Studio Raw Material: Turning Marble Waste into Sculptural Masterpieces
Studio Raw Material
Founded by Dushyant Bansal and Priyanka Sharma, both graduates of the Royal College of Art, Studio Raw Material has set out to redefine the way we perceive and use marble. With studios operating between Jaipur and London, this innovative design practice draws on the cultural, geographic, and historical context of materials—transforming discarded marble off-cuts into extraordinary sculptural works.
By tapping into the inherent beauty of marble, Studio Raw Material's ethos is built around a no-waste philosophy, where every peculiar-shaped off-cut, often considered valueless, is turned into something remarkable. Their practice shifts marble from a luxury surface material used in wall-cladding and flooring into a medium for intricate, one-off sculptures, lamps, side tables, and even architectural spaces—all created with the material's natural imperfections in mind.
The Beauty in Off-Cuts
The process of marble quarrying, reveals the rigid and geometric extraction of marble blocks, typically destined for large-scale architectural applications. However, in this mechanised world of precision cutting, off-cuts of irregular shapes are often discarded—cast aside as remnants of the process. It is these overlooked pieces that become the foundation of Studio Raw Material’s work.
A No-Waste Approach to Sculptural Design
Studio Raw Material’s commitment to sustainability extends beyond repurposing marble off-cuts, incorporating even the finest stone dust, a by-product of the cutting process, into their designs. By embracing the imperfections and fragments typically discarded, the studio challenges the conventional desire for marble to be singular, solid, and pristine. Instead, they celebrate the beauty of waste, crafting objects that are purposefully fragmentary. The materials—often collected from construction sites or discarded piles at suppliers—are transformed into functional art, embodying the studio’s ethos of reducing waste and elevating what’s overlooked.
A Collection of Singular Objects
Their range includes pieces that span sculptural objects, unique lighting solutions, and statement furniture pieces. What sets these designs apart is not only their aesthetic value but the way they challenge conventional ideas of what marble can be used for. In reimagining off-cuts as a medium for high-end design, Studio Raw Material blurs the lines between art and functionality, creating objects that are as much about form as they are about material storytelling.
Studio Raw Material’s approach to marble represents a broader trend in design, one that values material sustainability and rethinks the use of natural resources. By working exclusively with marble and its by-products, Bansal and Sharma highlight both the beauty and contradictions of this ancient material. Their work not only honours the geography of the quarry but also comments on the socio-economic forces that influence how we perceive and use natural resources.
Without the use of adhesives, their creations pay homage to traditional joinery, standing as a metaphor for how ancient techniques can coexist with contemporary design sensibilities. It’s an exploration that is as much about the journey of the material as it is about its final form.
WEBSITE | https://www.studiorawmaterial.com/
INSTAGRAM | https://www.instagram.com/studiorawmaterial
EMAIL | hi@studiorawmaterial.com
