GREENMOOD – TERRA & MARIO BY ALAIN GILLES

Images courtesy of Alain Gilles Studio

New Biophilic & Acoustic Furniture

GREENMOOD will officially be launched during the STOCKHOLM FURNITURE FAIR next week.

Alain Gilles

Alain Gilles Studio has further pushed the biophilic logic that is Greenmood‘s trademark by designing a ranger of Cork Furniture and Planters in expanded cork for its exceptional acoustic properties, as well as for its all-natural qualities. No added binder is needed in the production of the expanded cork since the suberin contained in the cork granules will naturally bind the expanded cork granules.

TERRA – Biophilic & Acoustic Modules to Structure & Connect Alain Gilles for GREENMOOD  (BE)
The whole logic behind the Terra Collection is to offer modules that, when combined, can help architects structure a space in a lively and creative way, with natural biophilic elements that promote well-being and a sense of belonging. The collection consists of planters and poufs of various sizes that can be placed side by side to create a whole.

Terra Collection

All the elements and all the modules are made of expanded cork. It is a natural and chunky material that brings a very earthy and raw feeling to any interior. It is meant to give the impression that the natural elements of the outside world have been brought in. The material has the roughness of tree trunks or even rock elements. This biophilic aspect is further emphasized by the plants that will be placed in the large planters. They create a very nice contrast with the dark brown color of the expanded cork. The collection is pretty much carved from cork. In a way, it follows the logic of some public furniture made of concrete, with again this idea of bringing outdoor visions and moments to generate new perceptions and relationships between people.

The Terra Collection is made with one of the most renewable natural materials. The production of expanded cork has a very low environmental impact, it is recyclable and biodegradable, it favors carbon sequestration and it supports the local rural economy to a great extent.

Terra Collection

The tall planter is intended, among other things, as a building block to create “walls” and define specific spaces in larger spaces. By combining planters of different heights or poufs, these walls can be made more or less lively. To create new typologies and transform these partitions into living and meeting areas, these lower additional elements can be placed against or near the wall of tall planters. Small pod-like structures could also be created by combining a single tall planter with a large pouf. These pods could then be placed in different parts of a room to create small meeting areas. These could be used during the day for informal meetings between colleagues or as a place for a quick coffee break.

The logic of playing with modules of different heights and shapes is intended to allow the creation of small, lively architectures. Since the different elements are made of the same material, expanded cork, they will always seem to form a whole. Small structures behind which people can be partially hidden or protected to concentrate on a specific task or have a conversation. The combination of these different modules is meant to create interactions and dialogues.

Terra Collection

The tall planters could also be used to create a biophilic separation between different desks, or placed at the end of a table to create a little more intimacy. In both cases, the height and type of plants used will have a big impact on how people feel sheltered or open to their surroundings and others in general.

As for the large poufs, they can be used as stand-alone pieces, as large “dots” in a room, or in combination with smaller poufs like the Mario Poufs we also designed for Greenmood. “Constellations” can then be created with smaller poufs around a larger pouf to create small biophilic clusters where people can gather.

Presented by Zipblind

These pieces are all about structuring spaces, and creating more intimate and personal spaces, but in different combinations they are also very much about sharing ideas, meeting people, and creating informal spaces that seem like a little corner of nature in an interior.

MARIO Planters & Pouf – A Graphic Statement Design Alain Gilles for GREENMOOD  (BE)
The Mario Planters and Poufs are bold graphic statement pieces. Their oversized and iconic shapes are there to convey a message about a place, a person, a company… They bring nature in, with the plants in the case of the planters, but above all thanks to the material they are made of: expanded cork. The raw, untamed nature of these pieces of expanded cork is in itself a biophilic statement. They give the impression that a piece of earth, a piece of nature, has been brought into an interior space.

Mario Collection

Their basic rounded geometric shapes come from the nature of the material and the way it can be shaped by machines and human hands. Bearing in mind that expanded cork is an expensive material, these pieces are carved from solid blocks of cork. These pieces are minimal, honest pieces that are nonetheless strong and recognizable.

Both pieces refer to the general volumes of classic terracotta planters and poufs but in their own rounded and generous way. Their name Mario is a reference to the video game of the same name and its large, distinctive green pipes, which happen to have more or less the same shapes as the planters! A friendly and playful reference that well represents the collection.

Mario Collection

Thanks to the use of expanded cork, these pieces offer excellent natural acoustic properties. The Mario Collection is also made with one of the most renewable natural materials. The production of cork has a very low environmental impact, it is recyclable and biodegradable, it favors carbon sequestration and it supports the local rural economy to a great extent.