kathryn larsen reintroduces seaweed: the forgotten building material of the future #storyofdesign

people by the design story

seaweed is one of the ocean’s greatest hidden gems. their presence provides nutrients, shelter, and protection to the marine ecosystem. they sway and dance gracefully to where the water flows.

not many of us are familiar with seaweed when it comes to building material. throughout the years, we have been exposed to its common functions as food, beauty products, fertilizers, and sustainable alternatives to plastic packaging and fabric designs. but who knows that seaweed can become a solution to environmental issues of today.

this is where kathryn larsen, a beautiful young designer with a humble thought of creating a livable future, re-introduces seaweed. its long-lost history and the possibility of using the material as an alternative to synthetic building material that we use a lot today are amongst what we will discuss in this story of design series.

we go back to history

“when i first found out about the material, i learnt that eelgrass was used back in the 19th century…