FENIX® and Formica® showcased a curated selection of innovative pieces from the FAST/FORWARD project during GLUE Amsterdam at Robuust, highlighting the creative potential of their high-performance materials. The exhibition featured works by designers Thabisa Mjo, Tino Seubert, and Uchronia, previously presented at 3daysofdesign in Copenhagen and curated by Federica Sala.
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South African designer, Thabisa Mjo with 01000010 00110010 01000110 – Back to the Future
South African designer Thabisa Mjo presented 01000010 00110010 01000110 – Back to the Future, a cabinet reflecting the Art Deco heritage of the 1920s and 1930s through a contemporary lens. Using FENIX® and Formica® laminates, the cabinet blends matte and gloss surfaces, including Formica® Jet Sequoia, Calacatta Marble, and FENIX® Nero Ingo, to create a functional sculpture where design, technology, and memory converge. Mjo explains: "In this project, I want to highlight that we are living in the future that designers in the Art Deco era imagined. Back to the Future is a functional cabinet that reflects the ideas and the style of that time through innovative materials and surfaces capable of being transformed."
Paris-based studio Uchronia introduced the Sunrise Desk, featuring fluid curves and bold, playful aesthetics inspired by the cultural experimentation of the 1960s. With radial tabletop designs and suspended oval storage modules, the desk utilises FENIX® Rosso Namib, Formica® Clementine, and Arctic Blue, demonstrating the materials' versatility. Uchronia comments: "This bold piece highlights the technical excellence and flexibility of FENIX® and Formica® materials. The desk's surfaces play with soft shades of burnt orange and light blue, evoking a vibrant, retro-futuristic aesthetics, true to the Uchronia universe."
German designer Tino Seubert showcased the Nude Chair, a linear seat inspired by the radical, sensual aesthetics of the 1970s. Combining FENIX® Cacao Orinoco for the tactile surfaces and Formica® Sol F3209 for the outer frame, the chair contrasts texture and colour to create natural resting points for the body. Seubert notes: "The planes gently flare and curve to create natural resting points for the arms and neck, echoing the fluid forms typical of 1970s design. The chair features a striking contrast of two colours selected from palettes of the same era."
The exhibition underscored how FENIX® and Formica® materials enable designers to explore both innovation and heritage, creating contemporary furniture that balances technology, aesthetics, and tactile experience.
More information:
FENIX
www.fenixforinteriors.com
Formica
www.formica.com
