An “Off-the-Wall” Performance Bortolotto’s mandate was simple: design a wall beneath a mezzanine to enclose, but make accessible, gym equipment. Typically such a wall would be made of concrete block or drywall.
When we analyzed how the space had to perform for the users – who might literally bounce off it – we generated the Crash Pad concept: a wall made of rubber tubes. To make the wall work, we developed a material that had just the right combination of flexibility, rigidity and durability. The tubing allowed us to easily break the wall into a series of swinging doors, creating a surface that was more transparent, textural and alive than conventional walls.
The performance solution drove the style – enabling us to rethink the wall. All in, the project cost the same as traditionally built solutions.
When we analyzed how the space had to perform for the users – who might literally bounce off it – we generated the Crash Pad concept: a wall made of rubber tubes. To make the wall work, we developed a material that had just the right combination of flexibility, rigidity and durability. The tubing allowed us to easily break the wall into a series of swinging doors, creating a surface that was more transparent, textural and alive than conventional walls.
The performance solution drove the style – enabling us to rethink the wall. All in, the project cost the same as traditionally built solutions.
