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The fine vertices of a spider’s web––all carefully placed, one by one, delineate a network of connection from its creator. As humans we find ourselves in a web of our own making, our age increasingly defined by the scale and speed of our impact on Earth. Scientists now refer to this moment as the “Anthropocene,” a geological period marked by human activity that drastically altered the planet’s systems. The materials we create – plastics, metals, pigments, construction debris – have become so widespread that they now exist as a permanent layer within the environment itself.
Nature, however, is not passive. Over time it absorbs, transforms and reconstitutes these materials, creating strange new assemblages where the lines between human invention and natural process begin to blur. Researchers have come to refer to these remnants of our technological age as “techno relics”—fragments of the built world that persist within geological and ecological cycles.
It is in this context that Fences + Profnew projects from Sumer Singh of THAROUtake shape Drawing from both historical craft traditions and contemporary materials research, the pieces explore how discarded materials could be reabsorbed into new forms of design. Singh’s work reflects a growing movement among architects and designers who are rethinking how construction, computation and material experimentation can respond to the environmental realities of the Anthropocene.
The work is based on a centuries-old technique: Scagliola, developed in Renaissance Italy. Derived from the Italian word ‘scaglia’, meaning ‘chip’, the method was originally devised to imitate marble inlay. By combining plaster of Paris, glue, and pigments, artisans could produce convincing stone surfaces for columns, sculptures, and architectural elements without the enormous labor of mining and carving marble.
Singh reinterprets this art through what he calls Neo-Scagliola. Instead of traditional plaster and animal glue, the mix replaces these ingredients with cement, basalt fibers and latex paint scraps collected from construction sites. In this way, the technique absorbs materials that might otherwise be discarded, incorporating fragments of contemporary building culture directly into the work itself. The resulting surfaces bear subtle traces of their origins – layers of pigment, flecks of color and suspended fragments reminiscent of the echoing geological formations.
The graphic side panel explores this process through form. A conical base rises upwards before dissolving into a hexagonal plane, the geometry gently shifting as if shaped by gradual forces. Beneath the satin-polished surface, tiny flecks of color reveal the presence of recycled pigments and dyes, hinting at the hidden stories of material enclosed within.
In contrast, the Prov Coffee Table takes a quieter stance. A half-sphere intersects with the structural clarity of a cylinder, creating a profile that feels grounded yet sculptural. The polished surface reveals fine graining and tonal depth within the material itself, giving the impression of a geological cross-section – layers of time compressed into a single object.
Together, the pieces function as both furniture and material experiments. They demonstrate how historic craft processes can be reinterpreted through modern manufacturing methods, including digital milling molds and CNC manufacturing techniques that allow complex forms to be rendered with precision.
Ultimately, Plote and Prov pose a broader question: what happens when designers treat waste not as an end point, but as raw material for future creation? As architecture and design increasingly address sustainability, the most exciting solutions may come from those willing to revisit forgotten techniques and merge them with modern technology.
To know more about Plote and Prov from Sumer Singh of MTHARU visit mtharu.com.
Photo courtesy of Sumer Singh.
