani's Conifera installation is made from 700 bioplastic blocks

In the talk, Fairs and Mamou-Mani discussed the design of the structure, how it was made and the specifics of the compostable bioplastic used for each individual brick.

The talk also covered the value of circular design, the future of using bioplastics for construction as well as some of the challenges the production of bioplastic poses.

The London-based architect has previously designed a twisting wooden temple for Burning Man in 2018.

This is the eighth time COS has collaborated with a designer at Milan design week. Previous installations have included Studio Swine's bubble-emitting tree and an immersive light installation designed by Sou Fujimoto.

The installation is on show at Palazzo Isimbardi until 14 April.