Flat Pack Furniture with Danish Influence

The Fundament Lounge by Acronym Designs is a pack flat lounger that was inspired by some mid-century pieces where simple lines and a low slung stance. The oak use for this piece is reclaimed and is currently being sourced from a company that makes tractor trailer beds. They have immense amounts of cut off waste that is too small for their purposes, but suits furniture design. Instead of this wood going to the landfill or being burned, it is converted it into functional and attractive furniture making it a sustainable design.
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the best company at NeoCon 2009

(above: portrait from MetropolisMag.com)

Stephanie Forsythe, along with Todd MacAllen and Robert Pasut, make up molo—a collaborative studio that approaches product design from an architect’s perspective. The outcomes are wonderful, multi-functional structures that can be interpretted for use as furniture, lighting, space dilineation, or custom installations. The molo aesthetic is strikingly unique yet versatile enough for a range of interior styles: residential, educational, corporate, or commercial.

(above: the very popular molo booth at NeoCon 2009)

Most people favor the deluxe permanent showrooms of to-the-trade-only manufacturers and their champaign and hors d’œuvre afternoon hours, but I have to say that the molo booth was my absolute favorite at NeoCon. They were really the freshest company at the event, and their products spoke most to what I think is the artistic vision, environmental outlook, and indie philosophy of today’s young designers.

Keep reading for the story on how molo came about, circumventing the traditional A+D route, and how their amazing designs were inspired by dollar store trinkets.

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Rethinking furniture joinery with exposed mechanical fasteners.

German designer Philippe Krzyzek has just released some of his interesting furniture at the 2009 DMY Design Festival in Berlin. What instantly sprang to my attention was his exposed use of metal fasteners to hold what looks like CNC timber panels together. So often with flat pack furniture designs we see the peices slot together (which makes sense) but is becoming a little predictable, even when using digital joints (previously featured).
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Eco Design for Everyone

Knoend is a design innovation studio that believe that design is a catalyst for change and has the power to create new experiences that will bring enhanced meaning to life. Knoend’s company name was conceived to describe the limitless possibilities that knowledge can bring to the world.
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Discovering sustainable materials.

The Ecolect mission is to create an online resource for sustainable materials available to anyone for free. While checking out the Materials PettingZoo, I spoke with co-founder Joe Gebbia about the various ways Ecolect can assist designers in discovering, selecting, and ordering sustainable materials.

Anyone can browse the curated materials library. Each material has its own entry including information on the manufacturer, possible applications, how and from what the materials is made, and also user submitted reviews. Eventually, each material will be rated on a sustainability scale considering various factors such as recycled and renewable content, toxicity, energy costs, and carbon footprint.

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Three-dimensional surfaces

3form is a design and manufacturing company that fabricates cutting-edge materials in the greenest way possible. The company formed in 1991 with a commitment to the environment, and their Path to Zero strategy will lead 3form to carbon neutrality by 2017. Their extensive collection of customizable materials contain a growing percentage of post consumer reycled content, and their reclaim program ensures that no 3form products will ever see a landfill.

Parametre is 3form’s range of 3D textiles. These flexible expanses of non-woven polyester come in three different cuts to add graphic dimension.

Read about 3form’s most extensive line of materials and take a look at their stunning surfaces after the jump.

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Sustainability + Creativity

Chicago based Skyline Design exhibited their Greenplay Furniture line of eco-friendly living and learning environments for kids. Designer Joe Fiacchino’s twenty-eight years in exhibition design comes across in Greenplay’s unique approach to creating a stimulating and playful world with their furniture. In addition to the recycled components, FSC-certified woods, and low-VOC coatings, Skyline offers a take-back program for the repurposing or donating of Greenplay products, similar to the services offered by previously mentioned furniture refurbishing company Davies.

Jonti-Craft serves the primary school and daycare markets with sturdy, kid-friendly furnishings. The Minnesota based manufacturer rounds all edges, reinforces material thickness, and installs piano hinges to minimize pinching little fingers. I would love to have that locker shelf.

Check out these recent posts for more kid-focused design.
• Kids have Arduino Fun Using Ponoko
• ontwerpduo—fun studio
• DIY Decorating for Kids from Elia

A furniture company that saves money and energy.

Whether you attended NeoCon physically or virtually this year, you probably noticed that Green/Eco/Sustainability was crucial. LEED certification has become both a badge of honor and a badge of cool in the world of architecture; so attendees were all looking for environmentally friendly products.

Davies Office Refurbishing started as an eco-conscious company in 1948—about sixty years before today’s Green Scene. As I inspected the giant wooden signs for laser-cutting burns and observed the rotating platforms at Davies booth, company President William Davies offered to give me a bit of background on his products and services.

(above: cool CNC table part of Davies display at NeoCon)

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Man fashions tree into chair, very slowly

Usually the Ponoko blog deals with interesting designs utilizing cutting edge technologies such as rapid prototyping, laser cutting, CNC and the software and theory surrounding it. As an antidote to all this obsession with speed and the digital, I thought it worth slowing it down and taking a look at design the embraces a more leisurely approach.
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Cavernous walls created using wood off-cuts collected in dumpsters, sidewalks and wastelands

French Architect Paul Coudamy previously mentioned on the Ponoko Blog by Kristen for his Cardboard Office has now turned his sustainable design eye to a new office space for beartech in Paris.
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