M-ITI researchers led by Enrique Encinas have won the “Re)Mobile our city” competition, organized by the Funchal City Council with the work entitled: "Pneubilia" furniture set for the urban coast. This competition was organized by the Environment Department, with the Goal of alerting citizens for the importance of waste reuse and recycling. All participants were challenged to create a piece of urban furniture, using waste, to be installed in public spaces, and used by citizens.
The award ceremony took place on June 9, at the Praça do Município of Funchal, where the furniture was exhibited (see picture above).
Description of the furniture (pictured left) by the team:
Funchal is a rather peculiar urban area. Highly touristic but traditional, accessible and messy, green and blue. Urban furniture in such multifaceted environment should reflect this and provide passerby with original artifacts that facilitate interaction, not only with the specific space around them, but with each other too. Here at M-ITI we have accepted the design challenge and created "Pneubilia". It is a furniture set composed of two elements: a bench and a stool. The habitat for this two pieces is that coastal zones of Funchal where everyone (locals and tourists alike) gather to fish. This space could be Pontinha, or Lido, or maybe Ponta Gorda. In these spots a fisherman has no stool to sit while the fish bites and an observer has no bench where to watch it happen. "Pneubilia" provides just that, urban furniture that makes the waiting comfortable and the interaction possible.
Materials: Repurposed steel from old machine scaffolding, used tyres and old thick fishing line.
People: Enrique Encinas, Linda Tonolli, Victor Azevedo, Tom O`Brien, James Auger, Julian Hanna, Parakram Pyakurel, Sara Tranquada, Luis Jesus, Vitor Aguiar and Daniela Rodrigues.
