By Willy Wilson | June 10, 2010
‘Green’ chairs dominate Milan Furniture Fair 2010
The recent 2010 Milan Furniture Fair (2010 Salone Internazionale del Mobile) saw more than 2,500 exhibitors showcasing not only innovative designs, but also revolutionary ‘green’ technologies.
“The overall trend of the fair is ‘green’,” says general manager of Space Asia Syddal Wee. Along with other delegations from Southeast Asia, Wee visited the fair to examine the latest global furniture trend.
According to Wee, major European brands were developing and expanding their existing collections whilst experimenting with sustainable technology.
“Sustainable material is a given – non-toxic, non-polluting, certified and recyclable. They have gone way beyond that.
“They are now looking at recycling old pieces, longevity of new products, waste management and maximising manpower (hence reducing the dependency on machine),” Wee explains.
The dramatic change in materials used and processing in general, however, did not compromise the end products. Architect and director of TERRE Pte Ltd Terence Chan points out that major European brands at the exhibition showcased the best of craftsmanship, construction details and comfort.
Here are some highlights from the fair.
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| Pop art: Each Navy Chair is made from 111 recycled Coca-Cola countour bottle packages |
111 Navy Chair
Leading furniture manufacturer Emeco joined forces with Coca-Coca to create an iconic chair modeled after the famous Aluminum Emeco Navy Chair, which was originally designed in 1944 for the US Navy.
The chair, aptly titled 111 Navy Chair, is made from 111 recycled Coca-Cola contour bottle packages. Comes in green, red, grey and black, the 111 Navy Chair exudes understated design that whisper subtle sophistication.
Its thoughtful craftsmanship contains a mix of 60 percent rPET plastic (recycled polyethylene terephthalate plastic) and a special combination of other materials including pigment and glass fiber for strength. It is estimated that more than three million PET plastic bottles will be repurposed annually for the production of 111 Navy Chairs.
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| In your face: Fabio Novembre's iconic work, Nemo Chair, draws inspiration from a classical mask |
Nemo Chair
Italian manufacturer Driade exhibited what could very well be the most talked-about chair at the 2010 Milan Furniture Fair: Nemo Chair. Designed by Italian architect Fabio Novembre, Nemo Chair is a sculptural armchair modeled after a mask – neck and face – and quite possibly the only anthropomorphic design seen in the recent fair.
The chair is big enough for one to nestle into, without being noticed. The actual seating space is on the chin, while the legs can rest on the neck. The facial part, which takes up more than half of the chair, would hug its inhabitant arm-to-arm. Made of rotational moulded polyethylene, Nemo Chair is available in black and white.
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| Plastic fantastic: Innovative, quirky and eco-friendly, Roughly Drawn Chair is arguably one of the most sustainable piece of furniture today |
RD21 Chair (Roughly Drawn Chair)
British eco hero Richard Liddle’s revolutionary RD21 Chair (Roughly Drawn Chair) is another piece of furniture that made a big wave at the furniture fair. The sketchy chair, represented by Cohda Design Limited, is made of recycled HDPE (high-density polyethylene), a recycled plastic material popular among furniture designers. His design approach to recycled products breaks free from the usual flat-pack forms.
According to the UK-based designers, by using recycled plastic (as opposed to virgin materials), the energy savings of the entire design process equates to powering a 60 watt light bulb for a continuous 1,483 hours – arguably, making it one of the more sustainable pieces of furniture today.
Due to the fact that RD21 chair is made out of a single material, no further glues or binding agents required in the process. Which means that the chair can be recycled without any bothersome separation.
For his creativity, Liddle was shortlisted in the innovation category of V&A Design Awards last year.
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Bold and Beautiful: Bestendeider turned tyres and PET bottles into bold-patterned 'cushiony' chairs
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The Beth Chair
Phillipe Bestenheider’s The Beth Chair is noticed for its rather traditional ‘cushiony’ look, despite the use of two recycled materials that one would not expect - tyres and PET bottles.
Unused tyres are processed into rubber for the chair’s skin, while the colourful surface is printed with colorful trompe-l'œil maxi stitches and has raw-edged seams. A fiber, derived from recycled PET bottles, is used to fill the armchair and creates its snug, enveloping softness.
According to Bestenheider, the reconditioned rubber used in the construction of Beth Chair is water repellent, tough and free of toxic emissions. The designer also admitted that construction method was chosen to facilitate the recovery of all its (recycled) components, by keeping the padding separate from the external upholstery. As such, he argues that Beth Chair is one sturdy armchair that is eco-friendly.
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