enjoy the rain: recycled pvc for sustainable de-...

W o n d e r f u l V i n y l no 15S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y

‘Enjoy the Rain’ is an innovative Italian sustainable designproject, which combines the value of reuse and recyclingof end-of-life PVC with water preservation and conserva-tion.Completed in 2015, ‘Enjoy the Rain’ is a project promotedby PVC Forum Italia (the Italian Association of the PVCindustry value chain) and VinylPlus, the sustainabledevelopment programme of the European PVC industry, incollaboration with Milan-based Domus Academy, a world-ranked design and architecture school.During a five-week workshop, post-graduate designstudents from all over the world met the design, technicaland environmental challenges using recycled PVC ininnovative and functional industrial applications. Studentswere also informed about PVC recycling options andindustry policies within EU and global guidelines.Their concept gave life to six projects on the theme ‘Enjoythe Rain’, building on the importance of water conserva-tion and preservation and the added value of rainwater.Crucially, their ideas had to harmonise with one ofVinylPlus’ global challenges on PVC sustainability and thematerial’s recovery, reuse and recyclability. The concept islinked to the fact that rain is ‘magic’; it feeds plants andanimals, it purifies ground and air and enables life to exist.Rain evokes a sense of freedom, and a gift from the sky:rain should not be wasted as it is a valuable resource.

Rain Kit is a range ofoutdoor PVC street furni-ture objects designed toact as ‘accessories’ tolamp posts in city streets.As decorative features,they also protect pedestri-ans enabling them to

enjoy the rain while out onthe street.The Superdrymultifunctional outdoorstreet furniture is madefrom recycled PVC pipesand membranes. It pro-vides shelter from rain or

Enjoy the Rain:Recycled PVC forSustainable De-sign

sun and can be fitted with a system for collecting rainwa-ter.Pipette’s rainwater recov-ery concept turns into amulti-sensory experienceinvolving touch, sight andhearing. This novel acces-sory for balconies re-usesend-of-life PVC pipes andfittings for catching rain-water to water plants and as a bird feeder.For those who want to enjoy the rain while keeping cosy

and dry, the Raindowconcept features a PVCframe with a projectingtriangular ‘window’floating on the externalwall providing a 180degree view to the out-side.Indra is an outdoor PVC

and glass relaxationcubicle with an openingroof that allows users tocontrol the amount of therain entering the space. Itcan also collect rainwaterfor cleaning cars or water-ing the garden.RainLAB, is an educational

children’s game consistingof modules made fromrecycled PVC attachedwith a magnet to theouter glass of the window.Internal knobs allow thechild to change theirpositions from inside thehouse. The falling rain

‘animates’ these shapes before it is collected in specialcontainers.

PVC ParasitesEran Rozenfeld, a young designer based in Israel since2013, started his project after an entire year’s observationof the connection between nature and the human being.This is when the PVC Parasite Project started, he usedelements with different origins and with the help of theform, mechanism, colour and the technology, finalised hisideas.Eran Rozenfeld observed the way that these fast-growingplants thrive, by essentially becoming parasites, drawingsupport and nutrients from their supporting structures.Experimenting with flexible materials to achieve a similareffect in a practical product, Rozenfeld settled on heat-manipulated PVC.The PVC Parasites series is comprised of four unusual lampdesigns, each using the plastic pipes to mimic the grippingaction of vines. Heated with an industrial fan heater, thetemporarily flexible PVC is twisted around the base and

allowed to harden in place so that it holds on without theneed for any glue or connectors.In addition to mimicking the mechanical actions of vinesas they creep up over other plants, the designs reflect thepersistence that can enable some forms of life to surviveand thrive, even in the harshest conditions. The seriesincludes a floor lamp with a hanging fixture, a minimalistwood clamp lamp, a table lamp with a classic shade and atube lamp.

Designer: Eran Rozenfeld, Moshav, IsraelTechnical info: PVCPicture credits: Eran RozenfeldWebsite: http://eranrozenfeld.wix.com/eranrozenfeldstudio

W o n d e r f u l V i n y l no 15D E S I G N

Infinite LoopsAmsterdam studio Formafantasma used lengths of translu-cent plastic to create "infinite loops" around the catwalkfor fashion label Sportmax during last Milan Fashion Weekin 2015. Formafantasma founders Simone Farresin andAndrea Trimarchi, who are better known for their experi-ments with materials like lava and animal skins, wereasked by the brand to design the set just months beforethe show. They joined the likes of AMO, Studio Job andPernilla Ohrstedt, who have all previously designed cat-walks for fashion shows.Trails of PVC plastic in yellow, black and nude colours wereused to cover three sections of the narrow catwalk. Fromthe ends of these walkways, the material was stretchedaround the space and then looped back to the start of thelow platforms. Zigzagging from the ceiling, the translucentfilm was hooked over high, thin rods and held down on thefloor by terracotta cylinders. The decision to use these twomaterials was because they wanted to have a Mediterra-nean feel, with the use of terracotta but contrasted with amore contemporary, plastic and translucent material.Their main inspirations for the colour pallet and materialwere both very sophisticated houses such as the ones

designed by Pietro Lingeri, by Como Lake, and also Italian'summer houses' built between the 60s and 70s character-ised by a large use of terracotta solar shadings. The setdesign references the work of Russian CuboFuturism artistAleksandra Aleksandrovna Ekster.Designers: Formafantasma, Amsterdam, NetherlandsWebsite: www.formafantasma.comProducer: Sportmax, Milano, ItalyWebsite: www.sportmax.comTechnical info: PVC sheetPicture credits: Formafantasma


Threedimensional LightsLondon-based designer Ross Lovegrove created an instal-lation of large volume, 3D lights within a distinctivehexagon-tiled reflective pavilion, made from materials andtechnology by the innovative French company, Barrisol.Both the pavilion and lighting collection were on view atthe last Biennale Interieur in Kortrijk, Belgium.The outside of the structure, which measures sevenmetres in height and 12 metres along each side, is clad inhexagonal tiles that are covered with reflective goldenmembranes to look like a honeycomb. Inside, a brightwhite environment is created using a different type ofBarrisol that covers the walls and ceiling.The installation includes four large pieces that balanceaesthetic form with a subtle lighting function. Three piecesof the collection are forms of an ‘infinite loop’, they arehighly volumetic, three-dimensional lights, created from aperfect synergy between the stretched PVC material, LEDlighting and an aluminium framework. The final piece,Manta, forms a rhomboid, which allows for many differentlarge modular arrangements. In this light, PVC foils withdifferent intensities of stretch provide highly layeredacoustic dampening and uniform lighting.The material is pushed in and pulled out across the sur-

faces, holding it in tension and forming a subtle pattern ofshadows that corresponds with the framework for theexterior.Due to the material's acoustic-dampening properties, thespace is quiet despite the hustle and bustle of the tradefair around it.

Designer: Ross Lovegrove, London, UKWebsite: www.formafantasma.comProducer: Barrisol, Paris, FranceWebsite: www.barrisol.comTechnical info: Barrisol membranePicture credits: Ross Lovegrove


Truecolors CollectionVisser en Meijwaard is the design label founded by StevenVisser and Vera Meijwaard in 2013. Both followed theireducation Product Design at ArtEZ Institute of the Arts inArnhem, where they continued to work and live. Thedesigner duo makes strong, but subdued, products, fromaccessories up to interior products, of which versatilematerials and clear shapes constitute the essence. In theirdesigns they are guided by recognisable details and theway in which the product is used.

Inspired by the versatility of indus-trial PVC cloth, Visser andMeijwaard developed Truecolors.The collection consists of a series ofbenches, stools, cabinets and bagsmade from this strong industrialcloth. Truecolors is a contemporarydesign collection in which versatilityof colour and use are key.The designers explain: “It all startedwith the idea for a stool. We lookedat an old gymnastics buck and gottriggered by its animal like featuresand the quirky way it stands.” Thezipper that is used connects thecushion to the wooden base. Therange includes a bench, stool,barstool, bar bench, cabinet andcredenza made with industrial-grade PVC cloth on an oak frame.The zipper, prominent in all theproducts, is the line’s signatureaesthetic. With both technical and


visual importance, the component sets the design apart.For transport, the legs can be removed along with thecushion. By cleverly enlarging and incorporating details,the designers were able to create a level of versatility inboth colour and function. The Truecolors collectiondebuted last April during the Milan Design Week 2015.

Designer: Wisser en Meijwaard, Arnhem, NetherlandsWebsite: www.vissermeijwaard.nlTechnical info: PVC sheetPicture credits: Kevin Rijnders

Fondue StoolUsing pieces of household sponge with a high absorptionrate to mimic bread,Ohata constructedstools with long legs andlarge seat platformsbefore dunking them invats of bright yellow PVCplastic.The sponge is left toabsorb the liquid andthen lifted out andpropped up to dry. Theelongated limbs of thestools sag and contortunder the weight of thesaturated material as itsets."It all shapes naturally –by its weight. It's very strong," Ohata explains. "If I useharder sponge it stands by itself and I can control theshape even more."Wooden rods are used to support the stools in an uprightposition during the hour-long drying process, causingminimal interference with the natural shape produced bygravity.


The spindly sponge legs compress under the weight of theliquid plastic during the process tocreate wobbly outlines that varyfrom piece to piece, but once driedthe structures are completely rigid.The square seats that droop at thecorners are reminiscent of meltingcheese slices. Drips from the edgeof the seat add to the moltenappearance.

Designer: Satsuki Ohata, Tokyo,JapanWebsite: www.satsuki.coTechnical info: PVCPicture credits: Satsuki Ohata

Zen Sushi RestaurantThe project for a Japanese restaurant in Rome devel-oped by Italian studio Carlo Berarducci Architecture, isinspired by the walkways in the forest, bordered by asuccession of blacks and glossy orange-red woodenportals, which lead to the temples of Fushimi Inari inKyoto, which reproduces colours and suggestions.Zen Sushi was the first Japanese restaurant in Italy tobring the Kaiten, particularly the conveyor belt toserve freshly prepared sushi on coloured saucersindicating prices. On the tenth anniversary of therestaurant in Rome the property wanted to have anew look. The design challenge was to create a spacewith a truly Japanese essence in a contemporary way,recreating the suggestion of colours and materials ofthe temples of Kyoto.The project was conceived as a process, a sequence ofsteps and direction changes, which gradually revealedthe environments without closing the perspectives,inviting you to explore the interior spaces. Dividersand walls formed by the close succession of hundredsof vertical elements of black wood, lacquered fromone metre up in glossy red-orange, drive and mark thegoing throw, and red-orange reflecting suspendedceilings identify the different areas of the hall, thesushi bar and the rooms with tables.

Suspended PVC lacquered ceilings of thesame colour emphasise the visual perspec-tives and define the different entrance andwaiting areas, the long sushi bar with theKaiten, and a small more intimate room atthe end that can be reserved for privatedinners.Two rich black polished marble walls are thebackdrop to the entrance area and theroom with the tables where the marbledwall continues along the staircase leading tothe bathrooms downstairs, reflected on theopposite mirror walls that multiply theperspective of the space. The same marblewith a brushed finish as worn by time areused for the reception desks and sushi baras massive quarry blocks resting on thefloor, while a rice paper backlit wall under-lines the central focus of the restaurant, theKaiten and the open workstation of thesushi master.

Project: Zen Sushi RestaurantLocation: Rome, ItalyArchitects: Carlo Berarducci Architecture,Rome, ItalyTechnical info: PVC ceiling

Picture credits: Fernando GuerraWebsite: www.berarducciarchitecture.com

W o n d e r f u l V i n y l no 15A R C H I T E C T U R E

Clouds ObservatoryFor Casadecor 2015, a Madrid-based designevent, Spanish architect Carolina GonzálezVives installed her Clouds Observatory onthe rooftop of the fair’s building. In theambitious project Carolina González and herstudio team were looking for ways to coolthe venue with the least power consump-tion possible. They examined the spontane-ous and natural mechanisms of oases in aridgeographies, where the right combinationof shade, vegetation, and water cools theair. This is due to evaporation, which in-volves the movement of particles leading tothe dissipation of 70% of solar radiation.Maintaining the cloud and sky theme, thespace has been decorated with the printedcloud tiles and mirrors. Decoratively inter-esting, the pods are more sustainable andcheaper in comparison to air conditioning


and also act as subtle spacedividers while providing shade.The lightweight constructionswere conceived of through theexploration of air, water andevaporation and are able to floatdue to the air density.Vives’s solution includes a mini-mal toolkit. She used three low“clouds”, PVC inflatable pods thatwithhold dense and fresh airunder them. The other elementsof the terrace, including theshapes, surfaces, artificial hills,tiled roofs are all geometricallycalculated to reproduce organicphysical conditions.The Casadecor rooftop, setabove the urban concrete/stonejungle of Madrid, seems to be anideal venue for putting theconcept into work. While being apublic and urban space, it is alsoopen to the landscape with itsview to the sky, making theambitions fulfilled by the Ob-servatory even more effectiveand compelling.

Title: Clouds ObservatoryArchitect: Carolina GonzálezVives, Madrid, SpainLocation: Casadecor 2015,

Madrid, SpainTechnical info: Inflatable PVCPicture credits: Nacho Uribe Salazar

Extended HouseA painted PVC-coated fabric screen concealing windowsand balconies merges with the crisp white facade of theartist's new house in north London, designed by theEnglish Guard Tillman Pollock Architects.The Hampstead property was designed to replace an early20th-century house that was in a state of disrepair.Planning regulations stipulated that the new house shouldmaintain the size of its predecessor but didn't necessarilyhave to look like it. Guard Tillman Pollock instead pro-posed a minimal boxy form and plain white finish toreference the heritage of 1930s Modernist properties inthe area.A section of the front facade that projects outwards fromthe first and second floor levels is a nod to an attributetypical of other local Modernist properties.The screen establishes the floating box aesthetic which is areference to the 1930s’ Modernist buildings in Hampstead.The house's interior provides spaces for painting and acts

as a backdrop for the owner's collectionof mid-century furniture and art. Itslayout is based on London's traditionalVictorian studio houses and incorpo-rates double-height spaces that arenaturally lit by large windows andskylights.The main double-height space housesthe reception area, with a library andstudy accommodated on the galleyabove. The owner requested that thestudio be located in the basement,which opens onto a courtyard at thefront of the house.

The PVC-coated fabricpanels,similar tothose usedfor advertis-ing on build-ings, screen the largest areas of glazing. The spray-paintedfabric restricts views into the house during the day butallows the occupants to look out.At night, the PVC-coated fabric panels enable movementwithin the house to become visible from outside. Verticalblinds inside can be closed to ensure privacy when re-quired. At the rear of the house, the fabric protects thereception space from unwanted solar gain.

Project: Extended HouseArchitects: Guard Tillman Pollock Architects , London, UKLocation: London, UKTechnical info: PVC-coated fabric screenPicture credits: Gareth GardnerWebsite: www.guardtillmanpollock.com


Chinese PavilionRejecting the notion of a cultural pavilion as an object in aplaza, the China Pavilion at Milan Expo 2015 is conceivedas a field of spaces located beneath a floating cloud. ThePavilion embodies the project’s theme, “The Land ofHope,” through its unique roof form, which merges theprofile of a city skyline on the building’s north side withthe profile of a rolling landscape on the south side, ex-pressing that “hope” can be realised when city and natureexist in harmony. Beneath this roof, a landscaped fieldrepresenting the concept of “Land,” incorporates thebuilding’s exhibition programme.Designed as a freeform timber structure, the Pavilion roofuses contemporary glulam technology to create a long-span exhibition space covering a multimedia installation(the centerpiece of the Pavilion’s cultural program) con-sisting of 22,000 LED stalks integrated into the landscape.New York-based Studio Link-Arc designed the building as acovered public space – the Pavilion touches the groundvery lightly. This will make it very easy to remove thePavilion after the Expo has ended.The architects designed the Pavilion structure and roofassembly as light as possible. A layer of shingled bamboopanels covers the roof, adding texture and depth to thePavilion’s silhouette and creating evocative light andshadow effects on the building’s translucent waterproof-


ing PVC membrane. These roof panels were designed via auniquely digital process, which began by programmingtheir geometry directly using Processing. This was fol-lowed by an intense optimisation and rationalisation effortintended to ensure that the panels would closely followthe roof form while streamlining fabrication and construc-tion.

Project: Chinese PavilionArchitect: Studio Link-Arc, New York, USALocation: Expo 2015, Milan, Italy www.expo215.orgTechnical info: PVC roof membranePicture credits: Sergio Grazia, Domus ArchiveWebsite: www. link-arc.com

Customer Experience CenterThe interior design of the Customer Experience Centre inPrague was established for presentation purposes to thevalued clients of Vodafone. The platform allows thecompany's clients to get a personalised and tailored tourwhich reflects their individual needs and provides themwith a 'know-how' portfolio of Vodafone’s telecommuni-cation technology and services.This arrangement of space whichleads into the customer's tour firstlyprovides a relaxation zone fromwhere the individual is intuitivelylured past the “organic walls“ towardsthe entrance welcome zone. The mainpart of the presentation occurs at thecentral – “Onenet” object which leadsfrom the back section via a narrowcorridor and provides every customerwith a slow transition between the real world and thereality created by Vodafone. From there they continue toanother two separated and differently shaped parts wherethe tour comes to an end.An exciting opportunity was creating a space on theground floor of the Vodafone CR headquarters in directconnection with the Fuel Cafe. The spaces are separatedby a glass wall and thus in direct visual contact. Therefore

the central object is designed with the main compositionalaccent directed at and in the plain sight of Fuel.

Several interesting construction technologies were used inthis specific building space. These spatial objects werecreated on a complicated, shaped, steel-carrier construc-

tion. They firstly composed them inrelation to their size in the factory halland then had to fit them in part bypart on location.For the peripherel shape a steel tubewas chosen with a 60mm diametral,the rest of the ribs were created witha steel jackel 25x25mm. Subsequentlythe shape was divided into segmentsusing aluminum moldings used forthe stretching of PVC Barrisol foil. IO

Studio used the combination of red and white foil as torecreate Vodafone's colour.

Architects: IO Studio, Prague, Czech RepublicLocation: Prague, Czech RepublicTechnical info: PVC Barrisol foilPicture credits: Alexander DoborvotskýWebsite: www.iostudio.cz


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