kalo’s speckled ‘macaron’ seat uses locally recycled rubber for bee’ah co.

bee’ah, the middle east’s leading integrated environmental management company in the UAE, commissions award winning design firm kalo to interrogate the relationship between digital technology and traditional craftsmanship in its latest project, ‘macaron’ chair. the minimalist seat is made by pressing a two part mold onto a pre-made wood frame using recycled crumb rubber. their main visual characteristics are chamfered smooth surfaces, rounded off edges and its distinct fuzzy centerline.

the wood shavings from the legs are blended with the rubber surface creating a speckled aesthetic

kalo uses locally recycled rubber crumbs mixed with wood shavings created during the process of making the legs, giving the seats a contrasting speckled look. additionally, the designers intentionally exaggerated the parting line between the molds to allow some space for the overflowing rubber. once the pieces are demolded, the rim is ripped off creating a juxtaposition between the rough surface of the rubber and the thin embedded brass contour.

the seat’s legs leave an x-shaped silhouette print on the bottom surface

the design firm uses locally recycled rubber in an effort to be environmentally conscious

details of the macaron stool 

the line features two versions of the speckled stool

crumb rubber preliminary pieces

project  info:

commissioned by: bee’ah
designer: kalo
project team: ammar kalo, ibrahim ibrahim
materials: rubber crumb, misc. hardwood, brass plated steel
finish: polyurethane binder, clear coat sealer
dimensions: 40cm x 40cm x 47cm (stool) | 42cm x 52cm x 84cm (chair)
year: 2017

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.