(bio)Plastic Morphologies Table by Marilu Valente |
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| DESIGN NAME: (bio)Plastic Morphologies PRIMARY FUNCTION: Table INSPIRATION: The design is inspired by my personal manipulation of the plastic material at its viscous state. Bioplastic can be made at home with simple materials such as potato starch, vinegar, water and glycerin. All ingredients are then mixed together and heated. By doing so it becomes denser and more viscous. When the right level of viscosity is achieved, the material can then be stretched. UNIQUE PROPERTIES / PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The innovative manufacturing process is the key design element which makes the product stand out. The natural behavior of the viscous material is exploited in order to extract its inherent structural properties. OPERATION / FLOW / INTERACTION: The manufacturing process is highly efficient in terms of material needed. The intricate shapes that the viscous material forms cover a high surface area with very little material. This efficient configuration makes the table highly innovative and sustainable. PROJECT DURATION AND LOCATION: The project is at its conceptual stage. Small prototypes have been produced. FITS BEST INTO CATEGORY: Furniture Design |
PRODUCTION / REALIZATION TECHNOLOGY: The material used is bioplastic. The manufacturing process is an integral part of the design. The bioplastic is produced and while still at its viscous state, the material is stretch under specific conditions and initial constraints in order to achieve a structurally sound table. SPECIFICATIONS / TECHNICAL PROPERTIES: 3.4m x 1.3m x 0.75m TAGS: table, bioplastic, stretching, manufacturing, viscosity RESEARCH ABSTRACT: "Form follows the material": this is the main inspiration for this project. Thermoplastic material when heated is very viscous and can be manipulated in different ways. Stretching the viscous material reveals an interesting branching structures which can be exploited for its structural characteristics under compression. Compression forces acting on a branched support will be better distributed across the piece of furniture in comparison to a linear structural element. The research focuses on the manufacturing process which starts by the ingredients used to make the bioplastics and the manipulation techniques which is stretching. The material chosen is bioplastic due to its organic ingredients and sustainable properties. Bioplastics can be derived by many natural sources including starches. Once the ingredients are all mixed together and heated, they form a viscous paste. When this material is stretched between two surfaces, it forms branching structures which make structural sense. This is why this technique is applied to the manufacturing of a table. The compression forces acting on the top part of the table will be distributed to the lower branching configuration. CHALLENGE: The main challenges for this project are the following: - The bioplastic material needs to have the right ratio of ingredients - The viscous material needs to be stretched when the right level of viscosity is reached ADDED DATE: 2014-09-30 10:13:03 TEAM MEMBERS (1) : Marilu Valente IMAGE CREDITS: Marilu Valente, 2014. |
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NAME: Marilu Valente PROFILE: The passion for sustainability and technology drives my design aesthetics. My designs are inspired by sustainability which is a subject that I explore from many different points of view. Through my designs I try to to what nature is trying to teach us, to what the material want to say, to what the form wants to become. |
| AWARD DETAILS | |
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(bio)plastic Morphologies Table by Marilu Valente is Winner in Furniture Design Category, 2014 - 2015.· Press Members: Login or Register to request an exclusive interview with Marilu Valente. · Click here to register inorder to view the profile and other works by Marilu Valente. |
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