SO-Colored
Exploring the potential of color in micro-algae
Micro-algae, found everywhere from water and rocky surfaces to roadsides and even inside homes, first emerged around 2.7 billion years ago. These microscopic organisms have played a vital role in shaping the Earth’s environment by producing oxygen and fostering biodiversity. Recent research has revealed their vast potential in applications such as CO2 absorption, alternative energy sources to petroleum, pharmaceuticals, and functional foods. SO-Colored is a research project that explores the unique “colors” of micro-algae. While they are commonly associated with green, algae display a rich diversity of greens and, depending on their species and growth conditions, can also produce vibrant reds, yellows, and blues. These natural hues are vivid and profound, unlike any other in the natural world. For this project, powdered micro-algae are blended with naturally derived resins to develop an original material, which is then used to craft furniture. This innovative approach seeks to uncover new possibilities for natural, sustainable colors.
*SO-Colored is a collaborative development project by we+ and Algal Bio Co., Ltd., utilizing algae powder developed by Algal Bio as a key coloring material.
Project Details
Product
ーSO-Colored reimagines the role of color in a world where synthetic dyes dominate, and renewable materials are often sidelined. It delivers something rare: a vision of vibrancy that is both profoundly natural and thoroughly sustainable, so first ethics and then aesthetics. The project’s synergy between cutting-edge science and design artistry underscores the importance of ecological care in contemporary creativity and how much we could really do with it. It reminds us that design is more than a discipline; it is a powerful translator, the only engine capable of transforming nature’s whispers into bold new expressions able to live with us.
With SO-Colored, the studio we+ envisions a future where the lines between the organic and the engineered blur, creating new possibilities for materials and stories alike. So new possibilities for us all. This is not merely a collection of objects or another exploration of biological pigments; it is a tribute to the potential that arises when nature is seen as both muse and collaborator. In the hands of we+, algae are transformed from the unnoticed into the magnificent, proving that even the smallest life forms can inspire a monumental change.
Design Curator and Author, Maria Cristina Didero
Process
