Paper Cord in a New Context

The usage of paper cord is an integrated part of the Danish history of design. The iconic chairs with woven seats had their breakthrough in the 1940’s-1950’s, especially the noteworthy classical designs of Hans J. Wegner. Throughout the history of furniture design, paper cord has mainly been used for sitting surfaces. For that reason, this project aims at revitalizing its usage. The potential of the paper cord is challenged by utilizing the traditional material in an untraditional manner, and thereby making it relevant in a new constellation.

Moiré - storage unit and room divider

The furniture can in a light and airy way divide bigger rooms into smaller sections, for instance open kitchens and dinning areas in extension of living rooms. The transparency allows the daylight to pass through so you can still sense the volume of the room. Using Moiré as a room divider the furniture shield you when seated and at the same time allows you a free view of the furniture when standing, preserving the spatiality. The paper cord now has a decorative and shielding effect. Simultaneously you can access the furniture from both sides and therefore it can house objects used in both zones. The paper cord creates not only space in the room where it is positioned but also an interesting space in the furniture itself. Also, the see-through surface fosters curiosity to the stored items and makes the furniture seem gauzy and honest. You can easily restyle Moiré and create a new setting which affects the experience of the room in which the furniture is located. Therefore, the shelves are reachable. Moiré invites you to interact with it. When orbiting the furniture, it begins to open and close while its moiré effect responds to your position.The pattern of the paper cord creates a lively alluring dance.

Craftsmanship / CNC technology 

Technology is constantly developing and it has become an integrated part of the creative industry. In a world with increased automation it is important to preserve traditional craftsmanship. We cannot neglect that technology is the future which is why it is interesting to combine these two technics. The CNC milling in this project helps shape the paper cord with fine precision. On the other hand the craftsmanship offers great opposition to the technologized tools and can therefore bring soul and authenticity to the machine produced furniture. The assembly of the two materials melts together and creates a fine detail. 

The project takes the FN Global Goals into consideration:

Number 11.4: “Protect the world’s cultural and natural heritage”. This underlines why it is important to carry on the usage of the material paper cord and the old craftsmanship because both are part of the Danish cultural heritage and design history and therefore must be preserved and protected.

 Number 12: “Responsible consumption and production”. This project makes use of sustainable materials and solutions. Paper cord is a sustainable material made of paper from FSC® certified woods and it is biodegradable. Often, wood with knots is disposed of due to its weakness. This furniture is produced in a way that it is possible to use the wood to avoid waste of material and to bring authenticity to the look.