With a bit of creativity and green spirit, old washing machine drums have been transformed into stunning seating by Xavier Baghdadi and Lea Kradokian
From beautifully adorned tyres to trash theatres, Lebanon is really getting creative with its rubbish. Now, two green Lebanese designers have used old washing machine drums to make intricately decorated seats with lots of storage space inside. Which is just as well as Lebanon produces 4,000 tonnes of waste a day and only 10 percent of that is recycled. Whats more, 40 percent of all garbage generated is consigned to over 700 illegal and unsafe dump sites across the tiny nation.
According to Jennifer Hattam over at TreeHugger, Baghdadi and Kradokian first tried upcycling when they were invited by gallery owner Rania Choueiri to take part in a recycled art and design exhibition earlier this summer at L’Atelier Fanfreluche in Beirut’s Mar Mikhail neighbourhood. The exhibit, “Trashy Treasures,” featured furniture, accessories, sculpture, and art works by 18 different artists.
Scouring junkyards, Baghdadi and Kradokian used old washing machine drums for the latest designs which makes the most of traditional designs and modern, upcycling principles. Together the two designers form the collective ‘Junk Munkez’ which also sells a collection of playful planters made from scrapped car parts and kitchen utensils. Lea Kradokian in an email to Jennifer Hattam at TreeHugger said: “As a team we design with a green conscience, giving life to the lifeless heaps of Beirut’s rising metal mountains, in hopes of pushing other Lebanese designers to think green as well.”
::TreeHugger. Hat tip to Louise Sheridan.
Images via Xavier Baghdadi / Lea Kradokian
For more on recycling in Lebanon see:
Burning Tires the Bokja Way – A colourful protest against Beirut Pollution
Lebanon’s Trash Theatre (INTERVIEW)
Pop Art Jewellry Shakes Up Lebanese Fashionistas
Author: Arwa Aburawa
Arwa is a Muslim freelance writer who is interested in everything climate change related and how Islam can inspire more people to care for their planet and take active steps to save it while we can. She is endlessly suspicious of all politicians and their ceaseless meetings, especially as they make normal people believe that they are not part of the solution when they are the ONLY solution. Her Indian auntie is her model eco-warrier, and when Arwa is not busy helping out in the neighborhood alleyway garden, swap shopping or attempting fusion vegetarian dishes- with mixed success, she’d like to add- she can be found sipping on foraged nettle tea.
