Forests are the dominant terrestrial ecosystem. Their biomass is the oldest source of renewable energy used since our ancestors learned the secret of fire. Much of this biomass occurs below ground as partially decomposed plant detritus. Its decay is a clear example of the transformative energy of nature. The final stages in the life cycle of a forest tree attracts specialised fungi organisms which attack the wood breaking down the tough lignin layer that protects it.

One of the effects of the early stages of wood decay is the fungi texture inside the matter of the tree: the fungal growth can create some of the most dramatic wood color changes with regions of discoloration and intricate patterns of amazing dark lines, adding a new dimension to the woodgrain.

Alcarol have used the fungi from dead trees and abandoned logs to create unique pieces of furniture. The company employs experimental processes to preserve the raw material exactly as it appear in his original habitat, giving it a new life before it goes to waste. The ‘fungi console’ is made of a single wood plank obtained from an abandoned beech log with its  native populations of fungi, recovered in the Italian dolomite forest. the plank is cut into two  parts with a very thin blade  and then joined so that in the corners the  fungal woodgrain matches perfectly like a single bent piece, and also the resin – through a special process – is a single piece and not seen separations between horizontal and vertical resin edges. 

The console shows the most fascinating creations of the fungi: wood discolorations and intricate dark lines that look like free-form art drawn with a calligraphy pen, pigment demarcations constructed by the fungal colonies to protect their territories from potential competitor fungi.

The ‘fungi console’ is made of a single wood plank obtained from an abandoned beech log

For the first time, PANTONE has selected a combination of two shades – Rose Quartz and Serenity for its colour of the year 2016.

The prevalent combination of Rose Quartz and Serenity also challenges traditional perceptions of colour association. Rose Quartz is a sort of dirtier shade of baby pink, it’s a colour that would fit well in a retro 60’s environment of a Mad Men set and yet make you feel warm and comfortable. Rose Quartz asexualizes the colour pink in this generation of gender fluidity.

Serenity is another soft yet darker shade of baby blue, it encompasses the feeling of lightness and a general sense of calm, the same calm you derive while looking at a clear sunny afternoon sky.

PANTONE’s choice of two colours is a symbolic representation of the rebirth of gender centric colours like blue and pink in an asexual tone. Both the colours together represent a soothing sense of balance, order and peace.