WaterNest 100: Giancarlo Zema's floating home

A floating house. With wood, cardboard, aluminum: all recycled materials. It is about WaterNest 100, a one hundred square meter ecological housing unit, designed by the Roman architect and designer Giancarlo Zema.

WATERNEST 100 HOUSEBOAT

Outside, balconies extend along the sides and, thanks to large windows, offer captivating views of the water. The wooden roof features skylights for the bathroom and kitchen, as well as 60 square meters of photovoltaic panels capable of generating 4 kWp for the unit's internal energy needs.

HOUSE WITH RECYCLED CARDBOARD

Zema has always worked with recycled cardboard. Cardboard is one of the most common packaging materials, a material that is part of everyday life: from shopping to moving to shipping our favorite products from online shops, but then they are thrown away. And yet the cardboard has a potential to be explored, as taught by Roman architect Giancarlo Zema, who created an entire collection from recycled honeycomb cardboard. A solution that allows you to reconcile your passion for design and love of comfort with a touch of nature in your everyday life.

Honeycomb cardboard is composed of a honeycomb structure made of corrugated cardboard. The fundamental property of this type of cardboard is its 100% recyclability. The Canyon collection by architect Zema therefore embraces the anti-waste philosophy, representing a perfect example of the circular economy. The inspiration for the collection's title is the Grand Canyon in the United States. Indeed, it was the Grand Canyon's sculptural lines and attractive layers that inspired the sinuosity of this solution's everyday furniture pieces.

FURNISHINGS MADE WITH RECYCLED CARDBOARD

The collection, consisting of a table, chair, armchair, coffee table, bookcase, and floor lamp, is made entirely of recycled cardboard. The mission is to draw inspiration from nature to create creative interior design solutions that are not only pleasing to the eye, but also eco-friendly. For anyone who wants to furnish a eco-friendly environment, this could be the perfect solution.

One of the strengths of these products is their longevity: the life cycle of the pieces in this collection is practically infinite. The parts of each piece in the collection are interchangeable: if a table leg breaks, it can be reintroduced in future production processes to create a new and unique high-design product. Thus, the simplicity of a "poor" material gives life to true works of design and furniture.

OTHER IDEAS FOR RECYCLING CARDBOARD:

• Creative Recycling: How to Build a DIY Kitchen for Kids with Cardboard Boxes | Photo
• Paper and cardboard recycling: the "Salvacarta" project in Milan is running in 360 elementary and middle schools.
• DIY cardboard lamp made from recycled pasta boxes