Adrienn Veres is the author of Infinity – the first prototype of an experimental furniture set made out of 100% recycled plastic sheets.
With a master degree in architecture from Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design Budapest (2019), Adrienn moved to the Netherlands to work at Precious Plastic. Her main task there was to design and organize the exhibition held at the workspace for the Dutch Design Week in 2019. The Exhibition showcased the results of one year research work of 100+ international volunteers.
During this time, I became familiar with the innovative recycling machines and followed the work of designers, who invented products and techniques to recycle plastic into precious objects. This experience had a great impact on me and I decided to pursue recycling full time. – Adrienn recalls.
In the project, the material is made from HDPE (polyethylene) plastic waste. The sorted and cleaned plastic is first shredded into small flakes, then it gets pressed into sheets, using a semi-industrial sheet press. This technology allows to produce furniture without generating waste during the production process. The remaining pieces, offcuts of the sheets can be shredded and pressed into valuable boards again. Once the lifespan of the chair is over, it can be fully recycled with the same method.
HDPE is widely accessible, relatively cheap, has a high tensile strength and it is easy to work with. Due to the extensive use (bottle caps, food and drink containers, toys etc.) the colour palette is nearly endless. These characteristics make it ideal to use for furnishing, especially in public buildings, where objects are exposed to frequent use and replacement.
In the description of Infinity, Adrienn highlights that she was pushing the limits of this material with her design. She wanted to create a very light, stackable chair, which she achieved with bending the elements with a self-built bending machine. The nodes formed from the bent pieces are strong and made possible the usage of only 6mm thick panels. The chair can be assembled and disassembled with a basic screwdriver, which makes it easy to repair.
Contemporary Lynx is a proud media partner of Łódź Design Festival 2021. We have been publishing a series of articles on innovative and talented designers who have been finalists of the make me! 2021 – an international design contest for young designers at the Łódź Design Festival.
