Plastic Waste Lab Designs
Pretty Plastic Adorns a Laboratory Building in Upcycled Plastic Tiles
Kanesa D — January 21, 2026
Dutch manufacturer Pretty Plastic has supplied a recycled-plastic façade for Plus Ultra III, the Netherlands’ first timber laboratory building, located on the Wageningen University & Research Campus. The 8,500-square-metre building was designed by Proof of the Sum and developed by Kadans Science Partner.
The façade is clad with Pretty Plastic’s Basic Third tiles, made from 30,987 kilograms of post-consumer plastic waste. The third-generation tile system features a simplified, shiplap-style overlapping installation method, making installation, replacement, and long-term maintenance easier. Its more restrained surface design broadens its suitability for commercial and institutional architecture.
"The dimensions of the Basic Third tile make it suitable for large-scale utility buildings, while the mould allows designers freedom in form and colour to tailor the facade to a specific architectural concept," explained Pretty Plastic co-founder Hester van Dijk. "Its modular sizing also minimises cutting waste, making it both design-flexible and efficient to apply."
