Furniture Fights Climate Change

Furniture that Cleans the Air, Catches the Sun & Stores Carbon

29-Aug-2025

How furniture & furnishings are evolving to meet environmental and climate challenges


It might sound like a bold or even wacky idea, but it's already taking shape. Across the world, designers, manufacturers, craftspeople, and material innovators are rethinking what furniture and furnishings can be -- not just to sit on or decorate with, but a genuine tool for environmental resilience and positive change.


Among today's most innovative furniture designs are those that go beyond aesthetics or function. They're designed to generate clean energy, improve air quality, adapt to changing conditions, and even help remove carbon from the atmosphere.


In this article -- Part 2 in our 'Furniture in Times of Climate Change' series -- we delve into the transformative potential of climate-responsive furniture and furnishings in fostering sustainable, resilient, and healthier living environments. Building on foundational concepts introduced in Part 1, which discussed how furniture can help us mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change, this article now aims to present a variety of examples that illustrate innovative design approaches from around the globe.


These examples challenge traditional definitions of furniture and furnishings -- from textiles that harness energy to materials engineered to absorb pollution. Some of these initiatives are still prototypes, while others are already making a tangible impact in our living spaces. 


Together, they represent a significant shift in how we design, produce, and inhabit environments in response to a rapidly changing planet.


With a speculative vision and design approach, furniture becomes a living system — embedded with solar cells, air-purifying surfaces, and responsive materials that adapt to sunlight, wind, and pollution.


1. Furniture that Generates its Own Energy


Furniture is increasingly perceived as a platform for energy generation and storage, and smart regulation, which means automatically and intelligently monitoring and adjusting to specific conditions such as temperature, lighting, air quality, or energy flows. Let us walk you through some examples, such as desks that can charge phones and lamps that power themselves from sunlight.


Solar Benches by Hello Wood Studio



Hello Wood Studio’s Fluid Cube - solar-powered benches that generate electricity for charging and connectivity.


Hello Wood created a series of public benches - Fluid Cube and City Snake - that do more than offer a place to sit. Commissioned by MVM Hungarian Electricity Private Limited Company (MVM), each bench is fitted with solar panels that absorb sunlight and convert it into energy, powering USB charging ports, WiFi hotspots, and integrated lighting. The benches are modular, allowing for easy adaptation to different spaces such as schools, parks, or transport hubs. 



Hello Wood Studio's “City Snake” - solar-powered benches that generate electricity for charging and connectivity.




Both Fluid Cube and City Snake turn passive public seating into active energy stations. In communities with unreliable power access or in urban settings seeking low-impact infrastructure, these solar benches contribute to practical, low-emission solutions. They also raise awareness that furniture can support public services, not just provide comfort. Hello Wood Studio’s outdoor benches could also inspire the design of indoor furniture.


Recent advances in low-light photovoltaic technology enable indoor furniture to serve as a discreet, distributed source of renewable electricity for low-power applications. The consistent performance of this technology, however, depends on the placement of the furniture - specifically, its proximity to windows or light sources - as well as on the availability of ambient light.


Solar Textiles by Pauline van Dongen



Designer Pauline van Dongen's Suntex project integrates organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells into textiles.


In an exciting innovation in the realm of textiles, designer Pauline van Dongen's Suntex project integrates organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells into fabrics and materials. In short, solar cells are integrated -- not glued or laminated -- into the weave, which means that their parts can be replaced or upgraded as new solar technology emerges. 


This textile is also weather-resistant and can withstand environmental conditions like UV exposure and wind. It is suitable for facades, canopies, and tensile architectures -- including indoor shading systems and possibly future soft furnishings and furniture exposed to sunlight -- near windows or outdoors.



Solar technology is built into the weave itself, creating a durable, repairable surface for facades, canopies, and tensile architecture.


The Sunne Solar Light by Marjan van Aubel



Sunne Solar Light by Marjan van Aubel.


Dutch Designer Marjan van Aubel is on a mission to accelerate a shift towards "Solar Democracy: solar energy for everyone, everywhere."⁣


Marjan, who calls herself a 'solar designer,’ believes every surface has an opportunity to harvest the sun's energy. It is possible to infuse energy into buildings and objects to enhance their functionality and transform their appearance, putting into practice what she defines as 'solar design.'


Marjan's Sunne Solar Light exemplifies this vision. By day, Sunne harvests energy; by night, it illuminates interiors. It doesn't require any external power source or installation -- no wires, no plugs, no switches, just the sun, a window, and a sleek design.



Sunne Solar Light by Marjan van Aubel harvests solar energy during the day.


Sunne challenges the idea that solar energy needs to be hidden, complicated, or industrial. It makes the process of harvesting and using solar power feel simple, elegant, and human-scale. In doing so, it helps shift public perception, showing that clean energy can be part of our daily lives.


Similarly, Aubel recently designed "The Current Table" to harness energy indoors with integrated dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) that utilize color properties to generate an electrical current. This is similar to how plants use green chlorophyll to convert sunlight into energy. 





The Current Table by Marjan van Aubel.


2. Furniture Co-designed with Nature


Some designers are exploring how to co-design with nature, highlighting how the environment shapes our world and inviting us to value slowness, variability, and presence in how things are made.


The Idea of a Tree by mischer’traxler studio



mischer’traxler studio’s ‘Idea of a Tree’ project turns the production of furniture into storytelling shaped entirely by sunlight.


The Idea of a Tree project turns the production of furniture into storytelling shaped entirely by sunlight. At the heart is a solar-powered machine that makes long, tubular forms from coloured thread and resin. These forms are then turned into benches, lamps, or vessels. What's unique is that the machine only runs when the sun is shining -- and the way it runs depends on how intense the light is:


  • On bright days, the machine works quickly, producing thicker, lighter segments
  • On cloudy days, it slows down, creating thinner, darker segments
  • At sunset, the machine stops completely


Variations in shape and color within each piece of furniture reflect the changes in sunlight throughout the day. The final furniture piece serves as a physical representation of the day's weather. This process not only utilizes renewable energy but also incorporates a narrative of the environment and time into furniture itself. "Our furniture,” explains the studio, “addresses the climatic and environmental factors of the surrounding area."



In this image, mischer’traxler studio offers guidelines to reading its bench. Each variation in shape and color reflects changes in sunlight hour by hour.



mischer’traxler studio uses solar-powered machines that record and respond to daily sunlight levels to create tubular furniture such as benches, lamps, or vessels.


In countries with abundant rainfall, for instance, objects would be darker and thinner, while in sunnier regions, objects would be paler but thicker. This 'embedded information' holds the potential to provide designers and manufacturers with profound insights into the interplay between production and local realities -- inspiring new, targeted approaches to address sustainability and climate change locally. Material choices or production techniques, for instance, could be tailored to specific climate and regions, helping to minimize waste, reduce carbon footprints, or adapt products for greater longevity in each context. It's a powerful reminder that design can be a mirror for the climate, not just a fix.




The same piece of furniture, when made in Austria or Ecuador, would turn out differently. Seasonal variations – such as  changes in sunlight -- also leave visible traces, making each object a reflection of its place and time.



mischer'traxler studio questions “how, from all the different trees, the outcome - in this case a chair - always looks the same?”




3. Climate-Adaptive Furniture Design for Resilience and Well-being


As climate change leads to increasingly extreme weather, higher humidity, and increased pollution, furniture must evolve to provide comfort, promote health, and enhance well-being.


SIT TOGETHER by Topotek 1 and MDT-tex



The SIT TOGETHER bench is not just a place to sit -- it's a climate-adaptive structure designed to respond to different weather conditions.


As the climate becomes hotter and more unpredictable, furniture -- especially in public spaces -- needs to do more than look good. It needs to help us cope with environmental variations while using low-tech, energy-free solutions whenever possible.


One compelling example is the SIT TOGETHER bench, a collaborative project by Topotek 1 and MDT-tex. It’s not just a place to sit -- it's a climate-adaptive structure designed to respond to different weather conditions.


One side of the bench is made with dark materials that absorb warmth on cold days. The other side uses light materials that reflect heat and stay cool in the sun. At the centre is a passive cooling tower that draws in air and helps regulate the temperature around the bench -- without using electricity.




The bench’s cooling system is inspired by Persian badgirs, also known as wind catchers. These ancient architectural elements were designed to naturally ventilate buildings in hot climates. They work by catching cooler breezes and directing them inside, while allowing hot air to rise and escape through vertical openings (see pictures below).



Persian badgirs –  also known as wind catchers |  Source: AFP



Iran’s ancient ‘wind catchers’ beat the heat naturally | Source: AFP



theBreath by Anemotech


Anemotech (based in Italy) has created "theBreath," the first fabric that traps and eliminates indoor pollution, turning it into clean air. 


As polluting particles contained in the air -- such as VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) -- pass through the fabric, the fabric's nanomolecules capture and break down these particles. It is a passive process that harnesses the natural movement of air. In this way, it is entirely sustainable, requiring no energy. The fabric applications extend to furniture, wall panels, and accessories, providing better indoor air for homes and offices. 



theBreath is a fabric that quietly filters harmful particles from the air -- no electricity needed.



Tecno collaboration with Anemotech has integrated high-performance theBreath textiles into its solutions, using it to cover the screens in the Clavis table system.


Japanese designer Kengo Kuma created an origami-like sculpture made with "theBreath" fabric for the exhibition "Design in the Age of Experience." The sculpture comprises 120 hand-folded panels that can absorb 90,000 cars’ worth of pollution.





Kengo Kuma’s origami-like sculpture made with ‘theBreath’ fabric.





4. Carbon-Negative Furniture beyond Greenwashing


The idea of carbon-negative furniture goes beyond carbon neutrality. It means furniture pieces that actively remove more CO2 from the atmosphere than they emit during their lifecycle. Amidst the buzz of carbon offsetting -- which can drift into greenwashing strategies -- some designers and architects are genuinely committed to integrating design with science and technology to achieve a meaningful impact through CO2 removal.


Picoplanktonics Furniture by the Living Room Collective



The Living Room Collective showcased Picoplanktonics -- a 3D-printed biostructure embedded with live cyanobacteria. 

From an exhibit in the Canada Pavilion at the 2025 Venice Biennale International Architecture Exhibition.


At the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025, the Living Room Collective showcased Picoplanktonics -- a prototype 3D-printed biostructure embedded with live cyanobacteria. These are tiny microorganisms that perform photosynthesis, just like plants. They capture CO2 and convert it into solid minerals, effectively sequestering carbon within their structure. The process is regenerative, mimicking natural cycles and offering a glimpse into a future in which furniture and furnishing could be alive, actively improving indoor and outdoor air quality and urban living. This day may not be as distant as one might think!


In a Changing Planet, a New Role for Furniture & Furnishings 


Furniture -- always a part of how we shape our spaces -- is now becoming part of how we shape our future.


The innovations we’ve shared here are more than isolated experiments -- we believe they signal a shift in how we think about everyday objects -- a shift from passive items to active participants in climate solutions. Whether through solar-powered benches, air-purifying textiles, or design processes influenced by sunlight, these projects challenge us to see furniture and furnishings in a new light. 


When the objects around us begin to clean the air, capture sunlight, or store carbon, they help shift our environments -- and our mindsets -- towards a more resilient future.


Though furniture may seem a small piece of the climate crisis puzzle, its potential is immense.

Until our next article, perhaps these case studies might inspire you to rethink the role of your own furniture -- and to envision a future in which every chair, table, and lamp is a small yet powerful force for environmental regeneration.


If you have any comments or questions, please reach out to us at [email protected]


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