Knøv – Turning eelgrass into the furniture of the future
Rusty James Paul
Kolding School of Design
Knøv explores how eelgrass, a bio-based material deeply connected to Danish cultural heritage and the traditional seaweed roofs of Læsø, can be reimagined through contemporary design. Developed in collaboration with Søuld, who create and produce this eelgrass-based material for acoustic purposes, the project investigates how it can be extended beyond its current application through new manufacturing and production techniques. Informed by material exploration and references to classic Danish furniture design, Knøv takes the form of a chair. The chair emerged through iterative experimentation with different methods of shaping, manipulating, and forming eelgrass panels to understand their possibilities and limitations. Drawing from Danish furniture traditions centred around material honesty, craftsmanship, and form exploration, Knøv uses a recognisable object to open up new perspectives on how bio-based materials can be applied in contemporary design, while contributing to the broader discourse on sustainable design practices.