Thanks to the skills and vision of creative designers such as Eric Weil of Oso Industries, concrete furniture is becoming more widely accepted and sought-after than ever before. Weil recently exhibited his latest creation, this ultra-modern concrete chaise lounge, at the 2013 International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York, where it generated a lot of excitement.
Cast of integrally coloured concrete taken to a high polish, this chaise lounge designed by Oso Industries features a curvilinear design for the ultimate in comfort. It sits on a sculptural metal base of antiqued brass.
“Our concrete chaise lounge defies expectations. With a gently curving, highly polished cast concrete seat, the piece is extremely comfortable,” says Weil. “It is ideal for a hotel or private pool, as well as any interior setting.”
The lounge chair features an integrally coloured concrete seat that floats above a sculptural metal base. To add strength and reduce the weight, Weil cast the piece using a foam core and a concrete mix reinforced with chopped fiberglass and epoxy-fibre mesh. Including the base, the chair weighs only 180 pounds.
Weil loosely modelled the design of the lounge chair after a favourite garden folding lounger, taking advantage of concrete’s sculptural qualities to transform it.
“The plastic nature of the concrete allows me to create the curving shape of the chaise lounge seat. I also like the aesthetic nature of the polished concrete, with the exposed aggregates adding a visual texture and the integrally mixed colours adding vibrancy,” he says.
Weil feels that concrete’s potential for use in furniture design is untapped, and he founded Oso Industries in 2002 to focus on the creative possibilities of this adaptable medium. His design studio often experiments with new colours and textures. Weil also likes to combine concrete with other materials, such as stainless steel rebar, poplar and black walnut, and glass.
The most popular piece in his furniture line is the Rollerboy, a cast concrete cylinder with recessed wheels that can be used as a table, stool, or ottoman. Other pieces in the line include concrete wall shelves, dining tables, lamp bases, coffee tables, and benches.
All of Weil’s pieces are made to order and take six to eight weeks to produce. “Most of my work comes through architects and designers. Many like to change the details of my standard products and create custom pieces,” he says. While some pieces are made of solid cast concrete, others are created from foam and trowel-applied concrete so they are lightweight and easy to maneuver. All of his pieces are available in various standard and custom colors and a selection of finishes.
By Anne Balogh
More information at www.osoindustries.com
