A project that explores the tension between the virtual world and reality through furniture.
In collaboration with Jordi Canudas and Lago Studio.
Lago invited Jordi Canudas & the studio to spend a week at a mountain-side factory, Gortan, in Udine, Italy. The aim was to explore and reinterpret Corian (registered trademark DuPont), a material usually associated with luxury kitchens and bathrooms, as a means to make affordable furniture.
Our response was to treat the sheet surface of Corian exactly as a surface in a 3D modelling programme- pushing and pulling ‘nurbs’ to create functional forms.
The pieces shown here are the first results of our workshop – entitled ‘You’re getting on my Nurbs’. The prototypes use simple wooden frames to support a Corian surface that has been formed by pressing ‘buttons’ of felt into heated sheets using fork lift trucks for momentum.
A sublimated grid highlights the distortion of the surface, describing volume in a graphic manner. This concept takes the luxury, (usually) labour intensive material of Corian in a new unexplored direction…the first prototypes will be shown at the Lago Apartmento in Milan 2011.
With huge thanks to Luca and Massimo Gortan & Diego Paccagnella, and very special thanks to Marco Gortan and his never ending supply of prosecco!
Other projects with Jordi:
Buon ApettitoTron : Living room
YOU’RE GETTING ON MY NURBS
Design & build a new furniture system for the main space of the ground floor bar at the Queen of Hoxton.
The Queen of Hoxton asked us to create a furniture solution that would allow for maximum use of their space throughout the many stages of the evening- from early evening, intimate drinks in small groups to an environment suited to busy. late nights with large groups standing close by each other.
Our response was to build a ‘landscape of furniture pieces’ throughout the space, allowing drinkers to find their own particular nooks within the venue.
The layout is deliberately non-prescriptive & fragmented to create an environment that can become progressively more populated throughout the night, yet never look to lonely and empty.
The studio created a system of furniture surfaces, covering bench, table and prop bar height, connected by archways of scaffolding that suspend additional surfaces at useful heights throughout the bar. Solid ash frames are constructed with common sections and details, including padded heat-shrink socks to protect the legs from their hard life of standing on a busy bar floor.
On-site photography by George Ramsay
QUEEN OF HOXTON : LANDSCAPE
A range of furniture based on an easily translatable construction method of common angles and joints. The simple bench seats are supplemented by a range of add-on back rests and side tables.
The range includes wing-tables, long bench tables in lengths from 3- 5 meters, a portable DJ stand and a competition size ping pong table. Cushions designed for the range take their dimensions from the benches and are intended to be layered up to create pools of padding on the bench top surface.
Materials – Ash, Formica laminate and powder coated mild steel tube.
BENCH SEATS AND THINGS
Materials- Mahogany and white paint.
Clothes rail for the Bread and Butter conference in Berlin.
The piece was designed as a prop for their nautical inspired collection- ‘Modern Classics’.
BEN SHERMAN
A table range designed and made while based in China, taking reference from commonly found work stools with simple tenon joint construction.
The tables were made with a local workshop and rely upon the carpenter’s skills to build accurate joinery that can be push-fitted together without nails or glue. The range was conceived for the design studio set up whilst working on the Kobold Project.
HAND MADE IN CHINA
A cluster of tables made by the intervening with the common industrial processes of tube bending and CNC cutting. Small changes in the usual way elements are joined together creates branch like hooks and table tops are cut in flowing pebble outlines with an edge softened by a radius.
Photographs by Sylvain Deleu.
Unlike usual modular system where elements fit together in pre-defined configurations, these tables overlap and group together, intuitively arranged and re-arranged according to the changing needs presented by use or space.
This project is one in a series of experiments looking at mass production techniques where small interventions can bring an organic or handcrafted quality to something that is made by common industrial processes.
PEBBLE TABLES
A collection of coat stands that can be spread out to create forests of branch hooks or a nested coat tree.
Photographs by Sylvain Deleu.
This project is one in a series of experiments looking at mass production techniques where small interventions can bring an organic or handcrafted quality to something that is made by common industrial processes. A twist in orientation changes the usual way steel tube is bent and cut to create branch-like hooks that grow from the central structure.
BRANCH HOOKS
Originally an environment designed for a human a snake and duck - Snuck Space has evolved into a modular living system for the home, where each section can move creating seating, work spaces and relaxing areas. The main tree form is the only stationary element, and acts as a storage device for books and other miscellaneous items.
SNUCK SPACE
With Peter Haythornthwaite.
A modular furniture system designed for flat pack and easy home assembly.
‘The p&a modular furniture system is not just any ordinary range of furniture. p&a is made from highest quality plywood making it not only visually attractive but also robust and durable. There is a p&a piece of furniture that fits all home and office requirements. Whether new or old settings, p&a is able to fit comfortably into any house due to its clean, fun, honest and classic form.
p&a furniture has been designed and made with you in mind - furnishing your thoughts.’
