Cork Block Sofa by Miguel Arruda is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2021 Ihe Nrite A' Design Award nke Ọlaọcha in Nhazi Ngwá Ụlọ Competition Category.

ỌlaọchaNgwá Ụlọ· 2021

Cork Block Sofa

by Miguel Arruda

Client: Miguel Arruda Arquitectos Associados, Lda

Ihe Nrite A' Design Award nke Ọlaọcha Winner in Ngwá Ụlọ Category

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Colors

The Design

About Cork Block Sofa

Cork Block bụ sofa modula nke e ji cork agglomerate a gaghachiri ọzọ mee. Ihe ọrụ a jikọtara cork granulate na polyurethane, ha abụọ bụ ihe a gaghachiri ọzọ ma jikọọ ha na binder n'ime igbe ígwè n'okpuru nrụgide na okpomọkụ. Blọk ndị si na ya pụta na-ejikọta ọnụ, na-agbanwe agbanwe ma na-atọ ụtọ mgbe emetụrụ ya aka. Blọk itoolu na-emepụta nhazi oche nke otu onye ma blọk iri na atọ na-emepụta nhazi oche nke mmadụ abụọ. A na-ebekwa blọk ndị a n'ụdị isii, ya mere ọtụtụ njikọ dị ọtụtụ ga-ekwe omume. Enwere ike iji ụdị ndị e ji akwa mee nke agba dị iche iche dochie blọk ndị ahọpụtara. Ihe nkwado maka azụ na aka na-enye ọtụtụ ọkwa nke ntụsara ahụ.

The Recognition

About the Ihe Nrite A' Design Award nke Ọlaọcha

Cork Block Sofa meriri A' Design Award nke Ọlaọcha, nnabata dị oke ugwu e nyere design ndị dị n'ọkwa kachasị elu, mara mma ma na-eju anya. Ndị meriri na Ọlaọcha bụ ọrụ na-egbu maramara nke ukwuu ma dị oke nzụlite nke na-egosi ọmarịcha ihe ọmụma, talent na nghọta nke ndị designer ha. A na-atụ anya na Cork Block Sofa ga-abụ ọrụ dị ịtụnanya, ihe nlereanya, nke dị oke ọrụ ma dị omimi n'ihe ọhụrụ. Design a meriri A' Design Award nke Ọlaọcha bụ ihe e mepụtara dị oke ịrịba ama, nke a na-eto nke na-erite uru ma na-ebuga oke nka, sayensị, design na teknụzụ n'ihu. Cork Block Sofa bụ ihe e kere eke ọtụtụ ndị na-ekwo ekworo ya nke na-akpali ọchịchọ, na-eweta mmetụta ọma ma na-akpali ịtụnanya.

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