Revolutionizing Furniture Design: The Cork Block Sofa

Miguel Arruda's Innovative Use of Recycled Materials in Furniture Design

Miguel Arruda's inspiration for the Cork Block Sofa came from observing nature, particularly the cork oak tree's sculptural volumetry. The technological possibility of recycling cork and the elasticity of the new agglomerate designated by reference 5058 sparked the idea of a sofa made from nine blocks for a single seat layout and thirteen blocks for a double seat layout. The design process remained open, allowing for user design experiences and further combinations.

The Cork Block Sofa's unique properties lie in its material - a cork agglomerate composed of cork granulate and polyurethane, both recycled and consolidated through compression, heat, and the use of a binder inside a metal mold. The material's physical, elastic, and tactile quality, coupled with the possibility of adding upholstery solutions of different colors, offers various comfort and ambiance solutions, providing different supports to the coccyx, back, and arms.

The sofa's realization involved launching the agglomerate inside a metal mold and subjecting it to pressure and temperature. The result was a block of material with a compression strength of 100, a recovery of 70, and a weight of 230kg pcm. This material, typically used for technical acoustic solutions, was cut into six types of blocks to create two different sofa solutions.

The Cork Block Sofa's design specifications are a width of 120 or 180cm, a height of 57cm, and a depth of 90cm. The rectangular blocks are cut in different shapes, allowing for several combinations and sitting positions. The project started in February 2018 and finished in October 2020, both in Lisbon.

Arruda's design faced challenges in finding a binding agent that could merge the recycled cork and plastic particles, providing the volume with elasticity and comfort in the sitting position. Achieving the proper stability and durability for use was also a challenge. However, overcoming these challenges led to the creation of a unique, sustainable, and comfortable piece of furniture.

The Cork Block Sofa was awarded Silver in the A' Furniture Design Award in 2021. This prestigious award is given to top-of-the-line, creative, and professionally remarkable designs that illustrate outstanding expertise and innovation. These designs, admired for their strong technical characteristics and splendid artistic skill, showcase a remarkable level of excellence and introduce positive feelings, amazement, and wonder.