The Rubber Tree (2022)



In this project I was limited to using only two materials of my choice. The materials I chose were latex and plywood, and their connection was further explored.

In my research I got to know the material better. Latex is harvested from various types of rubber trees and was originally harvested and used in ancient Meso-america. In the 19th century latex rubber became a valuable resource do to it´s elasticity and waterproofing capabilities and European powers exploited natural resources and enslaved indigenous people in tropical regions to fuel the global demand for rubber.

The outcome was a structure that presented glimpses into the dark history in latex rubber harvesting. The structure was inspired by the shape of towers built to harvest the rubber from trees and it also shows the incision made into rubber trees to harvest the rubber.