Upcycling Project – Post 2

The fruit bowl I want to create for my upcycling project is a blend of organic fluidity and playful modernity,  incorporating unique curves, spirals, bubbly shapes, and wavy shapes to create a design that feels natural and futuristic. Inspired by multiple aesthetics like Blobjects, Memphis design, and Retro-Futurisim, the bowl will have a flowing sculptural form. It’s round and bulbous elements will make it feel lively and welcoming, and a bright color palette will add to its charm.

One of the challenges will be constructing this out of recycled materials while maintaining the fluidity of my design. Many upcycled materials, like old plastics, cardboard, or glass, tend to have rigid or angular forms. To achieve soft, undulating curves, I will be repurposing cardboard and layering them together, and using paper mache as a binding finish. Finding the right balance between stability and aesthetic fluidity will also be tricky; a bowl with exaggerated spirals and curves might be visually striking but could compromise functionality.

Another challenge will be achieving a smooth, high-quality finish. Recycled materials can be rough, uneven, or inconsistent in color, so I may need to sand, coat, or paint them to unify the look. A glossy or matte sealant could help create the sleek, “blobby” finish I’m aiming for, making the final product look more polished and intentional rather than obviously upcycled.

This project will require experimentation with form and material manipulation, but the result—a funky, organic, and vividly modern fruit bowl—will be well worth the challenge.

Here are some initial sketches of intriguing shapes and a concept sketch.

From my notebook.

Here is some inspiration from the web!

Flat Knot Bowl by Ronen Kadushin – minimalist, futuristic

Sol Fruit Bowl by Ettore Sottsass – Memphis

mediterraneo fruit bowl by Emma Silvestris – Aquatic, Modern