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Slash Objects is based on an unexpected combination

Most people don't associate the common spotted rubber on the gym floor with anything other than sweating workouts. But for Slash Objects founder designer Arielle Assouline-Lichten, this material became the starting point for a new company when she designed gyms in her past work. This creative person who has worked for large construction companies such as BIG and Snøhetta said: "I am really inspired by how different materials are combined in new ways." "And my background is architecture, so I hope to create 3D works, these works have a new way of using materials, as well as formal and harmonious play."

Slash Objects was born in 2016 and launched a series of products that use terrazzo-looking rubber (made from recycled tires) in an elevated manner. "I want to use materials that influence how we view the resources we have on this planet, and I want to contribute to the way we reduce waste," said the designer.

Assouline-Lichten's latest focus is on furniture; she developed the Adri Chair while competing with Ellen's Next Great Designer on HBO Max. "As a designer, I have always wanted to design a chair," she said. "This is a very challenging piece of furniture because many designers have tried it, and it must be comfortable. In my opinion, it must be beautiful and blend the room together."

In Adri's work, she paired her iconic rubber-plus the new member of her material portfolio-mohair-with luxurious natural marble. "I am really fascinated by natural stone and all the textures and complexities that exist in stone," said the designer. "In my furniture career, I started using marble very early. This is really an evolving process. I am exploring new ways to turn a part of a mountain into a piece of furniture. What fascinates me is the natural beauty. In this way, this stone can be combined with other materials." In keeping with her sustainable development philosophy, Assouline-Lichten mainly deals with residues, which are small pieces of marble left over when cutting large slabs (for example, for countertops) .

Like all her works, the furniture starts with sketches, and then Assouline-Lichten uses cardboard, paper and foam for 3D modeling. From there, it was material selection: "I spent a lot of time in the marble yard," said the designer. "It is very important to choose the right marble, because it requires a stone, which has a lot of movement and really has a lot of texture. I think this is the anchor of this stone."

She kept improving and spent hours perfecting the rivets (brass) and fixing the swing seat of the chair to the brass rod. "They are the exquisite details on the back of this piece. I think they highlight the idea of ​​every detail of the chair," she said. "We spent a lot of time to ensure that every cut, every perforation and every rivet is perfectly placed."

Assouline-Lichten's furniture is designed as a family heirloom that can be used for many years-part of her fascination with redefining waste and recycling concepts. "For me, using recycled rubber is a way to show how design can transform an otherwise very mediocre material into something truly beautiful and remarkable. This can be created by pairing it with another durable material. Beautiful durable products come true," she said. "I like to think of the fact that we are using discarded tires and using them to make new and beautiful things."

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