Hasta La Ideas

Designed in Hackney: Friday’s instalment in our showcase of the best design in the London borough of Hackney is Sugru, an ingenious silicone rubber that can be used to fix, strengthen or customise almost any object.

Having the consistency of modelling clay when first taken out of the pack, Sugru can be easily moulded and fixed in place by hand, but will cure at room temperature over 24 hours to form a tough, flexible, heat resistant and waterproof rubber.

Sugru will stick to almost any surface, including metal, wood, plastic and fabric, which means it can be used to hack an array of different objects, from basic tools to laptops.

Examples of some of the most original uses of the product are featured on the company’s blog.

Originally conceived of as part of a student project, the product was fine-tuned during years of lab testing and was included in TIME Magazine’s 50 best inventions of the year when it launched in 2010.

Sugru are based on Tudor Road, just off Mare Street in the south of the borough.

Key:

Blue = designers
Red = architects
Yellow = brands

See a larger version of this map here.

Designed in Hackney is a Dezeen initiative to showcase world-class architecture and design created in the borough, which is one of the five host boroughs for the London 2012 Olympic Games as well as being home to Dezeen’s offices. We’ll publish buildings, interiors and objects that have been designed in Hackney each day until the games this summer.

More information and details of how to get involved can be found at www.designedinhackney.com.