The designs of Souhaïb Ghanmi recycle discarded bones

Our Next Generation 2022 showcase shines a light on 22 outstanding graduates from around the globe, in seven creative fields. Here, we profile ECAL graduate Souhaïb Ghanmi

Light switches and electric sockets made from bone powder by Souhaib Ghanmi
(Image credit: Noé Cotter)

Swiss-Tunisian designer Souhaïb Ghanmi graduated with a bachelor's degree in industrial design from ECAL and is currently working with Danish ceramics brand Raawii. Ghanmi grew up with a passion for art and fashion and studied law, economics and art before being introduced to the world of design. 

Light switches and electric sockets made from bone powder

Light switches and electric sockets made from bone powder by Souhaib Ghanmi

(Image credit: Noé Cotter)

Ghanmi’s diploma project is titled Elos, and features a series of light switches and electric sockets made with a bone powder composite material. The socket’s design subtly nods to the material’s origins, its shape inspired by the articulation of a femur, while the switches are inspired by the form of bones. 

The designer wanted to look into the possibilities of a new, less explored material with sustainability credentials. As he observed his father’s family taking care of cattle, he explains, he noticed the amount of waste produced after the slaughter. This led to further research, and he discovered that in the Swiss meat industry, there are more than 230,000 tonnes of waste each year from slaughterhouses. This includes bones that, he says, pollute as they disintegrate, and became the focus of his project after he saw that his uncle had been using the waste material to create knife handles. 

Electric socket made of discarded bones

(Image credit: Noé Cotter)

The bones from slaughtered cattle are rarely transformed into other products, such as animal feed supplements or porcelain, but mostly collected and incinerated. A mineral material with no present commercial value, bone has been used historically as an equivalent to today’s plastic, so it felt obvious to Ghanmi to transform it into a ubiquitous, everyday object.

‘I am looking into the recycling of this material,’ he says. ‘For me, bone is a forgotten material and not exploited enough in spite of its numerous properties – it’s an electrical insulator, a thermal insulator, and is biodegradable.’

Dream collaborators: Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, Pierre Charpin, Naoto Fukasawa, Sabine Marcelis and Mathieu Lehanneur, and many more. 

Electric sockets made of discarded bones

(Image credit: Noé Cotter)

Electric socket made of discarded bones by Souhaïb Ghanmi

(Image credit: Noé Cotter)

Material samples from research by Souhaïb Ghanmi

(Image credit: Noé Cotter)

INFORMATION

instagram.com/souhaib.ghanmi

Our Next Generation showcase of outstanding new talents appears in the January 2022 issue of Wallpaper* (W*273). Subscribe today!

Rosa Bertoli was born in Udine, Italy, and now lives in London. Since 2014, she has been the Design Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees design content for the print and online editions, as well as special editorial projects. Through her role at Wallpaper*, she has written extensively about all areas of design. Rosa has been speaker and moderator for various design talks and conferences including London Craft Week, Maison & Objet, The Italian Cultural Institute (London), Clippings, Zaha Hadid Design, Kartell and Frieze Art Fair. Rosa has been on judging panels for the Chart Architecture Award, the Dutch Design Awards and the DesignGuild Marks. She has written for numerous English and Italian language publications, and worked as a content and communication consultant for fashion and design brands.

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