Fibre Placement Chair

Since graduating from design school in 1999, Marleen Kaptein has been working with Stijn Roodnat under the joint name of Kaptein Roodnat. Via Label/Breed, Kaptein entered into a collaboration with the Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR). At NLR, Kaptein used what is known as a fiber placement machine; this robot heats and layers thin strips of carbon fiber, which fuse as they cool, forming a strong yet lightweight surface. The machine is normally used for manufacturing structural components for the aerospace industry. For her chair, however, Kaptein explored its aesthetic and technical possibilities, resulting in the Fiber Placement Chair. Seen in profile, the chair looks simple enough, but the seat and back have a complex structure reminiscent of dragonfly wings.