Politecnico di Milano students create
Students at Politecnico di Milano's Materials Design for Transition group have developed a series of experimental projects using waste materials.
A light made from organic waste from traditional Chinese medicine is among ten student projects from Politecnico di Milano's Materials Design for Transition (Madetrans) research group. The projects, developed across courses in materials-driven design and biodesign, also include a modular mycelium habitat for sparrows and materials made from salmon bones, skin, and scales sourced from Japanese restaurants.
According to a school statement published by Dezeen, the Madetrans group is based at the Department of Design of Politecnico di Milano. Founded in 2015 and led by Valentina Rognoli, the group investigates materials design at the intersection of sustainability, ecology, biodesign, and regeneration. Its activities are supported by the Biodesign Lab (B.Lab), the first laboratory dedicated to biodesign within the design department.
The group encourages designers to move beyond human-centred perspectives. It recognises ecosystems and living organisms as active participants in design processes. Its interdisciplinary team includes industrial and product designers, design engineers, and fashion-system specialists.
Reclaimed Brick and Mycelium Habitats
One project, called Reclaym, transforms discarded brick waste into a versatile new material. Created by students Anastasia Prozorova, Ivanna Harulia, Giulia Fabro, and Marta Figueiredo, the material combines structural resilience with tactile and aesthetic expression. Reclaimed bricks are pulverised into a fine powder and mixed with different binders and aggregates. The resulting samples retain the strength of the original material while appearing soft, light, or fragile.
Another project, Mycelli, explores mycelium as a responsive living material. Developed by Golab Aminialiabadi, Rocco Carraro, Brigitte Guarneri, Keren Karsa, Shyam KS, and Elena Pellegrini, it proposes a modular mycelium habitat integrated into architectural facades. The structure is designed to support declining Italian sparrow populations in Milan. It has a six-month lifespan, providing nesting space before gradually decomposing. Its fibrous material can then be reused by birds.
From Nutshells to Pine Needles
The Whynut project investigates nutshell waste as a resource for circular material systems. Students Nicole Dalle Molle, Giulia Luppi, Selma Wittermann, and Mrunal Deshpande tested different formulations and processing methods. The resulting composite showed rigidity, texture, and surface characteristics comparable to wood-based materials. The project proposes upcycling existing furniture by replacing worn components with nutshell-based surfaces.
Orma reimagines pine needles, an abundant agricultural by-product, as a valuable material resource. The team of Ines Ravagnani, Gülsüm Koç, Carloalberto Dusi, and Mete Sürmeli developed a biocomposite with properties ranging from leather-like flexibility to rubber-like resilience. This led to the design of a bio-based, biodegradable footwear outsole intended to address microplastic pollution from conventional soles.
Rice Waste and Seafood By-Products
Trice transforms rice-production by-products like husk, bran, starch, fibre, and broken grains into 100 per cent compostable biomaterials. The project, by Josephine Plaum, Juliette Desertot, Matilde Reviglio, and Nicola Sdrubolini, uses no external binders. Prototypes demonstrate versatility, from rigid packaging components to flexible bioplastic films for sealing.
Scravita transforms salmon bones, skin, and scales collected from local Japanese restaurants into regenerative materials. The student team, including Chuyue Zhang and Junshuo Cui, explored the structural, translucent, and fluorescent qualities of the seafood by-products through cleaning, enzymatic treatment, and thermal modification. The project's final application is the Salmorph lamp, a softly glowing cube where fluorescent scales animate the surface under light.
The school statement says these projects highlight an emerging field rooted in interdisciplinary collaboration and ecological thinking. They embody the Madetrans vision of materials design for transition. The final application is the Salmorph lamp from the Scravita project, a cube where heat-treated salmon scales create a fluorescent, animated surface.
