Bringing Nature back into Urban Areas
We are Utemaru, the first social venture to focus on outdoor furniture. Our company is made up of enthusiastic students looking to make a positive impact on outdoor spaces, one piece of furniture at a time.
Utemaru originates from a realization that current outdoor furniture designs have seen no improvement in decades. While doing my Honor’s project, I found a huge difference between what users of outdoor spaces want and what they receive. In fact, neither Humans nor Nature are being looked after. For us, that was the key insight we needed to start our journey.
To tackle these issues, we design Nature-Inclusive Outdoor Furniture. Our products emphasize comfort and pleasing aesthetics for humans, habitats to encourage the flourishing of nature, and are built in accordance with circular economy principles. We work closely with our customers to create highly customized furniture that fits not only their needs, but also their space’s needs, both in terms of humans and non-humans.
Lastly, we do all of this with bigger goals in mind. As a social venture, we want to have a deeper impact on the environment, society, and the overall planet. We strive to create workplaces for people who, for whatever reason, might have difficulty entering the primary job market. We strive to create safe and fulfilling places for them to realize their true potential. On top of that, we want to empower charities that align with our values using our excess profits to emphasize that our commitment to the planet extends past our designs.
Join us in reimagining public spaces where nature thrives alongside modern design!
Manuel Joaquim Soares
Founder and Operations Manager
Portugal
Operations Management & Logistics MSc, TU/Eindhoven
Stefanie Zins
Industrial Designer
Romania
MSc Industrial Design, TU/Eindhoven
Piers O’Connor
Biodiversity Consultant
Ireland
Climate Studies MSc, Wageningen University
Chantel Madlala
Architectural designer
South Africa
Architecture, Pécs University
What Principles Guide Our Designs?
Biodiversity
Around 25 megatons of waste are produced in the construction and demolition sector every year, just in the Netherlands. At Utemaru, we are trying to take some of that material waste and give it a new life. We work towards expanding material passports and following circular economy principles.
All of this while still guaranteeing high-quality pieces, with more history and less environmental impact.
Human Well-being
As urban areas expand, the ecosystems that were once there get erased. Therefore, we ensure each of our pieces includes a Nature Pocket. These small ecosystems offer animals a safe space to return to their original homes. By adding indigenous vegetation, we strive to create green corridors for the fauna and flora to reintegrate into these outdoor spaces.
With all these tools combined, we hope to return the crucial biodiversity to the city areas.
Sustainability
Research has shown that Human beings strive when surrounded by nature. This proximity to our natural habitat is proven to bring mental and physical health benefits.
Urban expansion has inhibited some of the mental and physical benefits that were once abundant. This is why we cater our designs to people’s desired comfort and aesthetics, and in a way that allows them to reconnect with nature.
Find out more about us through our Brand Book
Utemaru FAQ
What problems are we solving?
By collecting user feedback and data, we identified a couple of problems:
Many green spaces are either hard to reach or of low quality;
Outdoor furniture in outdoor spaces is of poor design, boring and unattractive;
There is a lack of nature in outdoor spaces;
Outdoor furniture designs are unsustainably designed and built;
Additionally, our customers want to get more value out of their outdoor furniture, as the current solutions offer minimal functionality compared to the amount of space and money they cost.
What makes us different?
Unlike other outdoor furniture manufacturers we design what our users need and what our customers need.
When others build with degrading materials that get thrown away, we use recycled materials and we recycle them after use.
Current options drive nature away and take away from the space. We build nature pockets to reinstate habitats for both animals and plants.
The furniture you currently use neglects comfort and aesthetics. The furniture you will be using accommodates you, excites you to go outside and highlights multiple needed functionalities.
How did the problem begin?
As the century has progressed, the process of Urbanization has accelerated. It has led to compact cities that drive nature away, creating colorless environments and expelling vital habitats for wildlife and plants. According to the Dutch National Dashboard for Biodiversity, “none of the biodiversity targets for 2020 has been achieved, and no single European country counts as many endangered animal and plant species as the Netherlands.” Our benches are designed to integrate nature into urban settings, fostering a harmonious coexistence.
