About the Exhibition
Welcome to PlasticScene.
In recent years independent design studios have begun to add a new material to their palette; waste plastic. They have turned their ingenuity and creativity towards this curious, complex and newly abundant family of materials, developing innovative, experimental, sometimes necessarily ad-hoc, methods of working with it. They have embraced its inherent qualities of plasticity, strength and tactility and approached it with a sense of curiosity and optimism, rather than obligation.
These designers and design studios are steadily beginning to elevate the perception of waste plastic, presenting it not just as a material to be feared but one to be embraced, explored and enjoyed. Importantly, the exciting methods of manufacture and suggested aesthetic directions that you will see here can provide important starting points and inspirations for a wider use of waste plastics.
Works by
- Wendy Andreu
- Studio ilio
- Dirk Vander Kooij
- Max Lamb
- Shahar Livne
- M-L-XL
- Kim Markel
- Chris Pearce
- Jorge Penadés
- James Shaw
- Silo Studio
- Soft Baroque
- Thing Thing
- Chen Chen & Kai Williams
Curators
PlasticScene is being produced by James Shaw; a designer and RCA graduate who has spent several years exploring the potential of waste plastic in contemporary design: his work ‘Plastic Baroque’ is a key project in the PlasticScene oeuvre. And Laura Houseley, Editor-in-Chief of Modern Design Review, an independent design magazine whose content is made up of in-depth, creatively told, design stories.
PlasticScene is part of the King’s Cross Design Route.
Works

Regen: Shoe Lace Composition 1

Hot Wire Extensions: Basic Stools

Grid Bench

Grid Table

Chubby Chair

Melting Pot Bistro Table

Bloown Chandelier

Melting Pot Bench

Not Only Hollow Chair

Poly Scrap Furniture

Jigsaw Chair

Lithoplast Metamorphism

ABC Pink Chair

Glow Vases

Bubbles Chandelier

Paraphase Light

Plastic Baroque

Plastic Baroque Dining Table

Plastic Baroque Stools

Wealdstone Youth Leg

PPPPP

Purged Plastic Plinth

Purged Plastic Shelf

Purged Plastic Book Shelf

M

Thank You
PlasticScene Talks
Thursday 20 September
11–11.45am
A New Material Landscape
A discussion around the future implementation of waste plastic in homes and public spaces. We’ll be talking about the realities of waste plastic reuse: How functional a material is it? Do we desire it? What roles do the consumer and the designer play in redirecting waste material? Are there any concerns with elevating the perception of plastic? It is clear that waste plastic has emerged as an unexpected raw material of our times. The panel of experts will each bring their perspective on the subject; from conservation, to research, to practical implementation.
The Panel:
Friends of the Earth
Howard Sullivan, Director of YourStudio
Seetal Solanki, Founder of Ma-tt-er
Compere: Design Editor Laura Houseley
Friday 21 September
11–11.45am
The Science Bit
Understanding how plastic behaves, both now and in the future, is key to successful and responsible reuse. Yet this is not an exact science and new information about material degradation and behaviour is being discovered all the time. We’ll discuss how what we now know, and don't know, is affecting the design and creative process and how our future use of plastics, whether waste, virgin or bio, will be dictated by the crucial research happening today.
The Panel:
Friends of the Earth
Carien van Aubel, Plastic Scientist
Compere: Design Editor Anna Winston
Saturday 22 September
11–11.45am
From Microwave to Manufacture
Who is at the forefront of waste plastic innovation? Is it the independent designers with their invented methods of manufacture, studio-made machinery and sometimes ad hoc methods of making. Or is it industry, with their capacity for volume and efficiency? PlasticScene focuses on the work of independent designers working in waste plastic. What are the ambitions of this group and why is waste plastic such a draw for them?
The Panel:
Silo Studio
Studio ilio
Compere: Design Editor Oli Stratford
PlasticScene Demonstrations
M-L-XL design studio will be leading demonstrations of waste plastic forming in collaboration with CR Clarke. Learn how waste can be turned into product using simple processes and newly advanced technology.
Tuesday 18 September
12–2pm
Thursday 20 September
12–2pm
Saturday 22 September
12–2pm
Sunday 23 September
12–2pm
Press
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