This Chair Was Made from a Solid Material That Was Heated Up and Inflated
David Ingram — November 21, 2015 — Art & Design
References: rachelharding & dezeen
London-based designer Rachel Harding has teamed up with Cutting Edge fabricators to create this inflated chair made from a rigid and solid material.
The 'Corian' chair is made from corian material, a solid and stain-resistant surface material most commonly used for kitchen and bathroom countertops. The hard composite material, however, when heated up becomes very soft and formable, so Harding decided to try and inflate the material to create an entirely new use for it.
Two corian sheets were cut, sealed together, heated until soft and then inflated with compressed air to form a unique balloon-like form that is actually extremely hard and durable. This brand new manufacturing process produces a chair that looks soft and light like regular inflatable furniture, but in reality is hard to the touch with the texture of stone.
The 'Corian' chair is made from corian material, a solid and stain-resistant surface material most commonly used for kitchen and bathroom countertops. The hard composite material, however, when heated up becomes very soft and formable, so Harding decided to try and inflate the material to create an entirely new use for it.
Two corian sheets were cut, sealed together, heated until soft and then inflated with compressed air to form a unique balloon-like form that is actually extremely hard and durable. This brand new manufacturing process produces a chair that looks soft and light like regular inflatable furniture, but in reality is hard to the touch with the texture of stone.
Trend Themes
1. Inflatable Furniture - The use of inflatable materials in furniture design opens up opportunities for lightweight and flexible seating options.
2. Composite Materials - Exploring the potential of composite materials like corian for innovative and unconventional applications creates new possibilities for product design.
3. Soft-to-hard Transformation - The transformation of materials from soft to hard through heating and inflation techniques provides innovative opportunities for creating durable and unique products.
Industry Implications
1. Furniture Manufacturing - The furniture industry can leverage inflatable materials and composite materials to create innovative and customizable seating solutions.
2. Interior Design - Inflatable furniture made from composite materials offers interior designers a range of lightweight and modern options for creating versatile and unique spaces.
3. Material Science - The field of material science can explore the use of innovative transforming materials to develop new applications and products across various industries.
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