Shigeru Ban on his '10-unit system' he developed for Artek
Shigeru Ban was setting new benchmarks with his famous bamboo structures long before sustainable building became part of the agenda of many architects. For the Finnish manufacturer Artek the Japanese designer has now developed a modular furniture system which once more illustrates the principle of using resources economically.
As a bench
It is based on L-shaped units that can be combined in all sorts of ways to make furniture – a chair, a table, a bench. Putting furniture together and disassembling it is made easy by the ingenious yet simple design.
The single elements of the system
10-UNIT SYSTEM is made from UPM ProFi, an environmentally innovative wood plastic composite. Its principal raw materials are recycled paper and plastic. The composite has proved to be tough and humidity resistant. It is an environmentally sustainable material that can be disposed of by incineration, or recycled back into the production process. All materials in the composite are non-toxic.
Artek at Salone Internazionale del Mobile, April 22-27, 2009 Hall 12 Booth C 14
