For the past three years, Nicolas Zanoni has been experimenting with expanded polystyrene, seeking to transform this waste product into a recycled material. Visits to polystyrene production plants have deepened his understanding of the material and its production cycle, which is often limited to landfill or export to other countries.
Seeing untapped potential in this material, he began experimenting with different ways of reusing it. By heating polystyrene blocks, he discovered that these could revert to their plastic state and fuse, creating homogeneous sheets. With the help of recycling specialist Bel Albatros, he used a heat press to produce unique marbled sheets, thanks to the material's natural reaction. He also explored other heating techniques to vary the effects.
He treats polystyrene as a noble material, sculpting, burning, and carving it in the manner of traditional materials. This process reveals its aesthetic potential, both architecturally and sculpturally.
