Tarkett and Note Design Studio interpret circular economy in Tarkett’s new showroom in Stockholm

Recently launched is Tarkett Ateljé, the new Stockholm-based showroom designed in collaboration with Note Design Studio. The space is created as a forum for sustainability and design talks, in a setting that showcases circular economy being put into practice.

The transition into a circular economy demands synergy between sustainability, design and society. Therefore, Tarkett Ateljé is built around an auditorium, created as a live arena for talks and knowledge exchange.

“With Tarkett Ateljé, we wanted to show the holistic approach needed for circular transformation. This has driven us to design a new type of showroom that’s more than just a material library, instead a place that demonstrates how design and sustainability interact and how circular economy goes from words to actions”, says Kerstin Lagerlöf, marketing manager for Tarkett Sweden and Norway.

To showcase examples of how circular economy works in reality, Tarkett and Note Design Studio brought in gigantic sacks filled with recycled raw material from two different projects. One of the sacks is filled with granules recycled from an old floor at IKEA Västerås, set to be reused for new vinyl flooring.

The other sack has been filled with yarn recycled from an office, which will become new textile carpet tiles. Note has designed the space with circular economy as the leading star. The material used comes from Tarkett’s post-use recyclable product ranges, which are now presented as part of the Circular Selection. The collection will expand as more products become fully recyclable.

“Recycling is a critical factor for reaching the climate goals. For every square metre of vinyl floor that we recycle, the CO2 emissions are reduced by 10 kg. Recycling is complex; the whole chain from demolition, transportation and sorting, along with the actual recycling, is a meticulous process. But if no one demands that the floor should be recycled, nothing will happen. All stakeholders must be onboard for circular transformation to happen in reality”, says Dag Duberg, Nordic sustainability manager at Tarkett.

The space echoes classic Scandinavian design, with a strict colour palette that is complimented by a selection of contrasts and unexpected details. The intarsia pattern featured in the lounge, the bespoke lamps made from Tarkett’s material iQ Megalit and the vibrant red railing surrounding the auditorium are some of the most unique details of Tarkett Ateljé.

“The design is contemporary, innovative and functional. To us, it was exciting to help Tarkett create a platform for spreading ideas and ideals that we both strongly believe in”, says Johannes Karlström, interior architect and cofounder of Note Design Studio.

Tarkett Ateljé will be a forum for interaction for stakeholders in the design and construction community. The idea behind the space and the way it is created is an example of the Tarkett Human Conscious Design philosophy, meaning that interior spaces should support, inspire and connect the people that use them, while at the same time considering the impact on the planet.