Glass fibre. Concrete. Shape.

c o n c re t e ® u r b a n d e s i g n g l a s s f i b re c o n c re t e boomer one boomer two waver pato stones arpa osa lounger shorty tabloo kirk

Concrete ® Urban Design D e s i g n e r s a re a l w a y s i n s e a rc h o f s o m e t h i n g s p e c i a l . A t h o u g h t i n s p i re s a n i d e a t h a t l e a d s t o a d r a f t a n d t h e n re s u l t s i n a m o d e l . H o w e v e r, a s t ro n g p a r t n e r i s re q u i re d f o r i t s re a l i s a t i o n . This partner was quickly found once the lands c a p e a rc h i t e c t s o f re a l g r ü n w e re a w a rd e d w i t h the tender to design the Arnulfpark in Munich. To g e t h e r w e d e s i g n e d a n u r b a n p a r k l a n d s c a p e c o n s i s t i n g o f a p l a y g ro u n d a n d a n a d v e n t u re a re a , o f p l a y i n g w a l l s a n d p l a y g ro u n d e l e m e n t s , o f f re e l y c o m b i n a b l e s e a t i n g b u b b l e s a n d p a r k f u r n i t u re . T h e A r p a s e a t i n g b e n c h w a s b o r n , a n d w i t h i t t h e C o n c re t e ® U r b a n D e s i g n c o n c e p t . C o n c r e t e ® Ur b a n D e s i g n m a r k s t h e c o l l a b o r a t i o n of designers, architects and landscape architects i n c o m b i n a t i o n w i t h w i t h o u r k n o w- h o w. A n d o f ou r cou rage to rea l ise design ideas which hard ly a n y b o d y d a r e d t o t a c k l e . We a r e t u r n i n g i n t o rea l it y ever y t h ing t hat is feasible . Wit h c u r io s i t y, e n t h u s i a s m a n d p a s s i o n . We a r e p o u r i n g t he designers’ v isions into concrete – into glass f ibre concrete . A nd a re t hus cont r ibut ing to g ive a unique look also to public space. Concrete® Ur b a n D e s i g n i s s t r i k i n g a n e w p a t h w i t h t h i s concept. A nd w il l continue to do so.

Glass Fibre Concrete For the past 20 years we have been intensively d e a l i n g w i t h g l a s s f i b re c o n c re t e . L i ke o n l y a f e w i n G e r m a n y w e l e a r n e d t o p ro d u c e a g re a t variety of shapes, colours and surfaces out o f t h i s w o n d e r f u l m a t e r i a l . A n d w h a t ’s b e s t : s o - c a l l e d g l a s s f i b re f i l a m e n t s a re re p l a c i n g c o n v e n t i o n a l s t e e l re i n f o rc e m e n t . T h a t w a y w e c a n p ro d u c e e x t re m e l y t h i n -w a l l e d a n d c o m p l e x objects. This adds zest to the contradiction of t h i s e x t r a o r d i n a r y f u r n i t u re - w h a t c o m e s a l o n g as solid and massive at first glance at the same time appears to be light, even floating. Dur ing t he product ion process t he glass f ibre c o n c r e t e i s a l l o w e d t o m a t u r e j u s t l i k e go o d cheese – for a per iod of 20 days , w it hout d raught and at constant temperat ures and w it h a f fect ionate care. In t he end t he sur face w i l l be ref inished , washed and i mpregnated. T h is ma kes t h e o b j e c t ’s s u r f a c e w e a t h e r- p r o o f a n d g i v e s i t its rough velvet y text u re . Glass f ibre concrete is a nat ural product . Colour is not applied but added as a pig ment i nstead , wh ich dyes t he matr ix. Furniture made of glass f ibre concrete absorbs moisture which it t hen releases. The pieces of f urniture are quick ly adjusting to t he ambient temperature and are war ming up in t he su n whereas objects made of convent iona l sol id concrete w i l l rema in cold for qu ite a long t i me . Glass f ibre concrete is a liv ing matter – w ind and w e a t h e r, h u m i d i t y a n d s u n l i g h t a r e e v e r c h a n g i n g i t s s u r f a c e s t r u c t u r e , b u t n o t i t s s u b s t a n c e . F u rniture of glass f ibre concrete is st ylish and has s t r e n g t h o f c h a r a c t e r. No t e v e n t h e y e a r s p a s s i n g cou ld do it any har m.

»Good material only unfolds its full potential in a perfect shape.« Kornelius Hauber, Production Manager Glass Fibre Concrete Division

boomer one

»Play is man’s first poetry.« Jean Paul

boomer one | boomer two b o o m e r i s s e n s u o u s i n e v e r y re s p e c t ; r i c h o f c o n t r a s t s i n s h a p e a n d e f f e c t . T h e o r g a n i c a l l y f l o a t i n g s h a p e w i t h a p re c i s e c l o s u re i s re m i n d i n g u s o f a s t re t c h e d t o r s o o n t h e o n e h a n d , a n d o n t h e o t h e r t h e re i s t h e m a t e r i a l t h a t s e e m s t o b e s o h a rd . P re s e n t b u t re s e r v e d a t t h e s a m e t i m e , o r g a n i c a n d s o f t , e v e n f r a g i l e , b o o m e r i s n u r t u r i n g t h e n o t i o n o f g ro w i n g a n d f l o a t i n g . Wit h boomer one a nd boomer t wo t he designers not on ly developed a piece of se at i ng f u r n it u re but a lso a sc u lpt u re t hat v iv id ly approaches and fol lows a mbient and wav ing shapes , f it t ing snugly to t hem and cont inu ing t hei r mot ion. Never t he l e s s b o o m e r i s a l s o s t a n d i n g o n i t s o w n , a p p e a r s t o b e j ov i a l a n d d e c e n t a n d i n v i t e s yo u t o c h i l l o u t a n d l i n g e r. Fo r t h i s n i c h e b o o m e r i s m e e t i n g r e q u i r e m e n t s w a y b e yo n d a n y s t a n d a r d s w h a t s o e v e r. G l a s s f i b r e c o n c r e t e c o n v i n c e d t h e d e s i g n e r s w i t h i t s s o l i d n e s s , a k i n i n c h a r a c t e r a n d n a t u r e t o s t o n e , a n d w i t h i t s s c u l p t a b i l i t y, p u r i t y a n d u n i q u e h a p t i c s .

design boomer one and boomer two E l ke B e r g e r S t u d i o B l a n d s c a p e a rc h i t e c t u re a n d Norman Her wig, A rc h i t e c t » D e s i g n h a s t h e t a s k t o b r i n g i n a h a r m o n i o u s s h a p e a l l p ro g r a m m a t i c s p e c if i c a t i o n s a n d o b j e c t i v e s t h a t h a v e a n e f f e c t o n a p ro j e c t .« E l ke B e r g e r »T h e d e s i g n o f a b a s i c c o m m o d i t y r i g h t t o t h e p o i n t o f u r b a n d e s i g n i s t r i gg e r i n g a r a n g e o f f e e l i n g s w i t h i n a l l o f u s . A g o o d d e s i g n m a ke s s u re t h e s e a re p o s i t i v e .« Norman Her wig

boomer two

waver W i t h w a v e r w e c re a t e d a s c u l p t u r a l s o l u t i o n o f g l a s s f i b re c o n c re t e t h a t i s d o i n g w i t h o u t v i s i b l y s t r u c t u r a l d e t a i l s . I n s t e a d , w a v e r b ro a d e n s t h e s e n s o r y p e rc e p t i o n o f a t h re e - d i m e n s i o n a l p i e c e o f f u r n i t u re b y a n a u d i t o r y m o m e n t . T h e re f o re a n a p p ro a c h i s n o t o n l y p o s s i b l e w h e n s i t t i n g o r l y i n g b u t n o w a l s o w i t h t h e e a r s . Fo r t h e d e s i g n e r s o f s i n a i d e s i g n i n g o f o b j e c t s i s t h e c o n s e q u e n c e o f a n i n t e n s i v e e x a m i n a t i o n o f p u b l i c s p a c e o r u r b a n p l a n n i n g. I n t h i s r e s p e c t d e s i g n i n g o f o b j e c t s i s a l w a y s s e r v i n g a n ov e r a l l d e s i g n . W i t h “ w a v e r ” t h e i d e a o f a “ s p e a k i n g p i e c e o f f u r n i t u r e ” w h i c h o r i g i n a t e d w h i l e wo r k i n g o n a d r a f t f o r t h e C a m p u s o f t h e r e g i o n a l f l o w e r s h o w i n A s c h e r s l e b e n i n 2 010 i s t a k i n g s h a p e , i n s p i r e d b y t h e l e a f o f t h e O l e a r i a A r b o r e s c e n s , a n e v e r g r e e n b u s h p l a n t f r o m t h e l o w l a n d s o f N e w Z e a l a n d ’s No r t h I s l a n d . T h e d e s i g n e r s o f s i n a i d e v e l o p e d i t s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s h a p e f r o m a s e r i e s o f d r a f t e l e m e n t s t o a geomet r ic a l ly var y ing shape t hat was equ ipped w it h an aud io system.

design waver A .W. Fa u s t sinai. G e s e l l s c h a f t v o n L a n d s c h a f t s a rc h i t e k t e n m b H Berlin »No design, whether ambitioned or not, is without a statement. Ev e r y s h a p e h a s – i n t e n t i o n a l l y o r u n i n t e n t i o n a l l y – a s p i r i t u a l c o n t e n t .« A .W. Fa u s t

»Every communication has content and a relationship aspect, so that the latter determines the former.« Paul Watzlawick

pato, design Eva Rudolph

stone, pato A c u t p e b b l e i n a w a t e r y c re e k b e d – s t ro k i n g a n d r u b b i n g i t a f f e c t i o n a t e l y i s n o t o n l y s o m e t h i n g f o r a c h i l d ’s h a n d . S t o n e i s t a k i n g u p t h e f a m i l i a r s h a p e a n d i s c re a t i n g a d i s t re s s i n g b u t n e v e r t h e l e s s f a s c i n a t i n g d i m e n s i o n . J u s t a s if i t w e re a n a p p e a l i n g i n v i t a t i o n t o t a ke a s e a t , i n t e rc o n n e c t a n d c o m m u n i c a t e , c o n t e m p l a t e a n d re l a x . P l e a s e t o u c h ! S t o n e i s a h a n d- c h a r m i n g t o u c h s t o n e i n X L f o r m a t , s p e c t a c u l a r l y d i m e n s i o n e d a n d y e t s o l i g h t w e i g h t . It s n a t u r a l l o o k a n d t h e r o u g h v e l v e t y s u r f a c e a r e s h o w i n g t h e g l a s s f i b r e c o n c r e t e ’s e xc e p t i o n a l v i s u a l a p p e a r a n c e a n d h a p t i c s t o t h e i r v e r y b e s t a d v a n t a g e . S t o n e s a r e i n t r o d u c i n g n e w a c c e n t s i n d o o r s a n d o u t d o o r s , f o r p l a y i n g , l y i n g o r s i t t i n g. O r s i m p l y j u s t a s a n e ye - c a n d y; o n t h e p l a yg r o u n d , i n t h e p a r k o r i n yo u r o w n g a r d e n . Pa t o , a f l o w e r t r o u g h i n a c a p t i v a t i n g s t y l i s t i c s h a p e – s i m p l e y e t n o t t o o d o m i n a n t – i s a v a i l a b l e i n v a r i o u s s i z e s a n d c o l ours.

design stone, pato Ev a R u d o l p h I n d e p e n d e n t a rc h i t e c t Lindenberg » D u r i n g m y d e s i g n p ro c e s s t h e l i n e s b e t w e e n a rc h i t e c t u re a n d d e s i g n b e c o m e b l u r re d . T h a t w a y s p a t i a l s o l u t i o n s a re c re a t e d w i t h a c l e a r h a r m o n y t h a t l i n k t h e i n t e r i o r w i t h t h e e x t e r i o r.« Ev a R u d o l p h

»Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler.« A lbert Einstein

arpa H a r m o n i s i n g s h a p e a n d f u n c t i o n d e t e r m i n e s t h e c h a r a c t e r o f t h e re a l g r ü n l a n d s c a p e a rc h i t e c t s’ a r t i s t i c v i s i o n . I t s c o n s i s t e n t re a l i s a t i o n i s re f l e c t e d i n t h e A r p a s e a t i n g b e n c h . T h e c o n c e p t u a l d e s i g n o f t h e c o m p l e x t h re e - d i m e n s i o n a l s h a p e o f t h e h o l l o w c o n c re t e b o d y e q u a l l y m e e t s t h e d e m a n d f o r f u n c t i o n a l i t y, e rg o n o m i c s a n d m o d u l a r i t y. T h e m a t e r i a l ’s ro b u s t n e s s a n d d u r a b i l i t y, i t s c o m f o r t a b l e s u r f a c e h a p t i c s a n d t h e g l a s s f i b re c o n c re t e’s s h a d e s o f c o l o u r s a re completing this triad. T h e c r u c i a l f a c t o r w a s a c o n t r a c t f o r a p a r k i n Mu n i c h . R e a l g r ü n l a n d s c a p e a r c h i t e c t s d e v e l o p e d t h e p a r k ’s d e s i g n f r o m t he concept ua l idea of st rea ms of mot ion. T hereof resu lted , a mong ot her t h ings , c u r ved dyna m ic shapes and cou rses. Of course , t he designed seating elements had to be subordinated to bot h t he ar tistic v ision and t he colour concept t hat was r e d u c e d t o w h i t e a n d ye l l o w. A p i e c e o f f u r n i t u r e o f f t h e s h e l f t h e r e f o r e w a s o u t o f t h e q u e s t i o n . T h e l a yo u t o f l i n e s o f t h i s p a r k ’s a r c h i t e c t u r e , i t s c o l o u r i n g a n d s h a p i n g i s f i n d i n g i t s d i r e c t c o n t i n u a t i o n i n A r p a . W h e r e v e r c l e a r l i n e s a r e d o m i n a t i n g A r p a i s a l w a y s p l e a s i n g t h e e ye – b e i t o u t d o o r s w i t h a wo o d e n s e a t o r i n d o o r s w i t h s e a t s o f l e a t h e r o r o f white Cor ian.

design arpa K l a u s - D. N e u m a n n a n d Wo l f D. A u c h re a l g r ü n l a n d s c a p e a rc h i t e c t s Munich »For us, design means conceptual shaping not only in public space. The objective: s h a p e a n d f u n c t i o n i n p e r f e c t h a r m o n y.« K l a u s - D. N e u m a n n , Wo l f D. A u c h

»Form is sedimented content.« Theodor W. Adorno

osa D e s i g n i s g re a t w h e n i t m a ke s s e n s e a n d i s b e a u t i f u l . O s a c o u n t s t o t h o s e t h i n g s y o u w a n t t o t o u c h b e c a u s e t h e e l e m e n t s a re b e a u t if u l . J u s t l i ke a d re a m c a r w h i c h n o b o d y c a n p a s s b y w i t h o u t s o f t l y s t ro k i n g i t s p a i n t w i t h t h e h a n d . O s a i s m u l t if u n c t i o n a l . T h i s m a ke s s e n s e . S i m p l y g o o d d e s i g n . Osa is t he resu lt of t he sea rch for a huge piece of c it y f u r n it u re t hat had to u n ite severa l f u nct ions. T herefore t he osa designers developed a concrete bench of a leng t h of about f ive met res w it h se at i ng space a nd wooden se ats. Osa is v a n d a l i s m - p r o o f a n d a l s o p r ov i d e s s p a c e f o r t h e c i t y ’s b r o c h u r e s a n d i n f o r m a t i o n f o r t o u r i s t s . T h e b e n c h i s m o d u l a r a n d c a n b e a r r a n g e d a r o u n d a t r e e s o t h a t i t s n a t u r a l s h a d e c a n b e u s e d . W i t h a n i n n ov a t i v e c o n n e c t o r s y s t e m t h e i n d i v i d u a l m o d u l e s a r e i n v i s i b l y l i n k e d j u s t l i k e L e go b r i c k s . A n d w h a t ’s b e s t : s p o t s u n d e r a g l a s s c ov e r i n t h e r e c e s s a r e s u b m e r g i n g t he t ree t rop i nto subdued l ight du r i ng t he n ight . Osa is i nd iv idua l yet less ex pensive t ha n a st a nda rd piece of f u r n it u re – a p e r f e c t s y m b i o s i s o f d e s i g n , f u n c t i o n a n d e c o n o m i c v i a b i l i t y.

design osa Fr a n k P ro c h i n e r Munitec GmbH Re u t l i n g e n »I love to enter new paths and develop solutions. I a m n o t re a l l y i n t e re s t e d i n c re a t i n g s o m e t h i n g w i t h o u t f u n c t i o n .«

»Tradition is the handing down of the flame and not the worshipping of ashes.« Gustav Mahler

Sun lounger, Chair shorty, Table tabloo

lounger, shorty, tabloo W i t h t h e c o n c e p t f o r t h e e n s e m b l e o f l o u n g e r, s h o r t y a n d t a b l o o t h e d e s i g n e r i s m o v i n g a b o u t b o r d e r a re a s . T h i s t r i o a p p e a r s t o b e t h i n a s p a p e r w i t h c l e a r a n d p re c i s e l i n e s a n d y e t i s s t ro n g a n d s o l i d . W i t h a v i v i d n e s s a s l i g h t a s a f e a t h e r – c a s t i n c o n c re t e . C a n a l o u n g e r m a d e o f c o n c r e t e b e c o m f o r t a b l e ? Ye s , i t c a n , i f t h e s h a p e f o l l o w s m a n ’s c o n t o u r s l i k e t h e l o u n g e r ’s c u r v e s d o . T h e c h a i r S h o r t y t a k e s u p t h i s l i n e a n d t h e f l e x i b l e s t e e l l e g e m p h a s i z e s i t s l i g h t n e s s , m a k e s i t e v e n f l o a t i n g; a n d g e n t l e s w a y i n g m ov e m e n t s m a k e yo u f o r g e t s i t t i n g o n s u c h a h e a v y a n d m a s s i v e p i e c e o f f u r n i t u r e . Fo r t h e i r d e s i g n e r t h e fasc i nat ion is i n t h is cont rad ic t ion – pieces of f u r n it u re made of glass f ibre concrete a re f i ne , yet rough chaps. T hey a re t i meless objec ts t hat people st i l l w i l l be fond of a f ter ye a rs.

d e s i g n l o u n g e r, s h o r t y, t a b l o o Re n é H o l t e n re n é   h o l t e n   i n d u s t r i a l   d e s i g n & p ro d u c t  d e v e l o p m e n t Maastricht, Netherlands »Design needs a clear shape. It has to be functional yet appealing, f a s c i n a t i n g a n d , o f c o u r s e , a e s t h e t i c . I t i s t h e re s u l t w h e n e v e r yt h i n g g o e s t o g e t h e r; i s l i ke i t s h o u l d b e .« Re n é H o l t e n

»Characteristic of man is what is natural to him.« Kurt Tucholsk y

kirk

»We are here on a peaceful mission!«

d e s i g n Re n é H o l t e n

Captain K irk K i rk seems l i ke a f ly ing saucer and its na me , o f c o u r s e , b r i n g s b a c k m e m o r i e s o f t h e l e ge n d a r y US S E n t e r p r i s e a n d i t s c o m m a n d e r. On t he f irst glance t he chair seems to be somewhat massive but never t heless appea rs to be l ight , l i ke f loat ing on its spider legs of steel . Sit t ing t herein conveys a feel ing of p r i v a c y, p r o t e c t e d b y i t s s h a p e a n d r i c h n e s s of mater ia l , just as i f it were an island , a ver y special place.

Chair kirk, Design René Holten

concrete urban design

w w w.c o n c r e t e - u r b a n - d e s i g n .c o m i n f o @c o n c r e t e - u r b a n - d e s i g n .c o m

e l l h o f e n /s t e i n b i s s s t r a s s e 1 5 8 81 7 1 w e i l e r- s i m m e r b e r g , g e r m a n y

f o n +49 . 83 8 4 . 8 21 0 9 0 f a x +49 . 83 8 4 . 8 21 0 9 1