Design Shanghai 2018, RM joins famous designer Wang Pingzhong in the creation of ‘Urban Evolution – Manufactured and Natural’

The third IDEAT Future Awards trophy is a creation of famous designer Wang Pingzhong using XTD, RM’s new eco-friendly material made from up to 95% wheat straw. The trophy called ‘SCALE’ comprises two parts: a renewable and recyclable portion representing the most precious wealth on the earth, cradled in a gift box of steel, the most commonly used construction material. The front of the trophy is decorated with a motif representing human civilization to be cherished and inherited; at the rear, an abstract rendering of a skyscraper symbolizes a measuring rule, to reminds designers to understand the boundaries and limits of the environment they are building in.

XTD was winner of the third IDEAT Future Award’s ‘Vision’ category. Environmental problems such as deforestation, global warming, floods and droughts, and pollution in the home such as formaldehyde emission have always been our concern. The recycled straw-based fiberboard developed by RM is 100% eco-friendly and safe. It can replace global demand for wood worldwide, reducing deforestation and air pollution. Composed of up to 95% straw, this renewable material is dense, formaldehyde-free, moisture- resistant, flame-retardant, and a good sound insulator. The fiberboard is also very receptive to surface treatment processes, making it highly customizable and widely applicable to furniture manufacturing, flooring, wall panels and decorative panels.

As one of China’s most famous architects and designers, Wang Pingzhong was invited to Design Shanghai 2018 to present his creative installation art named ‘Urban Evolution – Nature, Manufactured, Manufactured Nature’ to encourage people to think about the relationship between human beings and their environment, as well as the possibilities of future life.

This installation was inspired by the history of architecture, and charts the transformation from our primal living habitats to the skyscrapers of today. In the future, why not combine manufactured objects with Nature to create a new macrocosm?

Urban evolution is a process of change from the primal to the modern. However, buildings today are merely machinery for housing people. This is an unfortunate regress, and the root of many problems. Our lives seem to be stuck in these boxes, and worse, they take a heavy toll on the Earth and its ecology. Since it is impossible to return to a pristine state of nature, we will have to integrate nature into our surroundings and choose a sustainable strategy for development.

The concept for the Urban Evolution seat comes from the Urban Evolution Exhibition’s “Nature, Manufactured and Manufactured nature” series organized by Design Shanghai. Measuring 1600mm by 600mm by 450mm, the seat is made up of three parts: ‘Nature’ is made of 30 laminate layers of XTD, tunneled through to show off its different colors, and to represent the primal human condition and the harmonious relationship between man and nature. ‘Manufactured’, the middle section, is made up of an irregular latticework of steel bars representing man’s separation from nature and into industrialization. ‘Manufactured Nature’ is made up of beveled XTD boards in a steel frame, representing the diverse ways of living and the re-harmonization of man and nature in life within a new framework.

RenwMaterial believes deeply that innovation through integrating technology, human ideal and craftsmanship with nature is the way to solving our problems. We will make it our duty to improve people’s lives, and to ceaselessly innovate to develop new technologies and products. We will never stop seeking or learning, through collaboration and mutual development.

2019-01-10T11:58:18+00:00