ARC21: Elements - The New Raw

The "Elements" is a series of beach furniture and components that draw their inspiration from patterns and textures often observed in coastal areas. They are digitally crafted from upcycled marine plastic and produced on demand with robotic 3D printing by The New Raw. Originally designed for Coca-Cola in Greece, the "Elements" are placed and used in 6 coastal locations in Greece.

Tekst The New Raw

The series consists of three typologies: the fitting room, the footpath, and the sunbed. The design of each Element draws its’ formal inspiration from elements often found or experienced by the sea, such as the carcasses of marine organisms, saltation patterns on the sand and the sea waves. Their sculptural forms consist of soft and/ or wavy surfaces that smoothly surround the user and offer a pleasant experience.

Elements by The New Raw. Beeld The New Raw — _{Beeld The New Raw}

Plastic is a major contributor to the pollution of the seas. However, living in urban regions, we tend to forget about our dependence on the sea that is related to food and oxygen supply. The Elements give a new life to plastics collected from the sea and provide useful & functional objects with a strong storytelling value. The Elements are made with 80% recycled marine plastic and are 100% recyclable.

In this project, “form follows process”. The encoded 3D textures act equally as ornament and as a functional component which achieve climatic comfort, during use, through air ventilation, light penetration, water drainage and cooling. This digital materiality introduces a formal vocabulary which redefines the properties and the uses of plastic waste as a material for beach furniture.

For the production of this furniture series, 720kg of marine plastic waste was recycled. The series was initially designed for Coca-Cola in Greece and implemented in 6 beaches so far.