Designers Reimagine Vintage USM Haller Frames With Upcycled Materials

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Summary

  • Studio M3’s “USM Haller Re-Framed” exhibition featured 10 Norwegian designers who repurposed vintage USM Haller structures using salvaged materials.
  • The project aimed to demonstrate how local design and reuse can add economic, aesthetic, and social value to designs.

Studio M3’s ‘USM Haller Re-Framed’ exhibition, first shown in Oslo in mid-September, challenged 10 Norwegian designers to create new designs using old USM Haller frames and leftover materials.

Studio M3 announced on Instagram that they plan to show how repurposing materials, combined with local design and production, can create economic, aesthetic, and community benefits. Their approach emphasizes both sustainability and supporting local businesses, contributing to a more circular economy.

Each designer began with a frame originally used for filing cabinets in the Kredittkassen Bank headquarters in Oslo, dating back to the 1980s. Their challenge was to turn these frames into usable chairs or benches, building them using materials they discovered or repurposed.

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Designer Kjetil Smedal built a working record player setup using floor tiles and wood. Bright yellow tiles make up most of the design, while the record storage, player itself, and a seat are all made of natural wood. Meanwhile, Lloyd Achim Winter created a bench that’s been transformed into a planter, featuring a seat made of overgrown grass. Bård Arnesen took a different approach, using colorful, traditional Norwegian textiles to give a USM frame a more classic feel.

The show aligned with the main idea of Designer Saturday 2025, which was all about “Repurpose.” With rising costs and increasing social concerns, designers are focusing on finding creative solutions, like reusing materials and working with local communities to find resources.

Designers’ Saturday CEO Heidi Lie recently explained that we need to change how much and what we consume. In a statement, she pointed to growing global instability – including environmental problems, social issues, and economic difficulties – as key factors. She noted that many people have less disposable income now, and governments are pushing for more sustainable approaches.

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2025-09-23 21:56