For Casa Cork by David Rockwell, a celebration of the versatility of cork at Milan Design Week 2025 (8-12 April), Rockwell Group (working in partnership with the not-for-profit Cork Collective and Corticeira Amorim) asked Factum Arte to create a life-sized portrait of one of the great cork trees in Spain.

Cork is a unique material, highly sought-after for its flexible, durable, lightweight and insulating properties. It is also considered one of the most environmentally friendly products within several industries: the harvesting process not only doesn't harm the tree, but it helps it grow a higher quality bark over time. Casa Cork by David Rockwell will showcase innovative cork furniture and designs from around the world, highlighting the material’s adaptability and strength, and educating visitors about the importance of responsible material use and recycling. 

Factum Arte created a modular installation that captures the essence of a cork tree while fitting seamlessly and self standing within the exhibition space, through a meticulous process involving multiple stages of sourcing, digital modelling, structural engineering, and manual craftsmanship. 

3D Scanning and modelling the tree

The selection of the tree was crucial to the project. The ideal trunk needed to have a specific shape and structure to serve as the foundation of the sculpture. The final tree was sourced in the sierra between Ciudad Real and Badajoz - a spectacularly beautiful part of Spain where the cork trees grow surrounded by wild boars and deer.

A high-resolution 3D scan was conducted in November 2024 by Pedro Miró and Imran Khan using LiDAR and photogrammetry, capturing the trunk and the initial sections of its branches. The data was then used to develop a digital model of the full structure, with additional modifications to adapt the tree's shape to the dimensions of the exhibition space. The design and sculpting of the branches were primarily handled by Irene Gaumé, while Eduardo García managed the overall size and proportions to ensure a perfect fit within the venue. 

Structural Design and Engineering

The structure supporting the tree was coordinated by Francesco Cigognetti in a combination of steel and aluminium. Steel was used at the base to provide stability and counterbalance the cantilevered branches, while aluminium was chosen for the upper sections to keep the structure lightweight and manageable. 

3D Printing and Trunk Reinforcement

The trunk was 3D printed and later painted in an orange-toned hue to mimic the appearance of cork trees after their bark has been harvested. Additionally, the internal part of the trunk was reinforced with fiberglass for added durability and strength.

Fabrication, hand-sculpting the branches and assembly

The modular design of the tree allowed for efficient transportation and assembly in Milan. The structure consists of nine elements, carefully designed to fit within a 13.6-meter lorry and to be smoothly assembled and disassembled on site.

The branches feature an aluminium core wrapped in sculpted polystyrene to achieve the desired organic shape. Real cork, provided by Amorim Cork, was then fixed on top of the sculpted branches to complete the seamlessly natural look, a process that took nearly two months of focused work and required hand-sculpting skills by Factum’s Charlie Westgarth, Jordi García Pons and Jonty Lister.

The installation was carried out in the last week of March, before the tree's official unveiling on April 8 2025.

---