Milan 2015: Dutch design duo Oskar Peet and Sophie Mensen have created a bench and two stools from synthetic stone that becomes malleable when heated (+ slideshow).
The Arc furniture is made from a series of surfaces that look like they have been carved from black granite.
OS & OOS used Hi-Macs – a non-porous blend of stone-based material and acrylic – to form the shapes of the seats.
"Naturally formed stone is not malleable or pourable so only through the removal of material one can create forms," said the designers.
"The use of Hi-Macs material allows for the same properties of stone because it is just that, but then ground with a binding medium that makes it possible to be bent when warm and therefore able to do things natural stone cannot," they explained.
The Arc bench and stools are based on two common radiuses, with interchangeable parts leading to the different designs.
Thin, curved sections of the material are stood upright to form legs, with horizontal surfaces in between to create seats either in one continuous piece or as a separate element.
"An arc is a self-supporting element and therefore is inherently stable," said the designers. "The Arc bench and stools make good use of this trait which allows for the simple and slender shapes."
The Arc collection was created as a collaboration between OS & OOS and Hi-Macs and was launched at the Wallpaper* Handmade exhibition during Milan's design week in April.
Other recent projects by the Eindhoven-based studio include a chair upholstered in fabric by Raf Simons and a modular lighting system joined by rubbery connectors.