Forrest Bänk by Giuliano Ricciardi is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2022 A' Design Award i Järn in Trädgårds- och Utomhusmöbeldesign Competition Category.

JärnUtomhusmöbler· 2022

Forrest Bänk

by Giuliano Ricciardi

Client: d-Lab studio

A' Design Award i Järn Winner in Utomhusmöbler Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #138382

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Colors

The Design

About Forrest Bänk

Forrest är en monolitisk bänk som bygger sin elegans på den minimala och rena formen och på sin utskjutande struktur täckt med porslinsstengods som pryder ytorna. Tack vare dessa element är det möjligt att perfekt efterlikna vilken sten, trä eller metall som helst samtidigt som de tekniska fördelarna (hållbarhet, lätthet, motstånd, etc.) som sådana material vanligtvis inte ger. Strukturen kompletteras av det lättade cortenstödet som nästan försvinner av plasmaskurna texturer och av led-ljuset placerat under projektionen som erbjuder trevliga skuggspel.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award i Järn

Forrest Bänk är vinnare av A' Design Award i Järn, ett prestigefyllt erkännande som tilldelas bra designverk som uppfyller de professionella och industriella krav som förväntas av välgjorda skapelser. Järnvinnare visar stor skicklighet, hög specialisering, expertförståelse och skaparnas kreativa förmåga. Forrest Bänk förväntas vara en högt skattad, beundrad och älskad skapelse som är praktisk och innovativ. Detta vinnande verk i A' Design Award i Järn integrerar branschens bästa praxis och har kompetenta tekniska egenskaper kopplade till kunnande och talang. Forrest Bänk respekteras för sin grundlighet och är utformat för att åstadkomma förbättringar av livskvaliteten som hjälper till att göra världen till en bättre plats.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: The Forrest bench is a monolith which bases its elegance to the minimal shape and to its projecting structure covered with porcelain stoneware that embellishes the surfaces. Thanks to these elements, it's possible to perfectly emulate any stone, wooden or metal material while maintaining the technical advantages (durability, lightness, resistance, etc.) that such materials usually do not provide. The structure is completed by the lightened corten support made almost evanescent by plasma cutted pattern.
Dimensions & Packaging: 2400 mm x 800 mm x 400 mm
Tags: bench, gres, corten, led, laser cutting, waterjet, marble, luxury, seat
Production Technology: Plasma cutting for Corten, waterjet cutting for Gres
Design Challenge: The main challenge was to provide lightness to a heavy-looking monolith, by replacing marble with other materials, like the mdf for the support and the porcelain stoneware for coating. These materials, when appropriately cut, would keep the texture continuity and allow to create a storage space. The secondary challenge was to give emphasis to the seat with a corten made support, which the aesthetic and structural features would make the bench complete.
Research: Market research analysis showed that the bench has always perceived as a poor and vaguely crude looks object. It is often made by low quality and easy to find materials. These conditions, reduce elegance and value of a useful object that could enrich an urban landscape, a park, or a museum or residential space. Forrest is the answer to the current need of living in a refined design setting while respecting the sustainable consumption of natural raw materials.
Inspiration: Thinking of a bench, the first picture that comes to mind is probably the “Forrest Gump” movie. The main character, sitting on a bench, deeply describes his life to the different people who exchange seats, while they wait for their buses passing. Bench is a meeting place, it’s a place of exchange, expectation, conversation, meditation and confidence; is not only a place for rest, is a means that brings travellers together, no matter if they know each other.
Project Duration: The project started and ended in September 2019 in Taranto. It obtained the first prize in the "Design With Gres" contest organized by SpazioBianko with Arch. Bernardo D'Ippolito, CEO of KinoWorkshop srl, as jury president and was prototyped to be exhibited at the award ceremony during the Gres & Dress event
Operation Flow: The bearing structure of Forrest consists of a mdf box which could be accessed through a door on the side for storing functions like mats, books, etc. The corten support element has a pure static and decorative function. The associated texture with corten and the specific stoneware crafting and finishing, allow for a better bench definition and adaptation to any stylistic and environmental context. The strip led below has a soft light touch function both for indoor and outdoor settings.
Image Credits: #1 Designer Giuliano Ricciardi, Forrest 01, 2019
#2 Designer Giuliano Ricciardi, Forrest 02, 2019
#3 Designer Giuliano Ricciardi, Forrest 03, 2019
#4 Designer Giuliano Ricciardi, Forrest 04, 2019
#5 Designer Giuliano Ricciardi, Forrest 05, 2019