‘near life’ functional object collection by obio-felipe escudero

 

ecuadorian architect felipe escudero has recently launched OBIO, a multidisciplinary project focusing on music, video, fashion, and objects. his latest work, NEAR LIFE, is a collection of functional furniture endowed with aesthetics that revolve around the concept of life. inspired by nature, escudero designed each product to feel animated, as if given a soul. 

near life furniture line by felipe escudero 3
left: dune lounge upholstered fibre glass | right: dining set includes chairs, table, and lamp

 

 

atemporal designs merging high-tech with handmade accents

 

for the OBIO – NEAR LIFE collection, escudero (see more here) combined industrial, high-tech, and long-lasting materials with soft and cozy textiles to respond to the necessities of daily use. ‘hand craft is paired with technology to mold materials in innovative ways to produce effects that change depending on the light and the user’s point of view. this results in objects that look like fossils from the future, expressing atemporal traits,‘ shares the architect. 

near life furniture line by felipe escudero 2
coral sofa is a modular set that provides a variety of sets

 

 

some of the materials used include lacquered wood, handmade glass fiber, brazilian onix, and automotive paint. even more, this combination of sleek and crafty is accompanied by monotone and all-white hues that elevate the collection to a level of ‘purity’. interestingly, the OBIO furniture line is displayed in an ecuadorian residence completed by no other than felipe escudero’s architectural studio. titled ‘magnolia’, the project acts as the perfect backdrop with its brutalist and sober accents. 

felipe escudero launches furniture line depicting 'fossils from the future'
fossil chair is upholstered, with a stainless steel structure 

near life furniture line by felipe escudero 6
thin onix table is a 6-meter-long piece made out of lacquered wood and brazilian onix

near life furniture line by felipe escudero 7
left: crack table in lacquered wood and brazilian onix | right: pebble meditation beds

near life furniture line by felipe escudero 9
felipe escudero, originally an architect, created OBIO to focus on clothing, music, video, and objects

felipe escudero launches furniture line depicting 'fossils from the future'
plastic drip bench: glass fibre + automotive paint

near life furniture line by felipe escudero 5
plastic drip sculpture: handmade glass fiber + automotive paint

 

 

 

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crack table in lacquered wood and brazilian onix
crack table in lacquered wood and brazilian onix
plastic drip sculpture: handmade glass fiber + automotive paint
plastic drip sculpture: handmade glass fiber + automotive paint
close-up shot of the plastic drip bench
close-up shot of the plastic drip bench
flow lamp: 6-meter-long blown glass that disappears in the day and has a strong presence at night
flow lamp: 6-meter-long blown glass that disappears in the day and has a strong presence at night

project info:

 

name: NEAR LIFE functional object collection

design: OBIO – felipe escudero | @obbbio

photography: halley lee,  saul endara

 

 

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