René Olivier's Tyre Furniture Collection at Design Junction

KI sponsored the Mixology 2012 Student Furniture Designer of the Year; an award open to any person enrolled on a recognised furniture design course in the UK. This year’s award went to René Olivier for her innovative Tyre Furniture Collection.

Using discarded bus, car and lorry tyres and a clever detachable frame, users can rework worthless material back into a mutually interesting, comfortable and sustainable design; showing how our commodities can be put to a ‘circular’ use. The metal frame is a stainless steel tube bent in a semi-circle, which enables the tyre seat to rock comfortably from side to side. The tube is also designed with a hinge to allow the metal frame to fold away for ease of movement and storage. 

Jonathan Hindle, Group Managing Director of KI EMEA and member of the judging panel praised the work, suggesting:

“She deserves this award for showing social responsibility at its very best and demonstrating how furniture, if thought about in a very broad global context, can, literally make a difference to the lives of people whose furniture is quite literally, often staring them in the face.”

René describes her work as “not about me but my desire to initiate a change that makes a difference to peoples’ lives.”

Be sure to check out the collection alongside KI's new ranges at next week's Design Junction and London Design Festival.

There are more images of The Tyre Furniture Collection and other products from KI on our Facebook page, click the red to take a look.

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