DESIGN NAME: Urban
PRIMARY FUNCTION: Furniture Collection
INSPIRATION: This project was inspired by a new urban configuration shaped by the economic crisis in Brazil. Over the streets, it has been noticed by Luciana that many retails stores permanently closed. The stores gates are made by rolling shutters. The goal of this project is to give a new purpose for a material that has acquired a symbolic meaning of the crisis into new shapes. This is exactly the bases of upcycling, using the end to recreate the new.
UNIQUE PROPERTIES / PROJECT DESCRIPTION: This project focus on the use of a material that has never been applied for furniture manufacture, the commercial stores shutters, also known as rolling shutter. By exploring the strength and versatility the artist realized that the curves could be easily made as these plates are fit together. The goal of this project is to reuse the leftover steel plates provided by the rolling shutters factories in Rio de Janeiro.
OPERATION / FLOW / INTERACTION: Imagine commercial stores shutter gates, made of a resistant material. Remove its original purpose, and transform it into furniture. Give the piece a smooth finishing, and let the costumers customize its color and size. Bring the street art surfaces into the buyers houses. Make a modern interaction of the urban collection with the decoration of the houses.
PROJECT DURATION AND LOCATION: The project started in August 2017 in the city of Rio de Janeiro. The Urban Collection was exhibited in the High Design Expo, Sao Paulo, Brazil, in August 2018.
FITS BEST INTO CATEGORY: Furniture Design
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PRODUCTION / REALIZATION TECHNOLOGY: These products are manufactured with the raw material itself. This was the limit used by the designer. The plates are fit together on its own joints. The fitting method besides gives the possibility to make curves it also gives strength to the structure of the piece. The pieces are assembled with L shapes welded over the top of the plates. The finishing is made by sanding paper to smooth all the welding areas and the final touch is the electrostatic coating.
SPECIFICATIONS / TECHNICAL PROPERTIES: Bookcase 1,0 x 0,4 x 1,6 m; Cupboard 1,0 x 0,4 x 1,8 m; Arm Chair and pouf 0,9 x 0,6 x 0,8 m; Park Bench 1,8 x 0,9 x 1,0 m; Two-person bench 0,5 x 0,4 x 0,4 m; Individual Bench 1,2 x 0,5 x 0,4 m; Chair 0,4 x 0,5 x 0,8 m; Coffee table 1,3 x 0,6 x 0,3 m; Bar Cart 1,0 x 0,5 x 0,8 m; TV Rack 1,8 x 0,5 x 0,4 m; Side Table 0,6 x 0,6 x 0,6 m; All dimensions in the respective order Width x Depth x Height.
TAGS: Metal, rolling shutters, upcycling, urban, curves, street art, design, brazil
RESEARCH ABSTRACT: The research of this project is based on the concept of upcycling. The reuse of materials to create new products without changing the main characteristics of them. An up cycled material usually transforms its original purpose in a better way of using it, which grants the value of the piece. The result of this process one of the main circular economy goals, which is reduce the amount of waste produced and reduce the need of raw material minimizing waste and making the most of resources.
CHALLENGE: It was difficult to find preserved rolling shutters. Some were found in junk yards, but it was not enough for making many pieces. After some research Luciana discovered that a huge amount of leftover was found in the rolling shutters factories.
Curving shapes on the L profiles was the next challenge which was resolved welding two L profiles on a T profile, which gives precision when curving the profile. After the folding, the welders separate the T profile into two L profile perfectly curved.
ADDED DATE: 2018-05-20 00:23:07
TEAM MEMBERS (1) : Engineer: Mauricio Atié
IMAGE CREDITS: Video Credits: Celina Wolffelt
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