Ripple Recycled Plastic Sculpture by Katharina Fitz
Ripple at Broadway
Artist Katharina Fitz worked with Future Makers and Broadway’s Near Now to develop Ripple, a sculptural installation inspired by the form of a wild bee’s nest.
Developed from a material combining recycled plastic and agricultural materials, Ripple was installed on Broadway’s outdoor terrace in Nottingham.
Developing a New Material
Katharina Fitz is a Nottingham based artist, sculptor and biomaterials specialist whose practice explores sculpture, installation and industrial processes.
She began exploring recycled plastic with Future Makers in 2023, interested in challenging perceptions of the material and exploring how it could be collected, reprocessed and developed into new forms.
Inspired by Nature
Inspired by the intricate structure of a wild bee’s nest, Ripple extends Katharina Fitz’s Honeycomb series, activating the outdoor space at Broadway.
Made from a hybrid material combining recycled plastic and agricultural materials, Katharina pushed and stressed the material during development to create an imperfect, organic aesthetic.
Working with Future Makers
Katharina later took part in the Product Design Accelerator course, hosted by Future Makers and supported by Broadway’s Near Now Fellowship.
“The Near Now Fellowship granted me funded access to Future Makers’ Waste Plastic Studio, providing a platform to learn a new craft. The integration of waste plastic into my creative palette has enriched the visual language of my work.”
Katharina Fitz, Artist
Katharina making sheet material at Future Makers Waste Plastic Studio.
“I was invited by Near Now to design a recycled plastic collection point for Broadway, for which I additionally created a sculptural intervention for Broadway’s outdoor space. The challenge of designing a bee’s nest suspended from a tree pushed my thinking into uncharted creative territory.”
Katharina Fitz, Artist
Explore Recycled Plastic in Your Practice
Future Makers works with artists and designers to develop new possibilities for recycled plastic through material experimentation, technical support and fabrication.
If you’re interested in exploring recycled plastic in your practice, get in touch to discuss your project.
Bee’s Nest image credits: Katharine Fitz