Lisbon, Portugal
Portugal-based Miguel Arruda Arquitectos Associados firm creates Cork Block Sofa for Corticeira Amorim from a composition of cork granulate with polyurethane, both recycled and consolidated through compression, heat and the use of a binding element inside a metal mold.
The eco-friendly and sustainable design has been awarded a 2021 Good Design Award by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
The physical, elastic and tactile quality of the material and the possibility to add upholstery solutions with different colors, provides several different comfort and ambiance solutions, achieving different supports to the coccyx, back and arms, for different effective comfort levels.
Derived from the observation of nature, the design mimics the cork oak tree’s strong sculptural volumetry, utilizes the technological possibility of recycling cork and the technology employed which allows an adequate degree of elasticity for the new agglomerate; this process naturally gave space to imagine a diversified association of six blocks that comprise the single seat sofa and of thirteen blocks for the double seat layout.
Other combinations appeared during the design process, which is not closed but rather available for each user’s preferences.
The cork agglomerate manufactured by Amorim Composites, designated under reference number 5058, results from a composition of cork granulate particle size 2-3 m, with polyurethane, both recycled and consolidated through the use of a binder.
This cork agglomerate is placed inside a metal mold of 900 mm x 900 mm x 380 mm that is subject to a certain pressure and temperature which process allows it —by the end of its production— to reach a compression strength of 100 psi, and a compression recovery of 70 and a specific weight of 230 kg/m3.
This rectangular block resulting from the above operation reaches the final dimensions of 900 mm x 900 mm x 190 mm.
Through its lamination it has produced sheets of various thicknesses, used particularly in sub floors, and other acoustic solutions, resulting no waste from that operation, since every part of the material is used in some way.
The material cohesion and its elasticity and effective adherence when overlapped, suggested the possibility of composing a set of six blocks of different dimensions and shapes.
In indoor spaces, some of these volumes can be replaced by identical volumes covered with fabric of different colors and with a more flexible interior.
The physical, elasticity, flexibility and tactile quality of the material (granted by the binder used as a connecting element between the cork granulate and polyurethane), and the possibility to add upholstery solutions with different colors, provides several different comfort and ambiance solutions, achieving different supports to the coccyx, back and arms, for different effective comfort levels.
Project: Cork Block Sofa
Designers: Miguel Arruda, Miguel Arruda Arquitectos Associados LDA.
Manufacturer: Corticeira Amorim
