2009 New York Design Week Download - Durat Bench by Karim Rashid
After a successful launch in NYC last week, Durat is now in stock and ready for use by the architect and design community. Durat, which comes in over 70 colors, contains 30-50% recycled content. During Design Week, we exhibited Durat at a Finnish design event in the meatpacking district. A curvaceous Durat bench designed by Karim Rashid was the star of the show which utlized the range of Durat colors that are available with its stripes of pink, lime green, black, gray, and white. Durat tables and sinks in a vivid array of colors were also on display amongst other products from Finnish design companies, such as Marimekko.
Manufacturing, Design, and the Art in Recycling in Finland
Whenever possible, we visit our manufacturers facilities so that we can become educated and verify claims. In this case, in September, I traveled to Helsinki Finland and then hopped on bus to Turku where I met up with the team from Durat for a lesson in manufacturing, design, and the art in recycling.
Ulla Tuominen is the artist behind the beautiful colors and shapes that make Durat’s product line so unique. I was able to spend a day with Ulla and see the world through her eyes. First, we toured the manufacturing facility. I learned that the specks in Durat are the recycled content and the ending number of the color code indicates the type of recycled content – clear, white, black, large, small, multicolored, etc. Durat has partnerships with various manufacturers in Finland and neighboring Sweden to collect their waste plastics. The waste material is processed at the manufacturing facility where it goes through a process of being cleaned, stripped of any extraneous materials, and ground into the granular material.
Then, to the color lab. Where little samples of any color you can possibly imagine lie everywhere you look. Some colors are standard, others inspired by a clients vision – such as #810 where the client requested the color of a ‘granny smith apple’. When the wild colors combine with the recycled materials, the possibilities seem endless. Some of the projects that were being fabricated the day that I visited included a ‘granny smith apple’ colored tub, a dozen custom vanities with integrated sinks that were going into an office building, and free-standing Torni (Tower in English) sinks.
While I have long admired the material and designs of Durat, observing the manufacturing process inspired me to think about the potential for large scale custom projects such as hotels, office buildings, dorms, etc.
We drove from the manufacturing facility in Rymättylä to the Helsinki showroom located in the Design District in the center of the city. An area full of design and antique shops, fashion stores, museums, art galleries, restaurants and showrooms. In a restored warehouse, Durat’s showroom blends seamlessly with Artek, founded by the visionary modern architect (and Finnish design legend) Alvar Aalto. Taking recycling to new heights, I learned that Artek bought back original and vintage Aalto stools and chairs from schools, libraries and individuals and has resold them under the label 2nd Cycle. These 2nd Cycle gems were resold with their worn character intact, no refinishing.
Between the Artek and Durat showrooms the art of recycling took many functional, modern, and inspiring forms.
The Best of NeoCon East 2009
CaraGreen recently exhibited at NeoCon East in Baltimore, MD, which brought together the hottest designers in one of the hottest building markets in the country. Here are our favorite discoveries from the show:
- Pecha Kucha (pronounced Peh-cha ka-cha) if you haven’t tried it, you must! A fun, fast-paced creative exchange that I can only describe as some crazy combination of speed dating and karaoke. Seriously… each presenter (anyone can present) shows 20 images for 20 seconds each then you get the next presenter. This was fun, inspiring and a great way to get to know other people, their work, and inspirations.
- The FIT chair by Kimball - The combination of simplicity, high tech textiles, and comfort provided the perfect pit stop after a long day on the Expo floor.
- The people! Excellent turnout with an estimated 8,000 attendees from top firms with lots of interesting projects in progress.
- Durat’s mini-block tub in granny-smith apple green with 30% recycled plastic, 100% recyclable, and completely irresistible!
- DIRTT (stands for ‘Doing it Right This Time’)Environmental Solutions --LOVE the name! But besides that, they have a new film that turns any wall into a dry-erase marker board. No more glossy white boards, the clear film lets you write on even the most precious veneered wall.
- Interlam Sculpted Panels – funky woven things (). The only thing that would make these unique panel better would be to green-up the MDF base panels with recycled wood and no-added formaldehyde glues.
This is just a sampling, we’ll definitely be back next year for more!
Durat in First LEED Certified New York Public Library in Manhattan
Durat solid surface material was used in The Battery Park City Branch of the New York Public Library. This LEED Gold facility is the first LEED certified branch in Manhattan. It is 11,000 SQFT and anchors the first two floors of the city’s greenest residential high-rise to date. 1100 Architects designed the open and bright space, which provides a welcoming environment for the public.
Durat’s playful colors and sustainability profile made the material fitting for the project and it was used for the shells of bookcases as well as worktops. Blue, orange, green, and white sheets were fabricated into brilliant modern furniture by Dimaio Millwork. Durat contains 30% recycled content and is 100% recyclable.
The branch houses a collection of over 23,000 items, separate reading areas for children, young adults, and adults, a multipurpose programming space, and access to 36 public computers. “This project illustrates the possibilities for a new urban future that incorporates environmental responsibility with the type of vibrant and dynamic design that enriches the public sphere.” says 1100 Architects website and we couldn’t agree more.
For more information on Durat or to receive samples, contact us.
Visual Studies Initiative at Duke Creates Durat Bench To Mirror Logo
The Visual Studies Initiative at Duke University converted their logo into benches made of Durat. The logo, which was designed by Chair, Hans Van Miegroet, is a colored barcode design. After a steering committee member saw Durat’s Raita bench in a magazine, the striking resemblance to The Visual Studies Initiative logo got them thinking the benches would be a great addition to their space. The idea gained momentum and CaraGreen worked with Durat and Duke to facilitate the custom order. Rachael Brady, co-director of the initiative, put the logo into Photosho p, pixelated it, counted the relative width of the stripes, and made it into a spreadsheet that was given to Durat for manufacturing. With Durat’s extensive color selection, the logo colors were easy to match. To efficiently ship the benches, both in regards to cost and carbon emissions, eight Durat bench tops were ordered without the bases. Duke opted to have the bases made by a local metalsmith, Leo Gaev, who was able to replicate Durat’s design.
The benches are installed at their two facilities, one of which is an old warehouse, and the modern aesthetic complements its urban industrial feel. The benches are also functional for the space, which is bustling with students. The durable material is easily cleaned. Rachael Brady told CaraGreen that the benches “helped the branding of the department and had been extremely well received.”
For samples of Durat or more information on custom Durat furniture, contact us.
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Pink Durat Countertops Bring Artist’s Aesthetic to Kitchen
Artist Sharon Knettell paints beautiful dancers with the skill of a master. After seeing her exquisite images, the fact that she just remodeled her kitchen with pink Durat countertops, from CaraGreen, makes perfect sense. Her kitchen is another medium for her to impart her artistic vision. Sharon did all the design work, research, and floor plan for the space. She told us that she caught a lot of grief for the color from people in the business. She heard, “it’s so bubblegum” and “Barbie, think of the resale value”. But now, everyone who sees it loves it.
Sharon said, “When I first was planning the kitchen I knew I wanted something modern and striking, but the design had to respect the architecture of the house, a 1905 New England carriage house in Woonsocket, RI. Ultra-modern Sleek Italian design would not cut it. I love black and white and the sharp contrast, gives, I think, a more contemporary edge to the traditional Shaker cabinets. The kitchen is galley shaped, and the bottom black cabinets visually recede making the space appear bigger. The counter therefore had to be an element that bridged the gap between the strong contrasts. I did not want all the usual suspects - neutrals, plain white or something as overused and boring as granite. Seeing Durat 150 pink was a eureka moment. Perfect! I love pink. It was not a coral pink or grey beige pink, but a lovely cool raspberry pink. I am a painter so perfect color is important to me. I also researched the quality of the material and found that it was highly regarded.” Sharon uses the kitchen heavily and says the counters are great for rolling out dough. The material resists stains and cleans easily. And, “it always looks fresh and bright – a joy in the morning”. The fact that Durat is sustainable and contains 30% recycled content and is 100% recyclable is a bonus.
Contractor - Ocean State Property Services
Back splash and wall glass mosaics - Bisazza
Black and white cabinetry - Crown Point Cabinetry
Range hood - Kobe Range Hoods
Sink - Elkay Avado Undermount Sink | EFRU3219
Stove - GE Appliances
Stacked washer and dryer - LG
Faucet and dish liquid dispenser - Hansgrohe
Refrigerator - Jenn-Aire
Dishwasher - Whirlpool
White German porcelain cockatoo , 'Earle' - Ebay
For more information on Durat, which comes in over 60 color choices, contact us
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Brixx Pizza Remodels with Custom Durat Tabletops
Brixx Wood Fired Pizza in the historic Dilworth neighborhood of Charlotte, NC commissioned 21 custom Durat tabletops for their space. The Dilworth restaurant was the original Brixx location, which opened in 1998, and the tables were part of a remodel of the space. They selected Durat color 260, a soft cream, which serves as a backdrop for warm, bright colors used as accents throughout the space. Leslie Povall from Tobin Starr + Partners, the architect on the project, told CaraGreen that the tables looked fantastic and “Durat is truly a special material and it created the interesting and tactile nature we wanted the table to evoke.”
CaraGreen is getting ready to deliver Durat tabletops for two additional Brixx locations in Gastonia, NC and Woodbridge, VA. And, another store is getting started in Clear Springs, TN. As Brixx expands in the SE over the next few years, CaraGreen will continue to work with them and provide custom Durat tops for their restaurants.
Durat is easy to maintain and extremely durable, making it ideal for commercial applications. Durat is available in more than 70 vibrant colors and custom colors can be tinted to order. Durat has the capability to create custom works, either by creating custom molds or fabricating their sheet goods, to efficiently meet the exact needs of projects. And, the material contains 30% recycled content, is 100% recyclable, and can contribute to LEED credits.
For more information on Durat or to explore a custom Durat project, contact us.
Dacusville Elementary School Uses Eco-Friendly Durat
Dacusville Elementary school in Easley, SC features Durat solid surface as an interior finish. Initial project photos are of a round media center desk, which demonstrates the thermoforming capabilities of Durat. The school was designed by architecture firm LS3P Associates LTD in Columbia, SC, who selected whimsical light blue and brilliant red Durat for the job. The general contractor is Bowen & Watson out of Georgia. And, the millworker is B &H Millwork in High Point, NC. The school has Energy Star certification and will open this fall. Stay tuned for additional photos of Durat in this school, as well as nearby Chastain Elementary. For more information on Durat, or to request samples, contact us.
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