Brutal X-CHAIR for OUT Is 100% Recycled + Fully Circular

In Atmoism: Designed Atmospheres, An Exhibition by Hermann August Weizenegger, the Berlin Museum of Decorative Arts is dedicating a solo exhibition to the renowned German designer – in response, he has designed the X-CHAIR to be its focal point, reflecting the Brutalist architecture of the gallery space and comprising 100% recycled polypropylene.

“My exhibition refers to the building of the Kunstgewerbemuseum Berlin, which I feel is gentle brutalism,” says Weizenegger. “The architectural design by Rolf Gutbrod is controversial because the internal structure is very restless and there is no space for the actual exhibits. This museum fascinates me because it makes it difficult to exhibit – like life, it challenges you, it doesn’t make it easy for you, you have to get used to it, you have to adjust to it.”

The chair, manufactured by OUT (Objekte Unserer Tage – ‘objects of our days’), is made from 100% recycled polypropylene – unlike many so-called ‘recycled’ plastic chairs on the market which might only contain up to 30% non-virgin materials, and in a move that Weizenegger believes to be an industry first, can be returned to the manufacturer to be ground up and made into another chair at the end of its life. “In view of the ecological situation, we need objects that are produced sustainably and regionally,” Weizenegger says.

As well as being a bold color choice that informs the whole exhibition, the matt black is what enables its eco-credentials. “At the end of the process, all recycled materials are dyed black, making them the darkest shade on the color scale,” explains Weizenegger. “But I could only think of the chair in black. The architectural structure of the chair had to have a strong, bold color, that is reminiscent of black concrete.”

The chair is a multifunctional piece that can be used both inside and outdoors and even as a side table. “The chair has a high sculptural quality and is definitely an object in the room,” says Weizenegger. Due to its weight, the chair is also conceivable in public spaces, such as in parks, pedestrian zones, swimming pools or public roofs.

Atmoism: Designed Atmospheres, An Exhibition by Hermann August Weizenegger is open at the Berlin Museum of Decorative Arts (for online ticket holders) until October 01 2020.