cecilie manz – DesignApplause

household waste drives nendo design of n02 recycle chair for fritz hansen.

Nov 8, 2019

above > courtesy nendo and fritz hansen / photography akihiro yoshida

household waste redesigned – introducing the n02™ recycle chair from fritz hansen. n02™ recycle is a new, all-purpose chair from fritz hansen made of upcycled plastic, household waste – it is our first chair produced in colored, recycled polypropylene.

the chair is fritz hansen’s first move towards creating a chair for the circular economy, as it is made from recycled plastic and can be recycled again at the end of its life.

the strong, stackable chair is designed in collaboration with japanese studio nendo and inspired by a simple crease of paper on the designer’s work table. the folded paper translated into a crease in the chair’s shell that makes the design support the sitter’s upper and lower back.

the chair’s elegant shell is made of circular plastic, meaning it is made of recycled plastic that can be recycled again if necessary. the plastic used for n02™ recycle comes from household, plastic waste collected, processed and upcycled in central europe, reducing transportation.

7 shell color options are inspired by earthy, warm tones in scandinavian nature. these colors and multiple leg options make n02™ recycle a strong solution for dining rooms, home offices, meeting rooms or as extra, multi-purpose seating. the wipeable, plastic shell is child-friendly and very easy to clean.

“we wanted to do a versatile, plastic, stacking chair in recycled materials. collaborating with studio nendo meant the design would be simple and elegant, a really nice blend of scandinavian and japanese aesthetics,” says christian andresen, head of design at fritz hansen.

“n02™ recycle can also be considered a statement of intent from fritz hansen. we have developed extensive knowledge and experience creating beautiful, well designed stacking chairs such as the iconic series 7™ and ant™. the n02™ recycle is the latest chair design in that tradition. it was not easy to create a recycled and recyclable chair that meets fritz hansen’s quality standards, but the result was worth all the experiments and hours spent brainstorming,” he added.

“the fact that the material is constructed from everyday recycled plastic creates an extra connection between the user and the chair. it’s an accessible design made for everyday use and made from everyday recycled, household plastics,” says oki sato of nendo. (below)

[ vitals ]
the shell is made of 100% recycled/recyclable polypropylene
colors: dark orange, dark red, dark blue, light blue, grey, black, off white
sledge base is chromed steel (50% recycled)
swivel bases is polished aluminum (95% recycled)
all other bases come in powder coated steel (monochrome) or chromed steel upon request
arms always match the base finish
available in stores november 2019

[ information ]
nendo / fritz hansen

Biolit 12. Cecile manz.

Jul 2, 2012

click > enlarge

The boom box is back—again. Portable sound in the age of the IPad and Iphone has taken the form of an electronic picnic basket—the Beolit 12. The Beolit 12 features Apple’s AirPlay technology. Place a device in its tray top and it charges and plays. That link is simpler and surer than the Bluetooth used in such devices as Yves Behar’s brick like Jambox for Jawbone.

The basket, in graphite or blond colors, was designed by a 40-year-old Danish designer Cecilie Manz. She said, “I wanted Beolit 12 to have a clear expression showing its functionality and at the same time blending in naturally in people’s home. The natural leather handle invites you to move Beolit around—it makes it more approachable somehow.”

The look is new for B&O known for its Scandinavian modern space age electronics in the 1960s and 1970s. The work of Jens Jensen and his British born heir David Lewis, B&O was at its height in 1978, when the Museum of Modern Art gave the company’s work a show and has included some 20 of its pieces in the collection: the Beogram phonograph with its sliding tone arm, the CD player that magically opens when a hand approaches.

But B&O audio was never taken very seriously by audiophiles of whom there were many in the 1970s, before the focus of cool tech switched to computers. B&O stuff was for well off guys who wanted to impress women; in films of the 1980s it signaled the cad or villain.

The bright aluminum and glass of that look is absent in the Beolit 12, which just won the Red Dot design award in Europe, also echoes portable tube radios from the 1950s. Manz has designed several hand blown glass products, as well as lighting fixtures and furniture. On her web site is a wicker basket rendered in composites, foreshadowing the Beolit.

The company’s long time design consultant, David Lewis, died in November of last year. One of B&O fans of course was Steve Jobs, who happily adapted the wheel style controls of the first iPod from B&O phones. In January the company announced a new sub brand, supposed to be more accessible. But the Beolit 12 lists at $770. [ b&o ] [ cecile manz ]

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Interview with designer cecilie manz at milan 2012. Preview.

May 1, 2012

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we meet danish designer cecilie manz at the friz hansen open house. this occasion is the introduction of ceclie’s new furniture series “minuscule” which she describes as a chair that could be used as a formal chair for informal meetings. a display deconstructs her concept and highlights the elements that comprise minuscule.

cecilie tells us that three stones she found on the beach inspired her concept. “i am fascinated by the variations that you can find in nature. the stones, all three are grey and seemingly identical. but they are all completely different shades of grey.”

cecilie’s interview and more examples of her work will soon be appearing in DesignApplause. [ cecilie manz ] [ fritz hansen ]