Corkigami Chair | Carlos Ortega Design

Corkigami refers to the process of making 3D obj ects from 2D materials. We choose cork as sheet material to make this shell construction simply using this technique. As we started to imagine a seat made entirely out of cork, everyone said it was impossible: then we realized we had a challenge to work on. Cork is a very flexible material, and it is also quite strong. It has similarities to paper and other natural materials sourced from trees. CORKIGAMI chair aims to take these properties to the limit. Strength relies on both flexibility of the shell structure and lamination of quality cork. We press flat four layers of 4mm thick cork using water-based pva glue. We cut the shape out of the flat material to be able to bend it. Then, we glue it again on a simple curved former. The result is a shell structure strong enough to support the body, it is also visually appealing, lightweight and sustainable. We find this design concept very interesting, as we can develop it and take it a step further by using other sheet materials, or by changing the seating typology.