“Experimenta One & Two” armchair by Alain Gilles
Design meets charity through this “experimental” project which was especially created for “Les Petits Riens // Spullenhulp” a non-profit organization created 70 years ago in Brussles and currently active throughout Belgium. On Friday, October 16th, 2009 one of a kind “Second Hand, Second Life” creations will be auctioned off in Tour & Taxis Hall in Brussles to collectors who want to support the vision of this non-profit organization.
The organization collects discarded objects such as furniture and clothing; these are then either redistributed to those in need or the profits generated by the sales of these vintage pieces are used to finance specific social projects intended to favor the socio-professional re-integration of people. Second Hand, Second Life is being organized for the seventh time in a row; 17 designers and 13 stylists were asked to voluntarily support the efforts of this event by giving a “second life” to some of the furniture and clothing which the organization had collected. The unique creations are then auctioned off to collectors at the end of the ceremony; in this way this annual event promotes the activity of design but above all collects funds for the charity.
The designers participating in the “Second Hand, Second Life” auctions are:
Alain Berteau, Olivier Berghmans & Olivier Gilson, Michaël Bihain, Steven Brouns, Benoît Deneufbourg, Louis de Limburg Stirum, Hans De Pelsmacker, Nicolas Destino, Nedda El-Asmar, Alain Gilles, Linde Hermans, Pascal Koch, Gauthier Poulain, Pol Quadens, stefan schöning, Lennart Van Uffelen & le team ToMA Gerkens, Barbara Helft, Cedric Van Cauwenberghe, Charlotte Lancelot & David Richiuso
The stylists participating in the “Second Hand, Second Life” auction are:
Monsieur Bul, Lisa Colpaert, Fabienne Delvigne, An Eckers, Caroline Foulon, Sandrina Fasoli, Carine Gilson, les Hommes, Marius Pompon, Sigi, Edouard Vermeulen (NATAN), Team Petits Riens, Christian Wijnants.
“Experimenta One & Two” armchair by Alain Gilles
the original “vintage” piece
One of the designers Alain Gilles has sent in his “Second Hand, Second Life” product which is no other than a vintage 1960’s rattan seat. This vintage rattan seat has been transformed into an armchair and has undergone a modern transformation. The new name given to this Second Hand, Second Life product is “Experimenta One & Two” armchair. Gilles redesigned and transformed the past with a touch of the present. The creative process of transforming the rattan seat did not affect the original structure of the chair at all. The chair changed its color to an all white tone and in a way it was distorted by a 3-dimensional woven textile cover.
Very old production techniques and extremely modern 3D weaving technologies were used for the transformation. The inner qualities of the textile are used to redefine the object. The strength and the powerful design of this armchair are given by the unique shape, and its structure has made the connection between the cover and the existing chair uncomplicated and almost invisible. The binding of the 3-dimensional woven textile is made on the edges by very small plastic auto-fastening cable clamps that entrap only one side of the 3-dimensional fabric to hold it in position.
“Experimenta One & Two” armchair by Alain Gilles
The two orange-vermillion graphic stripes running along the edges of the 3-dimensional woven textile give the design a unique personality. They stress the importance of how shape can alter the perception of an object while it provides the chair with a visual shape as the graphic stripes set the borders to this wonderfully remodeled Second Hand, Second Life vintage rattan chairs.
Alain Gilles // Design as a second life. After studying Political Sciences and Marketing Management, Alain Gilles went to work in the financial world. But one has to live his own life. So thanks to the moral support of his wife, he went back to studying Industrial Design at the ISD in France. He assisted Xavier Lust in his creations but was eventually hired by Quinze & Milan before graduating. He worked for Arne Quinze for two and a half years as designer, developer and project manager on several high profile projects for world-renowned architects and editors. He opened his own studio in 2007 in order to pursue his own dreams and develop his personal approach to product design, furniture design, art direction, and interior architecture. He has then started to collaborate with several international editors.
We have to admit that we love the Second Hand, Second Life which was given to the chairs Experimenta One & Two, but most of all we support the reason behind this modern transformation of the vintage 1960s rattan seat which is no other than for charity. Design meets charity in the most creative way providing a “Second Life” not only for the objects but for those in need as well!
“Experimenta One & Two” armchair by Alain Gilles
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