The Scale Seat design is set around public seating that gives back to the community, celebrates its material life story and educates society on localised upcycling initiatives. Hypothetically, the communal seats would be created through a partnership between Sanford and a local community council within New Zealand. Throughout this partnership, 3D printed designs can be co-created by the community and Sanford, to ensure the furniture pieces are suitably incorporated within an environment, while still recognising Sanford’s sustainable upcycling efforts by indicating where the materials originated from. The anticipated designs could utilise 3D printing customisation to achieve these goals. Unique forms can be distinguished for furniture pieces to fit precisely into communal areas, while the use of distinctive textures and negative space influenced by the marine environment can subtly reference the origin of the material. Through the implementation of these designs throughout society, the public can be educated on innovative upcycling initiatives that locally process domestic plastic waste into functional, everyday products. In doing so, the upcycling initiative could receive significant attention and therefore, more 3D printed furniture made from used plastic fishing gear could be designed and introduced to a wide variety of communities throughout New Zealand.

 

The public furniture piece was 3D printed out of filament made from used buoys. The use of this material within a curvacious and thick-walled chair resulted in a sturdy and accurate 3D printed model. The materials black tones create a modernised piece of furniture that could fit into a range of environments. Whereas, its glossy finish intensifies the fish scale texture as the light gradually accentuates individual areas of the form. The steep curves on the underside of the chair act as a form of structural integrity, while also visually communicating the origin of the material subtly by embracing the shape of a fish fin within the negative space. 

 

The Scale Seat was awarded winner for the 2020 L'affare Innovation in Sustainability Award at the ECC student craft/design awards.

​

http://www.nzcraftdesignawards.com/2020-category-winners

​