ABOUT
studio sustainable matter is a material-based design and consultancy studio working interdisciplinary in the field of tension between product design, spatial design and research.
We explore and reimagine alternative materials in the context of the climate crisis and aim for „design that matters“ – projects that create value and have a positive social and ecological impact.
We investigate the possibilities and boundaries of locally sourced materials and raw matter through co-creative processes and craft-oriented design – a combination of local traditional knowledge and innovative design methods. By navigating the tension between old and new, vernacular design and highly innovative materials, novel solutions are created.
We drive towards a new understanding, perception and use of materials.
WE ARE OPEN FOR CREATIVE COOPERATIONS AND PROJECTS. GET IN TOUCH!
Founder Melissa Acker studied Industrial Design at the Stuttgart State Academy of Art and Design, where she graduated 2019 with a diploma (German Master’s equivalent). During her studies, she took part in several inter- and transdisciplinary projects in cooperation with other universities as well as NGOs like Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Nigeria. In the summer of 2018 she was a student assistant at the Chair of Urban Design at ABK Stuttgart and undertook research trips including transdisciplinary workshops in Lagos (Nigeria) and Addis Abeba (Ethiopia).
She gained working experience as a product- and spatial designer as well as sustainable materials manager in international companies as well as local design agencies, like Festo AG, Adam Opel AG, IDAID and DFROST.
For several years she has been in charge of researching and implementing sustainable alternatives in the retail sector and has been a driving force in the development of the „Sustainably Made Spaces“ sustainability label for retail projects by VMM (European Visual Marketing Merchandising Association).
Since 2021 she is academic associate at HFT – Hochschule für Technik (University of Applied Sciences) Stuttgart in the study program IMIAD – International Master of Interior-Architectural Design, where she is researching and teaching on the topic of sustainable materials in architecture and design.
Her goal is to increase the ecological awareness and to impart material knowledge. She wants to advance the (experimental) research on alternative materials and show evaluation criteria in relation to different sustainability aspects. This knowledge is applied in conception and supervision of material-based seminars and design projects.
Her work has been published in several internationally renowned print- and online magazines such as md magazine, Konsept Projeler – Concepts & Projects, AIT, designboom and baunetz CAMPUS, has won international awards focused on sustainable design, and has been exhibited multiple times.
Melissa Acker passes on her experience in lectures, workshops, seminars and circular design consultancy.
Awards & Nominations
2025 – competitionline CAMPUS Award: Engere Wahl Fakultätsprojekte „Mycelium Model Making“
2024 – Modellbaupreis „Closing the Circle“, Kategorie „Innovation“: Janina Lamm, Exhibition Pavilion (Mycelium Model Making)
2024 – competitionline CAMPUS Award: Engere Wahl Fakultätsprojekte „Staging Lino“
2022 – 10. Recycling-Designpreis | Ausgezeichnete Ideen „LEAFovers – natural material studies“
2021 – New Material Design Competition by KHALIL | Winner Best Industrial Material „LEAFovers – natural material studies“
2021 – Creative Conscience Award – Category Product & Structural Design | Winner Silver „Traditional Crafts – Regional Support of Traditional Handicrafts“
2018 – Green Concept Award | Selection „MAJA“
2018 – Green Concept Award | Selection „Leftover Materials“
2018 – Creative Conscience Award | Shortlist „Leftover Materials“
2018 – competitionline CAMPUS Award | Winner „Creative Hacking“
2017 – campusWELTbewerb | Winner of the year at the Award for Global Sustainability at Universities in Baden-Württemberg
EXHIBITIONS
studio projects:
02-04/2023 – MAKK | Museum of Applied Arts Cologne: „Between The Trees“ – Urban Greenery, Art and Design
11/2022 – Galerie Nord | Kunstverein Tiergarten: exhibition „10. RecyclingDesignpreis – Ausgezeichnete Ideen“
11/2022 – KHALIL Design Week | Material Hall: LEAF MATERIALS
06-10/2022 – Marta Herford – Museum für Kunst, Architektur, Design: Ausstellung „10. RecyclingDesignpreis – Ausgezeichnete Ideen“
06-09/2022 – KHALIL Design Week | Material Hall: New Material Design Competition by KHALIL Design / Got Talent, Young Professionals
2018 – Green Concept Award @ Designers‘ Open Leipzig
2017 – „REGATTA“ as part of the exhibition series „Design now!“ at EnBW City Headquarter Stuttgart
2014-2018 – RUNDGANG @ Stuttgart State Academy of Arts and Design
teaching projects:
10/2024 – BEST OF 24, HFT Stuttgart
06/2024 – Innenansichten 2024, HFT Stuttgart
06/2024 – Denk und Macherei, HFT Stuttgart
02/2024 – Mycelium experiments, exhibition HFTLab HFT Stuttgart
10/2023 – BEST OF 23, HFT Stuttgart
07/2023 – Einblick / Ausblick 2023, Muthesius Kunsthochschule Kiel
06/2023 – Innenansichten 2023, HFT Stuttgart
05/2023 – interzum cologne 2023
03/2023 – Blickfang Designmesse Stuttgart
LECTURES
02/2025 – 3 presentations at the Building Beyond Borders Symposium 2025 „The Power of Reciprocity“ by Hasselt University, Belgium
10/2024 – contribution to the HFT Hanfbausymposium 2024 with a lecture on the topic of „Hemp-Mushroom Mycelium – Hemp as feedstock for fungal building materials“
01/2024 – panel discussion on „bio-circular materials in interior architecture and design“ together with Thomas Salzmann (Zuber Salzmann Studio, Zürich), Martin Huwiler (HSLU Luzern) and Prabitha Urwyler (Innosuisse, Bern) moderated and organized by Pascal Johanssen (Direktorenhaus Berlin) at the Swiss Embassy in Berlin
05/2022 – lecture „reduce – reuse – recycle – rethink: sustainable materials in architecture and design“ @ KHALIL Design Week
2019-2021 – Monthly Green Material @ DFROST Retail Identity
since 2021: several teaching projects at HFT Hochschule für Technik (University of Applied Sciences) Stuttgart, Istanbul Technical University, Muthesius Kunsthochschule Kiel and Münster School of Design
selected clients & collaborators
publications & press
04/2024
www.dbz.de
2024
www.baunetz-campus.de
Kiel, 2023.
www.muthesius-kunsthochschule.de
12.2023
www.ait-xia-dialog.de
2023
www.baunetz-campus.de
2023
www.baunetz-campus.de
2023
www.hft-stuttgart.de/imiad
2022
www.recyclingboerse.org/
2022
www.khalil-design.de/
11/2021
www.creative-conscience.org.uk
2021
www.dfrost.com
2021
www.dfrost.com
2020-21
www.dfrost.com
2020
www.wuestenrot-stiftung.de
2019-20
www.dfrost.com
01/2019, 60th issue
www.conceptsandprojects.com
10/2018
www.md-mag.com
Context Study: Lagos & Addis Abeba.
2018
www.fabulousurban.com
Edition No. 5
2018
www.gp-award.com
2017
www.id.abk-stuttgart.de
2015
www.designboom.com