We cast clear acrylic in a wooden form with a strong grain and assembled the resulting pieces to create a table made of ‘transparent wood’. We reproduced the butt ends faithfully and bevelled the edges like floorboards, and matched the grains ends and dimensions of the wood used for the table legs to the ‘transparent wood’ to create a unified piece. The two tables have specific and different optical effects: at first glance the black table is wood, but a closer look reveals its transparency, while the clear table is the transparent at first glance, and only later reveals its wooden form.
A chair made with polyurethane film, a transparent film commonly used as a packing material for precision instruments and products susceptible to vibrations and shock, thanks to its high elasticity and ability to return to its original state. Looking at the chair, it seems to consist of nothing but a backrest and armrests. It wraps and supports the body like a hammock, providing a light, floating feeling for the sitter.
Today, we’re blessed with a variety of sight-protective films for window glass and smartphone screens that prevent unwelcome peeks from neighbours. Our pendant lamp uses a type of protective film that is semi-transparent when viewed directly, and transparent when viewed at an angle. We placed the light source at the centre of the ring of film, creating a lampshade that might be transparent, but mutes the light emitting from its centre through the layer of half-transparency regardless of the angle from which it is viewed. The light hits the film at a right angle, creating the effect of soft light spilling into the space of the room as it passes through the transparent lampshade.
Japanilainen Nendo design studio esitteli Milanon 2011 huonekalumessuilla "Textured Transparencies" teemalla mm. näitä hienoja läpinäkyvyyden ja tekstuurien tutkielmia.
Japanese Nendo design studio presented for example these beautiful pieces in the 2011 Milan furniture fair in their "Textured Transparencies" exhibiiton.
Photos: Nendo