Crema Lab

Furf Design Studio was invited to create the façade for Crema Lab | Gelato + Café + Experiences, resulting in the world’s first commercial façade made from mycelium panels, a biodegradable and sustainable material. Inspired by the texture of an ice cream cone, the façade combines innovation, poetic aesthetics, and environmental consciousness, forging an emotional connection with the public through a symbolic and surreal experience.

Developed in partnership with scientists and the Brazilian startup Mush, the project uses mycelium panels produced from agricultural waste. In addition to being biodegradable, these panels absorb CO2 during production, offering excellent thermal and acoustic insulation, placing Crema Lab at the forefront of eco-friendly construction by integrating biotechnology and sustainable design.

More than an aesthetic proposal, the use of mycelium represents an innovative approach to commercial architecture, redefining the possibilities of sustainable materials. This pioneering solution significantly reduces the carbon footprint of the project and inspires new practices in the industry, raising the bar for sustainability standards.

The façade, with its playful and sensory design, not only visually captivates but also strengthens the emotional bond between the brand and the public, creating an immersive experience that elevates local commerce. The project transcends aesthetics, showcasing how design can positively impact the future of construction and branding, making Crema Lab instantly recognizable and unique in the market.

In addition to the façade, Furf also designed a piece of furniture affectionately named Cavalinho (little horse). The furniture is extremely functional and hybrid: each bench can be used in two different ways to maximize the variety of seating arrangements, and it comes with an individual side table. With modernity and elegance, the robust metal, painted in solid colors, features curves that make the experience ergonomic and comfortable, whether sitting sideways or mounted like a saddle. The structure, together with the table, resembles an imaginary creature — which surely feeds on gelato.

The carretino, designed to bring the Crema experience to outdoor events, was also created by Furf. It pays homage to traditional ice cream carts, but is mostly clad in a polymer with a slight transparency and subtle cloudiness, evoking something both cold and highly technological — the “lab,” experimental aspect of Crema. To provide shade, the circular cover is lightweight and removable.