Biofore Tea House made from durable UPM ProFi composite

In spring 2016 was the latest design masterpiece from UPM ProFi composite completed UPM Biofore Tea House. The building has been created by the Tongji University design students. The designers chose renowned and durable UPM ProFi Design Deck as the flooring material. UPM ProFi is one of the leading composite decking brands in Europe that is used for marketing and sold as flooring material.

“China is the country where paper was invented and UPM ProFi is the only product that is using recycled paper fibres in its biocomposite. It’s almost like we are closing the circle here.” says Mr. Edward Robinson, director, UPM Biocomposites.

One of the main design criteria for the Biofore Tea House was to develop a modular design that allows flexibility and mobility.

“Architects and designers have been very pleased with the material, as they have seen it working from Lapland to southern Dubai. The deck is very tough and it can withstand weather and climate changes very well”, says Robinson.

The deck is also harder and has better scratch resistance than other composite decks. Despite this, the deck has a natural, almost soft feel to it.

Highlighting the properties of UPM Grada

UPM Grada® thermo-formable wood material and WISA® plywood were used for the walls and the ceiling of the teahouse.

Mr. Mikko Tilli, director, UPM Plywood, says that he was very impressed by how designers used UPM Grada in the teahouse.

“The structure of the tearoom, utilising a wide variety of shapes, perfectly showcases the properties of thermo-formable UPM Grada.”

“UPM Grada is a product that can be easily formulated even by carpenters working with traditional tools, meaning it can be used for manufacturing even in small series. The main applications are in the furniture industry, but it can also be used as wall and roof panels with acoustic properties”, he adds.

Inspiring composite material

UPM ProFi is a very versatile material that has inspired several well-known architects and designers around the world.

It was first used in 2007 by Shigeru Ban—a forerunner in ecological architecture—who designed the Artek Pavilion for the prestigious Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan, Italy, using UPM ProFi in its construction.

Helsinki-based Teemu Kurkela architect designed Finland’s pavilion for the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai. The outside of the pavilion was clad with 25,000 specially designed tiles made from UPM ProFi recycled paper plastic composite.

In 2012, renowned British designer Tom Dixon created ‘Luminosity’, a showcase of new lamps, lights and shades presented in a series of illuminated environments at the festival of design, innovation and culture held at the Leonardo da Vinci Museum of Science and Technology in Milan (MOST). UPM ProFi Facade and UPM ProFi Deck Night Sky Black and Marble White provided the perfect background for the exquisite lighting.

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