TRASH ARCHIVE
PLASTIC MATTER
NOTHING NEW
Landfill Pavilion.
Format: Temporary installation
Comissioner: Malmö Stad
Year: 2026
Material: Plastic waste, pinewood
Landfill Pavilion was developed for Malmö Garden Show 2026, where the theme was colourful upcycling. Drawing inspiration from compressed waste bales - dense formations that evoke a dystopian future - the installation explores the transformation of discarded plastic into sculptural forms.
The cubes are made exclusively from post-consumer plastic packaging collected throughout Malmö. Traces of their previous lives - fragments of labels, colours and forms - remain visible, creating an unexpected aesthetic from materials ordinarily overlooked or discarded. Made from a single polymer family, the cubes are designed with material recovery in mind.
Landfill Pavilion was realised in collaboration with Vink Essåplast, REMONDIS and Van Werven.
In the short term, plastic fragments into microplastics that have been found in ecosystems across the globe, as well as in the human body, where their long-term effects are still not fully understood. In the longer term, plastic has become so widespread that some researchers suggest it may form a geological trace of human activity—sometimes referred to as a future “plastic layer”.
Landfill Pavilion draws attention to the sheer volume of plastic packaging consumed and discarded every day, while exploring plastic waste as a versatile material with unexpected aesthetic potential. Materials that are usually overlooked are brought to the forefront, transformed into sculptural forms that are both striking and unsettling.
Landfill Pavilion exists in the tension between attraction and discomfort. By aestheticizing waste without concealing its origin, the work invites reflection: What do we see when we look at plastic? And what do we choose not to see?
Building the structure
Enclosed in GREEN CAST® acrylic boxes to contain loose plastic fragments and highlight their sculptural qualities, the cubes are arranged within a modular timber structure that visitors can walk through and experience from within.
The modular timber structure was designed to give the cubes centre stage, using as little material as possible to minimise resource consumption while keeping the construction lightweight and visually minimal.
Designed for easy assembly and disassembly, the structure can be transported, reused and adapted to different configurations. The dark-stained timber blends into the lush surroundings, allowing the cubes to stand out against the greenery. Custom-designed, 3D-printed connectors hold the cubes at varying heights, creating a dynamic arrangement while maintaining the structure’s clean, understated expression.
Collaborators
Vink Essåplast Group
REMONDIS Sweden
Van Werven Sweden
Special Thanks to
City of Malmö cleaning staff | Naturkompaniet | Big Hair Mama | Nikita Hair | Genko Hårdesign | Bastards Burgers | Xperience Lailas Luxury Salon | Klippstudion | Atelier Allora | Epic Hair | Mister York | MJ’s
…for putting up with our weekly, unsolicited visits and contributing to sustainable design by donating plastic waste.