alain gilles: recycled PET micro architecture

belgian designer alain gilles presents new designs for belgian company buzzispace – ‘buzzihood’ and ‘buzzibooth’ – as part of the OFF event of IMM cologne furniture fair 2011. the pieces deal with notions of privacy within office and public spaces, while still maintaining a certain level of openness.

‘buzzihood’

answering the problem of privacy when making a call from a cellular phone, ‘buzzihood’ provides an acoustic cocoon you can hang on the wall. when ‘in the hood’ you are able to answer the phone in peace. even when in noisy surroundings, the caller is protected but not isolated. the felt is made from 100% recycled PET bottles and provides a graphic and architectural element to any space.

‘buzzibooth’

‘buzzibooth’ is a ‘phone box’ constructed from sound-insulating felt that dampens exterior noise. present in today’s open-plan offices, is the desire to create a loft feeling which has made the presence of places in which to make a quick phone call in peace or to work with more privacy, somewhat non-existent. the design is gilles’ solution to provide enclosed working spaces which still remain open to the rest of the surrounding space. ‘buzzihub’ 198 x 104 x 187 cm, seat height: 45 cm

gilles has also designed the ‘buzzihub’ and ‘buzziblind’ for the company which will be presented at the dutch facility fair 2011.

‘buzzihub’ profile

following similar design requirements to those found in the ‘buzzihood’ and ‘buzzibooth’, ‘buzzihub’ is a shelter, in which individuals can easily engage with others to share information, or with a co-worker in some privacy. it is a bit of an escape from the exterior noise typically present in large open-space offices or public spaces. when two ‘buzzihubs’ are placed face to face, they can be considered pieces of ‘micro-architecture’, creating a sort of private hub.

‘buzzihub’ front view ‘buzziblinds’1000 x 400mm1150mm (small) / 1400mm (medium) / 1850mm (tall)

these rotating acoustical blinds draw on modernist architecture, more specifically from the form of vertical sunshades. the room dividers can be used to define and partition open-space offices. they can be angled according to one’s needs for a level of more openness or privacy. the blinds are finished in recycled fabric.