RITUALS

Coffee is one of the most widely consumed plant-based products across the world, about 2.25 billion cups of coffee are consumed every day worldwide. Whether as first drink in the morning, a soothing cup during the day or a final drink after a meal in the evening, coffee is omnipresent in everyday life. With countless rituals tied to the daily consumption of coffee, this drink—perhaps more than any other—holds deep significance across cultures, symbolizing community, ritual, and moments of conviviality.

However, coffee also has a significant carbon footprint. This is largely due to the land use and water consumption of coffee production, and glo- bal transport from producers to consumers. Acknowledging both its value and its environmental cost, we have a responsibility to consume coffee consciously and to rethink its lifecycle, not only as a final product but through the many waste streams its production and consumption generate.

This installation explores and reuses three key waste outputs from coffee consumption (water, coffee grounds, and aluminum packaging) each shared across various users and in public, residential and productive spaces.

While coffee is often associated with speed and productivity in a capitalist context, this project reimagines it as a ritualistic pause, a gentle transition between the structured demands of daily and the oneiric state.

The installation takes the form of a small, suspended volume: a soft, translucent cocoon that momentarily disconnects you from the outside world. It offers a sensory, tactile experience whose materiality suggests both fragility and protection: the shell is made of a bio-composite membrane, combining coffee grounds with sodium alginate.

Inside the shelter, the objects present carry a dual function: one ambiguous and poetic, linked to the oneiric realm; the other more practical and grounded. Next to a pouf made from recycled aluminum coffee packaging, a series of modular objects is displayed.

Cast with a mix of rose pine and coffee grounds, each mug features a textured surface reminiscent of coffee granules. The mugs can be stacked into sculptural totems and are inspired by different elements of coffee rituals: sugar, coffee, and water “shot”. The other object, shaped like a moka filter, serves as a vessel for coffee grounds to activate smell, evoking distant memories and feelings. It can also be used as a flower bou- quet holder.

All objects are designed using the human hand as a “modulor,” emphasizing the importance of touch and the intimate gesture of holding a warm mug.

Each element of the installation explores the use of various coffee-related waste materials, combined with different natural binders such as sodium alginate and pine resin.

The panels are made from a mixture of leftover coffee water and sodium alginate. The aim was to cast large, partially transparent surfaces with organic patterns, evoking a sense of shelter that gently obscures the surrounding environment. This effect enhances the feeling of quietness and protection, while also recalling the lightness and fluidity of liquid.

For the ephemeral objects, I chose pine resin for its compatibility with coffee grounds and beeswax. This combination allows the material to re- tain the rich texture and intensity of the grounds, giving the pieces form and substance.
The pouf is crafted from used aluminum coffee packaging, a material I found particularly compelling for its reflective qualities. Its ability to catch and play with light creates subtle, dynamic effects within the space, adding an unexpected visual layer to the installation.

This installation underscores the importance of slowing down, reinterpreting coffee not as a symbol of productivity, but as a meaningful daily ritual. By reimagining what remains after use, the project creates a space for reflection, intimacy, and ritual, demonstrating how materials, even beyond their conventional lifecycle, can retain beauty, purpose, and emotional depth.