Waste from a building, business or manufacturing process can become much more than recycled content hidden within a new material. Used thoughtfully, it can become part of the identity of an interior: a visible connection between an organisation, its activities and the space it occupies.

At Spared, we work with architects, interior designers and their clients to transform the waste generated by their projects into refined furniture, surfaces and objects. This might be construction waste removed from a site, a by-product of manufacturing, or something generated through the everyday operation of a business.

The waste itself gives each project its own material language. Rather than disguising its origin, we look for ways to retain and communicate it through the finished design.

What types of waste are suitable for design projects?

Many waste streams have the potential to be used within a design project, provided we understand what the material is, where it has come from and whether it can be safely processed.

We have worked with materials including:

For Aviva, we transformed rubble removed during the construction of its new workplace into the surface of a reception desk. For room2 Belfast, plastic bottles collected from the building were used to create its reception desk. At Tate Modern, waste coffee grounds from the gallery’s café became part of a collection of tables and serving pieces, while waste oyster shell was used to create a distinctive cash desk for Fortnum & Mason.

Circular Design at Corner, Tate Modern- Tables made with Coffee and shell by Spared
Tables made from coffee grounds and oyster shell waste for Tate Modern

What makes these materials valuable is not simply that they contain waste. Their provenance gives the finished piece a direct relationship with the place or organisation it belongs to.

Not every waste stream will be appropriate for every application. Before proposing a route, we consider:

  • The known composition and provenance of the waste
  • Whether it contains contaminants or hazardous substances
  • The quantity available
  • How consistently that waste will be generated
  • Whether it can be cleaned, sorted, shredded or otherwise processed
  • The required strength, finish and performance of the final piece
  • The environment in which it will be used

This initial assessment helps us establish whether the material is suitable and how it might best be elevated through design.

What information do designers need to provide?

There are two main ways that designers work with us.

  1. In some projects, the client has a waste stream but does not yet know what it could become. In this case, the waste forms the starting point. We assess it, explore suitable applications and develop a design in response to its particular qualities.
  2. In other projects, the architect or interior designer already has a clear vision for a piece. We then work collaboratively to understand how the client’s waste can be incorporated while remaining as faithful as possible to the intended design.

At the beginning of a project, it is useful for us to receive:

  • Photographs and information about the waste
  • Details of its composition and original use
  • An approximate quantity, including whether it is a one-off or recurring waste stream
  • The design intent, mood boards and colour palette
  • Technical drawings and dimensions, where available
  • The intended location and use of the piece
  • Information about traffic, loading and expected wear
  • The programme, budget and installation requirements
  • Any required performance, maintenance or compliance criteria

We do not expect every detail to be resolved before the first conversation. Early involvement allows us to help identify what is possible before the design becomes too fixed.

Timescales and constraints to consider

The most important factor is forward planning.

We are often approached after a site has been cleared and the demolition waste has already been removed. By that stage, materials such as masonry, tiles, cables and existing fittings may no longer be available for recovery.

If there is an ambition to reuse material from the site, this should be discussed with the client and project team before demolition begins. Suitable waste can then be identified, separated and removed carefully rather than entering a mixed skip. Storage and transportation can also be considered as part of the wider project programme.

This conversation may need to happen a year or more before the furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E) package is delivered. Although that feels early, it creates far more opportunity to make the building’s own material part of its future interior.

Once we have received the waste and agreed the direction, a typical Spared project takes approximately eight to ten weeks. However, timescales are always assessed project by project and will depend on:

  • The complexity and scale of the design
  • The processing required
  • Sampling and approval stages
  • The quantity of material available
  • Our workshop schedule
  • External fabrication requirements
  • Delivery and installation arrangements

The more technically complex or highly curved a piece is, the more development it may require. Designing with waste is not about forcing an unfamiliar material into a predetermined form. The best results come from allowing its qualities and limitations to inform the design.

How does waste become a stable, refined material?

There is no single formula because different waste streams behave in very different ways.

We begin with material research and sampling to establish how the waste can be cleaned, processed, graded and combined. Depending on the material and intended application, we may work with a mineral-based composite, a bio-based resin system or a plastic fabrication process. With certain plastic waste streams, we can create pieces made entirely from recycled plastic.

The material route is determined by what the finished piece needs to do. A decorative object, table surface and commercial reception desk all have different requirements.

This technical development is only one part of the process. Refinement also comes through design and craftsmanship: carefully controlling the scale and distribution of aggregate, developing the colour, resolving edges and junctions, sanding and finishing the surface, and producing samples so that the material can be reviewed before fabrication begins.

We do not believe that something should look unresolved simply because it has been made from waste. Our aim is to retain the material’s story while giving the finished piece the quality, function and longevity expected within a considered interior.

Sustainable Retail Design at Fortnum & Mason - fixtures made from shell waste
Salvaged oyster shell till point for Fortnum & Mason

When are waste-based materials not appropriate?

Part of working responsibly with waste is being honest about where our current materials should not be specified.

We do not currently recommend our composite surfaces for flooring. They do not carry the fire-rating and slip-resistance certification required for many commercial flooring applications.

We also do not generally recommend our pieces for permanent outdoor use. Exposure to rain, frost, UV light and changes in temperature creates additional performance requirements that our current material systems have not been developed to meet.

Tea points, coffee stations and surfaces that experience occasional splashes can usually be considered. However, we do not recommend our materials for persistently wet areas, such as showers or immediately around sinks, where they may require greater sealing and ongoing maintenance.

Suitability will always depend on the particular waste stream, material system and application. We would rather guide a designer towards an appropriate use than make a material claim that cannot be supported in practice.

How does this fit into real-world projects?

Working with client-supplied waste does not need to sit outside the normal design and procurement process. It can be incorporated into a live commercial project through clear stages:

  1. Identify the opportunity: Consider what the client or site currently discards and what material will arise during strip-out or construction.
  2. Secure the waste: Separate, document and store it before it enters the conventional waste system.
  3. Define the application: Decide whether the waste will inform the design or be developed in response to an existing design concept.
  4. Develop and sample: Test the material, produce colour and finish samples, and agree the most appropriate route.
  5. Resolve the design: Coordinate dimensions, structure, detailing, performance and installation with the wider project team.
  6. Fabricate and install: Make the final piece using the approved material and design.
Recycled plastic desk for Room2, Belfast by Spared
Recycled plastic bottle reception desk for room2 Belfast hotel

The result might be a reception desk containing rubble from the building it welcomes people into, furniture incorporating plastic generated by a client’s operations, or serving pieces made with coffee grounds collected from the café in where they will be used.

These pieces function as part of an interior, but they also make an otherwise invisible material story tangible. They allow people to see what has been retained, where it came from and why it mattered.

For us, that is where working with client-supplied waste becomes most powerful. It is not simply a substitute material or a recycled-content statistic. It becomes a meaningful part of the design: specific to the client, rooted in the project and made to remain useful for many years.