INTERLOCK

Our design studio was tasked with designing an outdoor furniture set to be placed on the 13th floor of a high-rise building near the sea. The goal was to design furniture that would be heavy enough to withstand strong winds while still looking as light and elegant as possible. We chose concrete as the primary material due to its weight and durability against wind and rain exposure.

 

One significant constraint we encountered was the transportation of the furniture to the site. It had to be delivered flat-packed and easily assembled on-site, as using a crane to transport it several stories above street level was not a feasible option.

 

This led us to develop the concept of an interlocking system.

 

The collection consists of cast concrete panels that interlock with one another. Each panel is 20mm thick and designed for strength by combining concrete with exposed glass-reinforced fibres. For aesthetic purposes, the concrete was intentionally left with open pores. 

By aligning the different panels in their designated interlocking positions, we formed a rigid structure for the furniture. Custom-made outdoor cushions were attached to the concrete panels using a simple yet elegant system of pre-drilled holes and unique wooden buttons.