Cork Block Sòfa by Miguel Arruda is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2021 Duais Airgid A' Design Award in Dealbhadh Àirneis Competition Category.

AirgeadÀirneis· 2021

Cork Block Sòfa

by Miguel Arruda

Client: Miguel Arruda Arquitectos Associados, Lda

Duais Airgid A' Design Award Winner in Àirneis Category

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Colors

The Design

About Cork Block Sòfa

'S e sòfa mhodalach a th' ann an Cork Block a tha air a dhèanamh à cruinneachadh corca ath-chuartaichte. Tha am stuth a' cur còmhla gràinean corca agus polyurethane, an dà chuid ath-chuartaichte agus air an ceangal le ceanglaiche taobh a-staigh mold meatailt fo chuideam agus teas. Tha na blocaichean a thig às an seo dlùth ri chèile, sùbailte agus taitneach ri suathadh. Tha naoi blocaichean a' cruthachadh cruth na suidheachan singilte agus trì-deug a' cruthachadh cruth na suidheachan dùbailte. Tha na blocaichean air an gearradh ann an sia cruthan, agus mar sin tha mòran chothlamaidhean comasach. Faodar blocaichean taghte a chur an àite tionndaidhean le còmhdach ann an dathan eadar-dhealaichte. Bidh taicean airson a' chùil agus nan gàirdeanan a' toirt seachad grunn ìrean de chomhfhurtachd.

The Recognition

About the Duais Airgid A' Design Award

Tha Cork Block Sòfa air Duais Airgid A' Design Award a bhuannachadh, aithneachadh gu math urramach a bheirear do dhealbhaidhean den chiad ìre, àlainn agus drùidhteach. Tha buannaichean Airgid nan obraichean anabarrach boillsgeach agus gu math cruthachail a nochdas sàr-eòlas, tàlant agus geurchuis an luchd-dealbhaidh. Thathar an dùil gum bi Cork Block Sòfa na obair mhìorbhaileach, na sàr-eisimpleir a tha gu sònraichte proifeiseanta agus gu domhainn ùr-ghnàthach. Tha an dealbhadh seo a bhuannaich Duais Airgid A' Design Award na innleachd glè fhaicsinneach, ion-mholta a bhrosnaicheas crìochan ealain, saidheans, dealbhaidh agus teicneolais. Tha Cork Block Sòfa na chruthachadh air a bheil mòran eud, a dhùisgeas miannan, a bheir faireachdainnean math agus a thogas iongnadh is miorbhail.

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