Laasya Bosukonda       

 

Work  


Ground

Developed from spent coffee grounds, this series explores sustainable material innovation through hand shaping, 3D printing, and casting. 

It reflects a circular design approach rooted in local waste reuse and collaborative making, with a focus on material impact in design.

This work highlights the potential of food waste-derived biomaterials for scalable, design-driven applications.

Skills

Design, Material research, Prototyping, Experimentation 


Timeline

Fall 2024 - Present 


Materials

Agar agar, Potato starch, Gelatin, Xantham gun, Glycerin, Coffee grounds, Banana peels, Cellulose, Molds

Tools

Miro, Ziplocks, Foil, 3D Printer 




Part 1


Bioplastic recipe development using coffee grounds and banana peels through hand piping.

Part 2


3D printing with coffee-based mixtures for scalable fabrication.

Part 3


Collaboration with Memo Furniture and Fulcrum Coffee Roasters to create coasters from roastery waste.



Why does this matter?


Waste streams constitute the only responsible material source in our world.

As of 2020, humanity officially became the maker of the planet. According to research published in the Scientific American, all human-made synthetic objects now outweigh the combined biomass of all living organisms on Earth.

This raises questions about the future of architecture and design disciplines as the accumulation of new matter now leaves an irreversible footprint.




Material Characteristics


6–15 million tonnes of spent coffee grounds are generated every year.

Most spent coffee grounds end up in landfills, releasing methane, a far more potent greenhouse gas than CO₂.

In Europe, coffee ground disposal emits about 650 million kg of CO₂-equivalent each year, equal to the energy use of 80,000 homes.





Part 1






Proposed Application


A sustainable composite material made from banana peels and coffee grounds to create a growth wall for plants.

The wall acts as both, a support structure and a nutrient source by:

  • Leveraging the properties of organic waste to enhance plant growth
  • Improving soil fertility, prevent erosion, and boost water retention
  • Recycling agricultural by-products into a valuable resource

Field trials will evaluate its effectiveness in improving crop yields and restoring soil health.



Material Process

An in-depth overview of the full design process, highlighting the various prototypes and refinements that informed and shaped the final outcome





Final Material Recipe and Characteristics

The final material features a naturally warped form, where coffee grounds and banana-based bioplastic are seamlessly integrated





Shaping Strategies


Investigated multiple approaches to shaping and forming in order to identify a solution that balanced durability with design intent



Individual Recipes

Refined recipes by experimenting with ingredients and proportions to reach the desired material consistency







Part 2





Individual Recipes and Strategies


Developed and refined recipes, geometries, and printing parameters for optimal results

Iteration 1 used the same bioplastic recipe developed in the manual forming phase


Material Issues and Process Adjustments

  • Faced clogging issues due to the mixture’s thickness at the extruder tip
  • Adjusted the order of ingredient mixing to improve flow consistency
  • Refined the method of loading material into the extruder for better print stability





    • Iteration 2 involved replacing some ingredients with cellulose


    Advancements Achieved

    • Improved material flow for smoother extrusion
    • Reduced air bubbles for more consistent dispensing
    • Increased structural integrity to support taller prints without collapse







    Part 3




    More documentation coming soon.





    Moving Forward


    Ongoing work focuses on optimizing the material and print parameters to support taller structures, with future goals including the design of modular panels and functional furniture pieces.

    Back to Work

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