Max Lamb Elevates Cardboard: Box Exhibition at Gallery FUMI
Cardboard—the humble material we often discard without a second thought—becomes the star in British designer Max Lamb’s latest exhibition, Box, currently showing at Gallery FUMI in London. This bold showcase transforms 33 pieces of reclaimed cardboard into functional furniture: from dining tables and sofas to 23 unique chairs. Lamb invites us to see cardboard not as waste, but as a primary, expressive medium.
From Secondary to Signature Material
For nearly 20 years, Lamb has quietly explored cardboard in his studio. Box marks a turning point. “It’s taken me nearly 20 years … to see it more as a primary material rather than always a secondary one,” Lamb explains. Every piece is made from his own cardboard waste—shipping cartons, toilet-roll cores, contact-lens boxes—creating a personal archive of material reuse.
Pure, Plastic-Free Construction
Lamb’s furniture is built without nails, screws, or plastic. Instead, he uses:
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Homemade flour-and-water paste as a sustainable adhesive
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Mineral-pigment linseed oil paint for subtle accents
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No synthetic finishes: all components are plant-based and biodegradable
Repairable by Design: A Circular Domestic Economy
Each object in Box is repairable with basic household materials: cardboard, flour, and water. Lamb envisions a furniture lifecycle where care and maintenance are user-led: “You just need some extra cardboard boxes and some flour out of your baking cupboard.” This reflects a powerful shift toward circular design and sustainable furniture.
Strength in Simplicity: Structural Ingenuity
Despite the perceived fragility of cardboard, Lamb’s designs are structurally bold:
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Retaining original box forms, stacked to form frames
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Internal cardboard lattices as load-bearing cores
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Papier-mâché layering (up to 15 layers) for surface strength
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Innovative carving: eg. a chair from a rolled log of cardboard
Nothing is wasted. Every piece of scrap is reincorporated into the design, reinforcing Lamb’s ethos of upcycling and resource efficiency.
A New Direction in Eco-Conscious Design
Previously associated with industrial materials like polystyrene, Max Lamb’s shift to cardboard reflects growing environmental awareness in design. Box is a radical reinterpretation of material potential—plant-based, plastic-free, and rooted in circularity.
Why Box Matters
Box isn’t just a furniture exhibition; it’s a manifesto for sustainable design and material humility:
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Circular furniture design: crafted to be repaired, reused, and remain in homes
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Eco-friendly craftsmanship: zero plastic, 100% plant-derived
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Material innovation: cardboard elevated to a sculptural and functional medium
By drawing attention to what’s already underfoot—in our recycling bins—Lamb asks us to see design possibilities in everyday waste.
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