ZIETA BAZAIR exhibition. Salone del Mobile 2011. Cardi Black Box gallery.

Curated by Maria Cristina Didero and Art at Work.

The exhibition at the Cardi Black Box gallery, curated by Maria Cristina Didero and Art at Work, during the Salone 2011 was a great opportunity to develop the new edition of unique products. Working on FiDU technology is all about experimenting with new materials, finishes, to find new possibilities of use for the technology.

This time we wanted to show that our design can be even lighter and that it is really easy to take away.

The balloons filled with helium were enough to carry 1kg of Plopp made in aluminium Image courtesy: Simona Cupoli

We are researching how to produce, how to transport, how to plan more efficient processes. What if design and constructions of the future could be transported rolled or flat and made usable when needed? What if they were so light, that they could be transported by a balloon? What if they could be produced in small customized series? This is what FiDU technology allows for. In the world of the changing needs, we want to give more freedom to move and to build more customized forms.

The super-unique Plopp in aluminium is a manifest of new possibilities - efficient production process but also flexibility to use different metals and finishes to make a product one of a kind. We wanted to keep the pure and dreamy mood of this futuristic bazaar where you can buy a product per kilo. The basics of the exhibition were to use a material and a finish we have never used before to make a new limited series of products for the gallery.

The Plopps were covered with a unique, pearl lacquer. Image courtesy: Simona Cupoli

Our great challenge was to work with aluminium and to learn FiDU technology in this material, so we decided to develop Plopp in aluminium, as a showcase of an even more ultra-light construction. Normally Plopp stool can carry up to 2,5t which is not needed for a stool. We could easily rationalize and lower the possible load of the stool by producing it in aluminium. It also lowered its weight which is great for the transport costs and for the convenience of use.

To show this new feature and to tell a story in a funny and light way we decided to hang the Plopps on the meteorological balloons. Also to let people imagine it as a kind of a dreamy transportation method.

Fragile surfaces like Inox steel or copper need special protection to avoid scratches. For Inox steel and for material other than copper, we use knitted linen. It is natural, fits the shape of the stool and protects it very well. Especially for the Zieta BazAir exhibition for the Cardi Black Box, we decided to use linen covers as the only packaging. The Pearl Plopps made of Aluminium are very light – they are able to hang on the balloons during the exhibition. It is no problem for the customer to take a Plopp home, using a special handle designed in the linen cover.

From left: 1. Oskar with Bianca Balti, photo by D. Venturelli 2. Oskar with Maarten Baas, photo by D. Venturelli, 3. Oskar with Ross Lovegrove and Tokujin Yoshioka.

rom left: 1. Nicolo Cardi, photo by D. Venturelli 2. Ross Lovegrove, photo by D. Venturelli, 3. Oskar Zieta, photo by D. Venturelli.

The material research shown at Cardi Black Box:

We learn how to handle different materials during the inflation process. Each of them gives different technological and visual characteristics.

We play with the lightness and softness of Aluminium, with the solidity and fluidity of Copper, with roughness and durability of galvanized surfaces, with many coatings that can change the form and the material in different ways. We wanted to show how fun it is and how, step by step, we can fully control the inflated forms and the effect, ambient and new possibility delivered by them.

Because of the different material characteristics, sheets of different metals like steel, aluminium or copper behave in a different way when welded and inflated. They create their own bumps and dents. They bend more fluently or more sharply. We want to control the form perfectly for each metal while keeping their uniqueness and their natural behaviour, which gives them their durability and strength - it is a part of our 'controlled loss of control approach'.

Polished copper and sandblasted aluminium

Galvanized and rusted steel

Lacquered steel and electropolished stainless steel

On the 1st floor of the gallery we have shown our limited editions of products - Chippensteel chairs, Plopp stools in copper, Rondo mirrors, Pins, Rondels and Kamms in copper and experimental pieces of Plopps in different materials.