Perplex Bench

Perplex is an impossibly long and impossibly thin cast, concrete bench for outdoor and indoor use in residential, hospitality and corporate spaces. The physical dimensions of the bench are 4.25m long; 0.6m wide; 0.48m high, supported by cast aluminum legs. This bench is the result of a design and manufacturing exercise exploring the functional capabilities of a new mechanical adhesion technology. The manufacturer engaged with the design group to explore applications of their technology beyond the automotive field, where their business centres. 2 years of exploration including many prototypes, led to the discovery of the incredible potential of combining their technology with concrete. The material, at the bench’s core, is a consistently shaped field of hooks formed onto ultra-thin gauge metal surfaces. Like a metallic Velcro, it can be pressed, moulded, or cast to create a bond that is mechanical and continuous, strengthening hundreds of times per inch. The resulting application of the new materials meant that the bench is in fact hollow. Weighing in at 250kg, comparatively, a concrete bench of a similar size would be up to 1000kg in mass. The material reduces the energy required in product systems: reducing the weight of products that results in more efficient construction and transport, and the lack of adhesives makes it easier to separate and recycle materials at the end of a product's life-cycle. The result is a long, graceful bench rendered in concrete, requiring only support at either end. It invites use in a variety of ways. Its scale allows for different groups of people to gather, but gather separately. It showcases this new technology and creates a sculptural furniture piece for use in a variety of settings. Links: – http://www.fig40.com Credits: – Grip Metal – Project Management – Mark Lavelle – Fig40 – Industrial Design – Lee Fletcher – Fig40 – Industrial Design – Terence Woodside – Grip Metal – Project Management – Montu Khokhar – Grip Metal – Engineering – Nghi Pham