A new lobby at Tel Aviv University’s Porter Building was designed almost entirely from salvaged materials, in an upcycling project led by sustainable design studio MOLET. The space uses five rescued trees, 57 refurbished loading pallets, 736 linear meters of reused wood and 8 square meters of discarded yacht sails, all turned into furniture and meeting areas for the School of Environmental Studies.
MOLET founder and chief designer Eli Saar said the project was meant to show how circular-economy principles can be made visible and attractive in public space. The team created seating, workstations and gathering areas from reused wood and other recovered materials, while keeping the original texture and character of the timber. A shared table in the cafeteria area was made from two old doors.
The Porter Building, which holds the highest green-building certification, LEED Platinum, now serves as what Saar called a “live exhibition” of environmentally conscious design. He said the goal was to create a comfortable place for students and staff that encourages discussion, learning and meetings without sacrificing function or design, and to show that waste is only “raw material waiting for the right idea.”
MOLET partner and marketing and impact manager Galya Schütz said the yacht sails were chosen because they suggest “freedom, wind and movement” while also being durable enough for heavy use. Another partner in the project was the JUST A SECOND association, which refurbished doors and student chairs for the tables. School director Dr. Neta Lifman said she wanted the large, empty lobby to become a modular space for group study, conferences, individual laptop work and different seating arrangements, and said the result transformed a “banal and static” area into something “the most exact and interesting” she could imagine.
