Plast and S-1500

For two years, OiOiOi followed a research project in which Snøhetta explored plastic as a material, its journey and footprint in the value chain, as well as its inherent qualities. The aim of the project was to shift the public’s attitude towards used plastic, from regarding it as waste to seeing it as a valuable resource. The project resulted in the development of the S-1500 chair, a revamp of an industrial icon by Norwegian modernist Bendt Winge’s classic R-48 chair from the late sixties. Both are produced by Nordic Comfort Products (NCP) at Hemnesberget in the north of Norway.

OiOiOi’s contribution to the project lies in capturing the simplicity and mystique of one of the most widely used and disputed materials in the world today. Through its thorough documentation, spanning from factory and workshop visits to close-up portrait imagery, the project further aims to inspire the many circular journeys that a material with unique and often non-substitutable qualities can take if one lets one’s imagination run free.

The project received support from the Design-Driven Innovation Program (DIP), led by Design and Architecture Norway (DOGA) in cooperation with the Research Council of Norway and Innovation Norway. Both Plast and S-1500 were featured in a wide number of internationally acclaimed design and news publications spanning from Fast Company and Dezeen to Corriere della Sera and the New York Times.