Cork Block Sofa by Miguel Arruda is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2021 A' Design Award Salaka in Desain Furnitur Competition Category.

SalakaFurnitur· 2021

Cork Block Sofa

by Miguel Arruda

Client: Miguel Arruda Arquitectos Associados, Lda

A' Design Award Salaka Winner in Furnitur Category

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Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #124323

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Colors

The Design

About Cork Block Sofa

Cork Block iyanaritu sofa modular iya riyebbué polé ri cork agglomerate iya risarom'é paimeng. Bahang'é sicampuru cork granulate sibawa polyurethane, iya duwaé purani risaromé paimeng na risipulungngi sibawa pangikkere' ri laleng cetakang bessié ri yawana tekkanang sibawa pella'na. Blok iya jajié massékke, malemma na madecéng rikarawa. Aseppulo blok tellu mébbui susunang tudangeng séddi na aseppulo tellu blok mébbui susunang tudangeng duwa. Blokna ripolo ri enneng rupa bentu', naiya makkuwa jaji maéga camppurang wedding riébbu. Blok iya ripilé weddingngi risulléi sibawa versi iya riubi kaéng ri warna iya laingngé. Panyanga ri munri sibawa lima palenna palésoi maéga tingka' asennangeng.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Salaka

Cork Block Sofa iyanaritu pakoro A' Design Award Salaka, pakalebbi iya malompo tongeng iya ripabbere ri desain tingkak pole, cantik sibawa mappakita. Pakoro Salaka iyanaritu karya iya macennning tongeng sibawa kreatif iya mappakita keahlian, bakat sibawa ketajaman pikkiran tau mabbuat. Cork Block Sofa ripakkirangngi mancaji karya iya magello, mancaji pakkitaang, profesional sibawa inovatif iya dalleng. Desain pakoro A' Design Award Salaka iyae iyanaritu penemuan iya lebbi riissengngi sibawa ripuji, iya pawangekeng sibawa mappalaong wates seni, sains, desain sibawa teknologi. Cork Block Sofa iyanaritu ciptaan iya riennengi tau maega, iya mappabbura keinginan, mappabbere perasaan makessing sibawa mappabbentuk ketakjuban.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: The cork agglomerate, results from a composition of cork granulate with polyurethane,both recycled and consolidated through compression, heat and the use of a binder inside a metal mold. The physical, elastic and tactile quality of the material and the possibility to add upholstery solutions with different colors, provides several different confort and ambience solutions, achieving diferent supports to the coccyx, back and arms, for different effective comfort levels.
Dimensions & Packaging: Width 120 or 180cm x Height 57cm and Depth 90cm
Tags: Sofa, Seat, Furniture, Cork, Recycled
Production Technology: A agglomerate from cork granulate and polyurethane, both recycled and consolidated with a binder, is launched inside a metal mold with 90 x 90 x 38cm, and subjected to pressure and temperature, allowing at the end a compression strength of 100, a recovery of 70 and a weight of 230kg pcm.
This blocks of physical, elastic and tactile quality material, are usually used only for technical acoustic solutions, are cutted allowing six types blocks, intended to combine for two different sofa solutions.
Design Challenge: It was necessary to find a binding agent that could merge the recycled cork and plastic particles granting the volume a degree of elasticity and comfort in the sitting position in order to achieve the proper stability and the durability needed for its use. After that first step, finding the right proportions and a reduced number of pieces/bricks needed to assemble each model became a fun but challenging game.
Research: The cork agglomerate by Amorim Composits, from recycled cork granulate particle size 2 to 3 mm with polyurethane, generates a rectangular block resulting from the above described operation with 90 x 90 x 19 cm. Its cohesion, elasticity and overlap adherence, suggested the possibility of composing a set of nine blocks of different shapes for a sofa.
In indoor spaces, some volumes can be replaced by identical ones covered with fabric of different colors and with a more flexible interior.
Inspiration: The observation of nature, where the cork oak tree has a strong sculptural volumetry, the technological possibility of recycling cork and the technology employed that allows an adequate degree of elasticity for the new agglomerate designated by reference 5058, naturally gave space to imagine a diversified association of nine blocks that build the single sheet sofa and of thirteen blocks for the double seet layout. Other combinations appeared during the process, which is not closed but rather available for each user design experiences.
Project Duration: The project started in February 2018 and finished in October 2020, both in Lisbon.
Operation Flow: The rectangular blocks of the Cork Block Sofa are cut in different shapes, allowing it to have several combinations, intended to combine in several shapes and sitting positions. The physical, elastic and tactile quality of the material and the possibility to add upholstery solutions with different colors, provides several diferent confort and ambience solutions, achieving diferent supports to the coccyx, back and arms, for different effective comfort levels.
Team Members: Designer: Miguel Arruda
Image Credits: Image 1:Pedro Sadio, Image 2: Miguel Arruda, Image 3: Pedro Sadio, Image 4: Pedro Sadio, Image 5: Pedro Sadio