The Olympic Ice Skating Centre in Melbourne recently commissioned designer Edie Kurzer to create new tables and seating using Plaspanel 100% recycled plastic panel from Builda Panels .
"Create public space furniture that is flexible, durable, environmentally responsible and can handle extreme cold and moisture, all from one panel product" was the brief given to Kurzer when she was commissioned to create the new tables and seating at the Olympic Ice Skating Centre in Melbourne.
Kurzer had previously created outdoor furniture using Plaspanel 100% recycled plastic panel for Furnitex. She knew the product’s strengths, durability and limitations, so given free reign, apart from the material and the blue and off-white colour scheme, Kurzer set to work to devise the ‘ice’ furniture that would slot together and be movable for flexibility.
For the style of the furniture, Kurzer found inspiration in old diners with curved, organic shaped booths and tables, typical to the vernacular of skating rinks of the past. She gave this style a modern edge with Plaspanel 100% recycled plastic panel inlays, cut-outs in the seat backs, and a durability that will stand the test of time.
Plaspanel 100% recycled plastic panel is waterproof so it does not rot, swell, delaminate, deteriorate or absorb moisture. The non-stick surface cleans easily, is coloured all the way through and is difficult to graffiti.
Plaspanel is also rustproof, and chemical, bacteria and mould resistant. This durability makes Plaspanel ideal for outdoor and high traffic areas, and best of all, Plaspanel is easy to work with and can be cut, routered, drilled, welded and mechanically fixed with standard tools.
Kurzer found the most impressive element of Plaspanel was that it is a ‘closed-loop’ recycled product, meaning the panels are manufactured from recycled products and can themselves be recycled.
