Brand Spotlight : Peacework by Connection
As the impact of climate change continues to transcend global agendas, the need for healthier, more sustainable buildings with considered furniture products must play a part in reducing our environmental impact.
Globally, more than a million plastic bottles are sold every single minute and they take at least 450 years to naturally degrade. Not only do we need to reduce the use of plastic bottles, we need to find new ways to deal with bottles once they’re thrown away. However, Recycling rates are low, in 2016 fewer than half the bottles bought worldwide were collected.
Furniture designer, Hilary Birkbeck, believes that it is his responsibility as a designer to employ sustainable working methods and materials. He has spent several years researching low impact and recycled materials. Hilary discovered that PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) felt is ideal for commercial furniture as it is soft yet very durable and is made from recycled PET (the type of plastic found in water or soda bottles). PET felt also provides great acoustic performance and it can be recycled at the end of its life.
Hilary wanted to design a flexible furniture product with a light footprint using sustainable materials that could be manufactured with minimal labour input. It was important to consider the product’s overall impact on the key challenges of climate, resources & health. The new product needed to be high quality and robust with a long lifespan – furniture built to last reduces the need for replacement, hence contributing to sustainability. It was important to Hilary that as many of the materials as possible are both upcyclable and recyclable, reducing the environmental impact and contributing to the circular economy.
The result of this design process is Connection’s Peacework seating booth range. It was important that Peacework was light and easy for the end users to move and reconfigure as and when required, also low weight means fewer resources are used in its production. It is also visually light with spaces for daylight to flow through. Peacework’s Scandinavian influenced modern design is intended to complement and be sympathetic to the architecture and design of the building and environment it is used in, not dominate the space.
During development of the concept, Hilary was keen to employ contrasting materials that appeal to the senses. Peacework’s tactile recycled PET felt surround creates lightweight visual and acoustic screening that can also be used as a pinboard. The plywood forming the streamlined frame is from sustainable sources and is fully recyclable. Even the tape used instead of glue to fix the surround to the frame is eco-friendly (it is also very strong as it is used to attach aeroplane wings, so we’re told!). The efficient pared back design ensures the upholstery on the sprung seats is simple, therefore minimising labour, time and energy on each piece that is made.
The resulting design is a multi-functional furniture range which is both sustainable and beautiful, to find out more about Peacework, get in touch today.
