Gonzalo Bascuñan
Country: Italy
Carding Chair/ Rethinking our relationship with the environment.
Urban and Public Design
THE INSPIRATION OF THE PROJECT ATACAMA DESERT, CHILE The inspiration for Carding Chair comes from the effects of “fast fashion” on a place much loved by the designer: the Atacama desert. This is one of the biggest (and the most arid) desert on earth. Even with these weather condition, every 7 years this desert miraculously can make grow flowers. Sadly, however, the Atacama desert is not just that. Indeed, in recent times it appears as a real garbage dump: every year, it is estimated that 39 thousand tons of clothes reach the Atacama desert. These are unsold (and unrecycled) waste from the “fast fashion” industry, mainly produced in Bangladesh and China. This condition makes the designer think about a way to raise awareness of the people on this important matter. THE IMPORTANCE OF WASTE FOR THE FUTURE OF PLANET. Since 1996, the amount of clothing purchased in the EU per person has increased by 40% following a sharp drop in prices. This has led to a reduction in the life cycle of textile products: European citizens consume almost 26 kg of textile products every year and throw away around 11 kg. Globally, less than 1% of clothing is recycled as clothing, partly due to inadequate technologies. In this context, in the common sense waste is perceived as a problem for the community, which has to dispose of it by incinerating it or by storing it in landfills. The dialogue of recent years, centered on circular economy concepts, is however demonstrating the opposite: every kind of waste, if correctly treated and recycled, can be re-used and led to a new life. Fabrics can be recycled, sanitized, carded and used for the creation of new textile products. In this perspective, the original problem could become an important resource. And natural spaces filled of wasted clothes could be permanently cleaned up. THE CHAIR AND ITS DISPOSITION ON PUBLIC SPACES Carding Chair is a chair made of recycled fabric ropes, knotted to form a texture that comfortably welcomes the user. Also the structure is made of recycled metal, so that the project is entirely circular economy based. These materials are treated to be resistant to weights and bad weather, in order to be used outdoor. Several Carding Chairs should be positioned in a protected urban environments (for example, in a park) in order to create open air “sitting room” where people can sit and reflect. The chair become a place-tool for waiting, for suspension of urban tension but also a place to restore, contemplate and relax.
