Premium Top

Billboard Top

To top
Reflections

The world’s first bench made from ownerless marine plastic

Urban furniture brand Vestre has developed what it calls “the world’s first bench made from ownerless marine plastic”.

Billboard

Skyscrapper

Halfpage

Urban furniture brand Vestre has developed what it calls “the world’s first bench made from ownerless marine plastic”. The Coast bench is made using waste plastic that was collected from Norway’s beaches and waterways by volunteers.

Vestre and ocean impact startup Oogori have joined forces to create the Coast bench. Made entirely from ownerless marine plastics gathered on the beaches of Norway and the first of its kind, Coast was designed by Allan Hagerup to withstand outdoor marine environments. But it’s the plastic material itself that’s guided the design process.

Look closely and you’ll notice marine elements running throughout Coast’s design: the contours of the front mimic the hull of a boat and the plastic parts give the impression of floating on the surface. The base is made of hot-dip galvanized, powder-coated steel, while the seat is made of recycled plastic. “The form was kept as simple as possible so as not to draw focus away from the marine plastics,” said Vestre designer Allan Hagerup.

Medium Rectangle

Halfpage

European Garden Awards 2024: Climate mitigation lessons
READ MORE
Biophilic Cities – topos 128
READ MORE
New Neighbourhood in Hollerich, Luxembourg, by SHL
READ MORE

All pictures: © Vestre

The bench was built to withstand marine conditions, so that it can once again be placed near the sea, as a visual representation of the closed-loop system through which it was created. “Coast is designed to be placed on a pier in a port area or on a rock in an archipelago so that you can sit on the bench and look out over the ocean,” said Hagerup.

Currently, the design exists only as a prototype but Vestre is hoping to launch the bench as a limited edition later this year following a series of tests to assess the material’s toxicity and whether it degrades under UV exposure. Due to the variable quality of the recycled plastic, the slats will need to be regularly replaced as they wear down in the outdoor environment. “The frame is therefore designed in such a way that it is easy to replace the plastic parts when needed,” said the designer. “Naturally, the used plastic will be recycled again and transformed into new products.”

Medium Rectangle

Halfpage

All pictures: © Vestre

Medium Rectangle

Halfpage

Companies
Companies

Billboard

Billboard