Contract - October 2010 - (Page 38)

materials cork and circumstances Keeping pace with sustainable and alternative material trends, a series of products from Daniel Michalik showcases cork as the new ideal seating material By Stacy Straczynski Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it certainly has done wonders for the designs of Daniel Michalik, a young, Brooklyn-based furniture designer. “Humans are naturally curious and seeing a material used in a new and non-traditional way naturally triggers inquisitiveness,” says Michalik. It was this natural curiosity that led Michalik to his own key to success—cork. While most picture the squishy, naturally occurring material as only suitable for stopping up wine bottles or as a wall-mounted tack board, Michalik sees cork as an ideal design solution. His unique collection of products—from chairs, to benches, to bowls—are composed entirely of cork. “I realized cork can take these shapes and forms that other materials can’t. On top of that, it’s natural and self-replenishing, so I wasn’t dealing with the environmental problems that plastics and metals present.” Amazingly, cork is quite ﬂexible and able to stretch and bend into a variety of shapes. To cra his designs, Michalik manipulates the cork into sheets (Sway Stool), blocks (Float Chair), and impressive spoon-like forms (Cortica Chaise Lounge and Minhoca Stool). Since all of his designs are composed of only cork, the products are safe for outdoor use and oﬀer a welcoming, velvety texture to users. As and added bonus to cork’s organic sustainable qualities, Michalik’s process allows him to utilize a majority of the base material across his product portfolio. “What’s nice about it is there’s not a lot of waste. I’m just taking one sheet or compressed granulated pieces and carving it all out. Other times what I do is I do start with a block and cut it into the right size and shape and glue it together,” he explains. Michalik holds an intense passion for ﬁnding the potential in underutilized, alternative materials. He believes that there is a need for designers to push their creativity with eco-healthy materials and get them to perform in diﬀerent ways. “If we widen our scope in material choice, then we also widen our scope in form and design, manufacturing, and all those things that go along with it,” he says. 38 contract october 2010 www.contractdesign.com http://www.contractdesign.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Contract - October 2010

Contract - October 2010
Contents
Editor's Note
Industry
Resources
Focus: What's Next
Focus: A New Conversation
Materials: Cork and Circumstances
Green: Net Zero
Practice: The Office That Never Closes
Splashy and Sustainable
The Art of Healthcare Design
Best Foot Forward
Harmonious and Healthy
Of Sea and Stone
Live Long and Prosper
Trends: From Illness Care to Wellness Care
Process: On the Front Line
Designers Rate
Sources
Ad Index
Perspectives

Contract - October 2010