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If you think inflated plastic design is child's play, then think again. Blown up objects are back in art, design and architecture, and no-one's planning to deflate them anytime soon...

 

 

In our collective memories, infltabales tend to conjur up images of little plastic pools, decorated with cartoons and warm water. Or perhaps armbands, air beds and summers on the beach. However, under the design surface, a small revolution is happening proving inflatables can be design/art pieces too.

Take for example Piccels by Igor Lobanov, a student of the Urals State University of Architecture and Arts. Piccels is a flexible inflatable couch. When closed, it can be used as room divider or coffee table; opened it reveals a cocoon-sofa bed created by interlinked cell bundles that can be illuminated on the inside.

Lobanov is not the only designer fascinated by pneumatic challenges: Nick Crosbie is focusing his career on inflatable objects, providing plastic and air version of lamps and fruit bowls.

Big inflatable structures are not only for children’s amusement: The Air Forest, a dream inspired pavilion created by Mass studies for the Dialog:City event in Denver, is a 1,400 square meter structure with social pourpouses: it’s easy to transport and provides a big space protected from the sun.

The air forest is a technical wonder, because it is “fed” by a natural airstream and sunbeams, which stabilize its pneumatical structure.

Inflatables can be art too.

'Air bear' by artist Joshua Allen Harris is a sculture created using New York’s subways air. When a subway passes, the bear appears to come alive, trembling with big dark eyes to the surprise of pedestrians.

 It’s not the only 'air being' to be found on the streets of the Big Apple: Mr Harris recently surprised NYC's citizens with an Air Zoo. Take a peek below.

Find more information about inflatable object on Blow-Up: Inflatable Art, Architecture, and Design, by Sean Topham.

Giuliano Federico

TAGS: inflatable art sean tophman design art air bear the air zoo online magazine fashion magazine style fashion design