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Looking like a piece of cloth draped on a chair (without the chair), the MEMORIA is a groundbreaking, avant-garde chair proposal based on brutalist design principles, that uses a concrete fabric to realize its unique, gravity-defying design. The material, generally referred to as Concrete Canvas, is a flexible fabric impregnated with concrete, which hardens when hydrated and forms a thin, durable, waterproof, and fire-resistant layer. The prototyping technique ensures each chair is unique in the way the chair looks and the fabric folds, along with a bespoke brutalist concrete texture on its surface.

“By creating an aura that evokes mystery, questionability, and reflection on the object beyond its pure functionality, Memoria plays with the senses, confusing at first the user and, in turn, showing different interpretations, narratives and stories depending on the circumstance and context of the user”, says designer Sergio Sesmero.

The use of Concrete Canvas is rather unusual in furniture and can generally be spotted in civil constructions due to its high durability, resistance, and sustainability. The production of the chair first starts with a 3D-printed mold made from recyclable bio-degradable PLA filament. The Concrete Canvas is then laid on the base frame and hardens over a period of 24 hours. After the canvas has set, a final round of epoxy coating is applied to the chair, allowing it to fill in any pores and air gaps in the canvas. The result is an incredibly unique and expressive chair that can last for as long as 50 years!

The Memoria Chair is a Gold Winner of the A’ Design Award for the year 2021, and a winner in the Emerging Furniture Design of the Year category at the SIT Furniture Design Award for the year 2021.

Designer: Sergio Sesmero