guglielmo poletti explores balance+tension in 'equilibrium' series

italian designer guglielmo poletti has recently revealed his intriguing ‘equilibrium’ project for the 2016 graduation show at design academy eindhoven in the netherlands. freshly graduated from the contextual design master department, his work has always been focused on investigating the essence of things and true meaning of aesthetics, as well as looking closely at the value of forms within a specific context. in order to do that, poletti adopts a hands-on approach based on free experimentation, intuition and constructivist techniques. 

equilibrium – bench 

for the exhibition of his final project at design academy eindhoven, guglielmo poletti has presented different prototypes that reflect his larger theme: a bench, console, low table and stool. the four pieces follow similar construction principles which have been applied to different materials in order to broaden the challenges of investigating their properties and limits.

detail showing the darkened stainles steel cable which balances the overall structure and keeps it sturdy 

the bench results from a personal search for the essence of things and attempting to get to the heart of the matter by deconstructing an image, pushing the material to the limit, and restoring it with minimum intervention. by walking on a thin line, the aim is to create a small shift of perception, making the viewer question the object its effective potential. the main structure of the seating element is made out of several layers of lacquered MDF, the central part having a minimum thickness of three millimeters. in order to make a structural piece, a hot-rolled steel arch is paired with the MDF. the darkened stainless steel cable provides overall stability, avoiding any possible movement of the arch when pressure is applied. 

equilibrium-console

the console is characterised by the thin profiles of two elements which stay in balance thanks to a system of tension triggered by a small gesture. the final structure is visually very light but this minimal composition is deliberately disturbed by the choice of materials, their finish and presence of small details. the console is made out of  three millimeters darkened corten steel sheets, which are bent and held in position through the use of a stainless steel cables. the top element is arched get it charged with the right amount of tension to close the circuit, from which the drawing of its gentle curves derives. two little hammered pins are used to avoid movements between the two parts.

the console is made of corten steel sheets,  bent and held in position through the use of a stainless steel cables

the low table is defined by the transparency of its pure geometries — allowing the central connection, suspended in the middle, to stand out. in this configuration, the joints play a major role both functionally and visually. the top and base, both made out of transparent acrylic, are tightened thanks to a 180° rotation of the central bronze stick. this subtle gesture increases the tension of the rope by twisting it around itself. finally, a series of grooves ensure that each element is centered and kept in the right position.

detail of the stainless steel cables supporting the balance of the two-part console 

the stool is the result of an elementary composition, in which few components are combined through simple gestures. this highlights the designer’s personal interest in basic constructions. the monolithic presence of the piece is enhanced with visual contrasts between the solid bottom arch and very fine top curve. the main body of the object, made out of flexible urethane rubber, has been casted in the shape of a cylinder and then bent in order to become structural. the rope puts the structure in tension and combines it with the seating element, a slightly curved oxidised copper plate. the u-shaped legs create a vacuum grip on the floor, increasing the stability.

equilibrium – low table 

the low table is characterized by the transparency of its pure geometries, allowing the central piece to stand out

detail showing the bronze stick tightened with a rope that twists around itself 

equilibrium – stool

concave legs create a vacuum grip on the floor, increasing the stability when sitting down

details of the rope tightened around the slightly curved oxidized copper plate 

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lea zeitoun | designboom