The Amsterdam-based Belén studio, comprising designers Brecht Duijf and Lenneke Langenhuijsen, saw its collaboration with Kvadrat as an opportunity to make a difference on an industrial scale using alternative, 100 per cent biodegradable building materials. Traditionally, acoustics, insulation, texture and colour have been treated as separate elements in construction. But in this project Belén developed a mono material, merging and even omitting layers while maintaining performance.

The studio’s research into biodegradable binders as an alternative to petrochemical-based products carried out with the Dutch manufacturer Dynaplak and Huis Veendam, helped it to develop Fibre Walls as an environmentally friendly material for use in interiors. Combining superior acoustic properties, insulation, construction and a finishing layer, the material is made by mixing custom-developed biodegradable binders with wool sourced from Kvadrat’s largest waste stream. Belén experimented by mixing this dark grey and off-white wool in different ratios, producing a variety of textures with different aesthetic and sound-proofing qualities. Wall spray and stucco application techniques were applied to generate a warm, tactile look.