Living Interiors

In the Kortrijk region, we work together with 4 motivated designers from different disciplines and actors from the value chains of different crops to elaborate and refine the design methodologies. We do this by applying them concretely to our regional pilot case, where we get to work with 3 crops; miscanthus, flax and hemp.

Starting from the different crops, we will look for appropriate organic binders with which we can combine both to achieve semi-finished products. Based on this, the next step is to explore how we can in turn process these into interior applications. We specifically focus on applications for interior projects, as other partners mainly focus on construction. This way, we complement each other and can supply more options to the construction market.

What are the materials that you are investigating to use and why?

We will be working with miscanthus, flax and hemp in our region.

Flax is a crop that has a long history in our region. It is currently cultivated mainly for high-value textile applications. However, processing also creates several residual streams that may have potential for applications in (interior) construction.

Hemp and miscanthus are crops that have a limited but growing presence in our region and have promising properties for construction and interior applications. Construction applications are already being produced with hemp (like hempcrete blocks) and new possibilities are being further explored. For miscanthus, these are mainly first small initiatives.

What will be the timeline of the pilot?

We will start the design process in the beginning of 2025 and want to finish with concrete examples of interior applications by mid 2026.

What do you want to achieve with the pilot?

Our aim is to make bio-based, circular building materials more accessible and present, as a sustainable alternative to traditional, often polluting and non-reusable materials. This by providing (interior) architects and designers with the necessary tools to easily incorporate bio-based materials into their projects. This way, we want to empower designers in the bio-economy.