In 2000 Ineke was asked to think about living in the future.A house in the middle of nowhere on Corsica (Fr) required product solutions for 21st century living, working, eating and relaxing space. Its inhabitants would have many guests, or would work just with two.
As learned from moving towards the year 2000, many things don’t change so drastically as suspected 50 years before. Lifestyles might change, basic elements in the house do not really, so also in the 21st century people will still need tables, storage and chairs. Houses - becoming centre of many activities - need to be flexible most of all.
Ineke Hans and Erik Jan Kwakkel - working together on this project - came forward with a number of proposals on storage, lighting, relaxing and eating, flexibility being the keyword.
Flexible storage
Four storage spaces were worked out, all as roomdeviders.
Two were fixed: one a kitchen version, offering space for a kitchen on one side and an opening to enable the cook to socialize with the guests on the other side. The other a bedroom unit with sliding outstoragespace for clothes.
The flexible office /relaxing roomdeviders were on wheels and could be moved around to ajust relax or office space when needed more or less of it.
The relax unit would be for TV and video and side for for instance books. The office unit would be display for objects, flowers, etc, and an office on the other side..
Flexible lighting
A thermochromatic plastic lightshade reacts on the heat of the light tuned by a dimmer.
When the light becomes clearer, the shade turns first red, than red with transparant flowers and finally totally transparant. This way it can be a romantic light as well as a working light. The light was designed as a hanging light and a floorlight.
Flexible eating (leightweight table and carbonfibre chair)
A four metre long table to be used for many guests eating, talking, working. Made from a coarse woven glassfibre it looks like having a white tablecloth. The table legs are light and made out of aluminium
The handmade/folklore looking but high-tech chair made out of polyurethane foam and carbonfibre strengthens the countryside feeling.
The lightweight table and chairs can easily be moved around the house, and brought outside on sunny days.
Flexible relaxing
A rotation moulded chair can be used single or combined as two/three/four seater or chaise longue. next to it it is very suitable for indoor and outdoor.
collaboration: Erik Jan Kwakkel
commission: APCI France