The idea of a tree

The idea of a tree

This concept was inspired by a certain fascination for machines and nature. A tree is a product of its specific time and place. It reacts and develops according to its surrounding and constantly records various environmental impacts in its growth process. Each single tree tells its own story of development.

The goal of ‘the idea of a tree’- project was to bring the recording qualities of a tree and its dependence on natural cycles into products.

“The idea of  a tree” is an autonomous  production process which combines natural input with a mechanical process. It is driven by solar energy and translates the intensity of the sun through a mechanical apparatus into one object a day.

The outcome reflects the various sunshine conditions that occur during this day. Like a tree the object becomes a three dimensional recording of its process and time of creation.

The machine starts producing when the sun rises and stops when the sun settles down. After sunset, the finished object can be ‘harvested’.

It slowly grows the object, by pulling threads through a colouring device, a glue basin and finally winding them around a mould. The length/height of the resulting object depends on the sunhours of the day. The thickness of the layer and the colour is depending on the amount of sun-energy. (more sun = thicker layer and paler colour; less sun=thinner layer and darker colour)

This correlation between input and output makes the changes visual and readable. The product becomes a three-dimensional ‘photograph’ of the time and the space where it is produced and communicates certain characteristics of locality. The process is not just reacting on different weather situations, but also on shadows happening in the machine’s direct surrounding.

Each object represents one day at one spot where it was produced. The concept of introducing natural input into a serial production process suggests a new way of looking at locality. What I would like to call industrialized locality, is not so much about local culture, craftsmanship or resources, instead it deals with the climatic and environmental factors of the process surrounding.

Various shapes and various colours are possible.

Misher'Traxler

Panta Rhei school by i29 Interior Architects

The new interiors of the Panta Rhei school in Amstelveen designed by i29 Interior Architects are literally covered in poems that express themes of adolescence such as friendship, insecurity and dreams.

Pleated Pleat Chair by Raw Edges

I have been into pleated stuffs since Pleats Please by Issey Miyake, now I can get the chair by Raw Edges presented during Milan Furniture Fair.

 

Pleated Pleat uses a special material (Tyvek, patented by DuPont), similar to paper but more resistant, that when skilfully pleated and filled with rigid polyurethane foam can be used to create endless variations of padded seats. The advantages are evident: no moulding and no need for internal structures or even covering. Yael and Shay, Israeli but established in London, explain the transition from two to three dimensions: “We were fascinated by the fact that by pleating paper we can turn it into a stretchable surface. We tried pleating it in two directions (and not just in one as usually done with skirts) so it can be stretched into a dome shape.

Raw Edges 

Design collective Outofstock exhibited a collection of five furniture pieces as part of the SaloneSatellite in Milan last April.

The collection includes a chair, lamp, desk, side table and coat stand.

Outofstock exhibited new projects at the Salone Satellite of the Milan Furniture Fair last month. A collection of five projects – Arbor, Sherlock, Coat Shed, Black Forest and Naked Chair were shown. Outofstock also selected by Elle Decoration Spain to show at the Elle Decoration Young Talents Show located in the basement of Super Studio Piu, where Black Forest and Naked Chair were exhibited.

Retail Trend: Louis Vuitton Tokyo Underground

Louis Vuitton goes with a raw and industrial look for its latest temporary space in Tokyo (Seibu Ikebukuro)

Photos by LOUIS VUITTON / DAICI ANO

Neckwear by J.Press

Raw silk and Indian Madras ties from  J. Press

I Got an Envelope

Ben Muller has a nice project called I Got an Envelope, it is a social experiment that does not involve twitter, facebook or any other social networks. People leave empty self-addressed envelopes in random places, hoping that someone will come across the envelope, fill it with magical things, and send it back to the owner.

Cute