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PlasticNature chair
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About this product
Architonic ID: 1213932
Year of Launch: 2006
Concept
The PlasticNature is a furniture concept which exemplifies the connection of the “plastic-world” and the world of wooden furniture.
The first pieces of the PlasticNature were stools for the graduation from the Design Academy in Eindhoven in June 2006.
When wood is machined material is always taken away – contrary to plastic.In plastic manufacturing there is hardly any waste because plastic is cast in shapes and leftovers molten again for further casting.
These facts bring with it several possibilities and constraints for each used material.
With the PlasticNature PeLi wanted to fuse the characters of hand made furniture and injection-molded plastic furniture.
For PeLi, these worlds belong together – they are both utilitarian, in a way even quite “low” (think about farmers chairs from the Alps and the white “Monoblock” chair ‘the worlds most’ chair).
He designed the plastic connection with – the wooden legs actually ‘flow’ into the seat plank…Then PeLi drew the molds on the computer and let the molds be r3D printed. These molds the designer used for hand cast the plastic resin into the wood.
The wooden parts have cavities (in that version, milled holes) which are working in a way known from a dovetail connection does – the plastic flows “behind” and into them, hardens, and is not solvable anymore.
The complicated shapes of the cavities are not specially designed (in fact, not designed at all, they just emerge out of necessity, they look grown) – they fulfill the only purpose that they provide sufficient surface that the connection can cling to the wood…
That’s also a part of what the designer wants to show: plastic is liquid at first it flows where it wants to flow; where there is space…
The PlasticNature is a limited edition. Up until now stools, chairs and tables have been created, each piece unique.
Specifications
Material
Base solid wood, Seat solid wood, Wood
Designers
Alexander Pelikan
Netherlands
PeLiDesign is an international design studio, based in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. They develop great marketing and branding concepts and develop extraordinary products. With their team and network of engineers and designers and marketeers, they embark on your project! Apart from serving their clients, PeLiDesign initiates design research and lectures at academies and Universities. PeLiDesign is about truth: they love to show the inner beauty of things. A product for PeLiDesign is not about mere surface: all parts of a product have to have a strong connection to the manufacturing process and a product’s beauty has to come forth of a honest use of the material it is made of. Because of that, PeLiDesign is interested in long lasting relationships with their clients. PeLiDesign was established in 2005 by Alexander Pelikan. The designer, born in Germany, lives and works after graduating from the Design Academy Eindhoven, in the Netherlands. Biography Alexander Pelikan, Product designer ‘By designing I want to explore new roads and I want to be surprised where these roads take me.’ For Alexander Pelikan, or short “PeLi” experimentation with common and new materials and techniques is crucial. Another cornerstone of his work is cooperating with craftspeople, other designers and innovative companies. In the beginning of an assignment always stands a research into the subject. Social/cultural facts play an important role as well as possibilities and (hidden) potentials of the company he is working for. While wandering these ways ideas emerge which are transformed and integrated in his works. In PeLi’s designs he invites coincidence – any detail could be of importance- and is as such carefully recorded and researched. When he is busy with an assignment or free work, he wants to dive into the technique and be able to make it himself or at least understand every single step of the creation…this is very important for PeLi: to identify with “head and hand” with the stuff he create.
