If you’ve ever dreamed about sitting on a fortune, literally, you’ll get a chance to do so at London Design Festival with the Bank of England Museum’s newest pop‑up, “Reconstructing Value”. A collaboration between designer Saskia Boersma, the Surface Matter collective and the material studio Plasticiet transforms £2.5 million worth of withdrawn British banknotes into a series of sculptural benches that echo the pound sign (£) while questioning what we consider valuable .
The process begins with the systematic removal of old notes from circulation. Once shredded, the paper fibers are reconstituted using a proprietary plasticiser that binds the material without compromising its texture. The resulting sheets retain the iconic hues and subtle security patterns of the original currency, allowing the benches to retain a recognisable, yet abstract, financial language. Surface Matter then curates complementary surface palettes like roman mosaic tiles, Portland stone and patinated brass, mirroring the historic interiors of the Bank while reinforcing the dialogue between past and present .
Designer Names: Saskia Boersma, Surface Matter, Plasticiet
Saskia Boersma’s design language, known for its playful reinterpretations of everyday objects, frames the benches as both functional furniture and public art. Each piece is cast into a curved form that, when viewed from above, outlines the £ symbol, turning the act of sitting into a visual reminder of monetary flow. The benches occupy the museum’s historic Stock Room, a space once reserved for vaults and ledgers, thereby redefining the room’s purpose from storage to social interaction.
Beyond aesthetics, the project tackles the environmental impact of paper waste. By diverting millions of pounds of banknote paper from landfill, the installation demonstrates a circular economy model where discarded money gains a second life as design material. Plasticiet’s plasticiser, a low‑impact polymer, ensures durability while maintaining a tactile softness that encourages lingering. The initiative aligns with the London Design Festival’s broader emphasis on sustainable innovation, positioning the Bank of England Museum as a laboratory for post‑waste design solutions.
Visitors experience the benches as part of a larger narrative that includes lunchtime talks and curated material displays. Surface Matter’s series of recycled surface palettes runs alongside the furniture, offering designers and the public a tangible library of sustainable textures inspired by the bank’s historic colour schemes. These talks explore how value can be re‑imagined through material choice, encouraging participants to consider how everyday objects might be repurposed in their own practice.
In a city where historic institutions often cling to tradition, this project demonstrates how heritage can be a springboard for forward‑thinking design. By converting decommissioned currency into public seating, Boersma, Surface Matter and Plasticiet not only give discarded paper a new purpose but also provoke a broader conversation about the economics of sustainability. The benches stand as a reminder that value is not fixed. It can be shredded, reshaped, and re‑valued through creative intervention.
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