Tetris shelves

What it does

The project proposes the reuse of stone material residues, maximizing the use of waste and reducing production waste through the creation of wall-mounted furniture for space organization, designed to be industrially reproducible

Your inspiration

The idea stems from the fact that the waste produced annually by the stone industry—ranging from irregular or defective blocks to fragments and dust resulting from processing—is currently only partially reused in recycling processes, while also involving high economic and environmental costs. After cataloguing the pieces, the most suitable solution for their reuse appeared to be the creation of small kitchen shelves made with interchangeable components

How it works

The shelf features a modular and reconfigurable design. This system offers a wide range of combinations thanks to the availability of shelf boards in various lengths (from 60 to 120 cm) and a depth of 15 cm, as well as attachment elements in different shapes and thicknesses (1 and 2 cm). The boards are designed with cuts and slots that allow the attachments to be inserted and locked into place. These elements can either be inserted from the bottom through a slot parallel to the long side of the shelf, or interlocked via cuts parallel to the short side. The shelf is anchored to the wall from the top using the 1 cm thick attachments, which are equipped with an omega-shaped metal component glued to the back. This piece compensates for the gap between the hole in the shelf board and the wall, ensuring greater stability. The 2 cm thick attachments, by contrast, feature simple holes for direct mounting

Design process

Nerosicilia already engages in the reuse of its materials, but it produces only unique, one-off pieces. As a result, this activity alone is not sufficient to manage all of its waste. Our goal was to design a simple object that could be industrially reproduced. The first challenge we faced was the size of the waste material: often small, not always regular in shape, and sometimes available only in limited quantities. The best solution, therefore, was to design a modular object with interchangeable parts—so that in case of breakage, a damaged piece could be replaced without compromising the overall functionality. Another major issue was figuring out how to allow for the interchangeability of parts despite the presence of metal attachments on the back. We also aimed to ensure that these elements remained hidden from the front. The solution involved drilling a section of the shelf and attaching omega-shaped hooks to the back in one case, or drilling directly into the attachment piece in another—depending on the specific part in question

How it is different

Through prior research, we did not find any existing products that repurpose lava stone waste in the same way. In the case studies we examined, the attachment elements were typically made from different materials, with only the shelf board itself made of stone. In contrast, in our design, even the attachment components are made from production scraps, making full use of the available waste material

Future plans

The next steps for the project involve optimizing the assembly system to facilitate industrial-scale production. We also hope to engage in discussions with the company NeroSicilia to assess the technical feasibility of producing the pieces using their current waste materials. In the future, we aim to transform the project into a line of products that are replicable and adaptable to various living environments, promoting a new vision of material reuse and demonstrating how waste can become valuable resources through modular and sustainable design

Awards