London, United Kingdom
“I have always been obsessed with materials and aluminum in particular. It’s a metal I find incredibly interesting with its endless opportunities in terms of shapes and surface qualities,” states British designer Tom Dixon.
“I have been trying to make metal chairs for 30 years, and this one took me at least 3 years to get right.”
Admit growing environmental awareness, sustainability was at the forefront of Tom Dixon’s mind when he partnered with Norsk Hydro, the sub-suppliers to Tesla that produce 70% of their aluminum by renewable energy sources.
In this way, the HYDRO Chair was produced with recyclable aluminum that has a lower CO2 footprint than the global average.
The HYDRO chair is a limited-edition chair created in collaboration with HYDRO—the biggest aluminum producer in the world.
The HYDRO chair is an innovation in aluminum technology.
As aluminum is one of the few materials that can be recycled endlessly without losing its properties, it is an ideal material for a circular economy.
The HYDRO Chair has been blow-formed (through a process called Superplastic Forming) at high temperatures and then laser cut by robots.
These methods were developed in the automotive industries to make deep and complex forms that were impossible to achieve a few years ago.
The aluminum can be stretched to several times its original size without failure when heated.
The ballooned pattern gives strength and rigidity and lends a soft and humorous pop sensibility to the lightweight and shiny metal sheet.
By tapping into Hydro’s aluminum expertise and using the 5000 series of specially developed superplastic alloys, the chair is lightweight but robust and made to last, also outdoors.
The HYDRO Chair’s extreme lightness and stackability make it not just a desirable sculpture but also a highly practical chair.
“The future needs circular materials and we need to design products that live longer, can be recycled or reused, states Hilde Kallevig, Head of Brand and Marketing at Norsk Hydro.
“Understanding material properties and manufacturing processes will help create more sustainable products designed with recycling or reuse in mind, and that is why we believe it is important for designers and manufacturers to collaborate.”
The 60 limited-edition chairs have all been signed and numbered.
Project: HYDRO Chair
Designers: Tom Dixon.The Company
Manufacturer: Norsk Hydro ASA
