Dezeen Magazine

Movie: The Idea of a Tree by Mischer'Traxler at Clerkenwell Design Week

In this second movie that Dezeen filmed with Mischer’Traxler at Clerkenwell Design Week, the Austrian design duo talk to Dezeen editor-in-chief Marcus Fairs about their Idea of a Tree machine, which makes benches and lamp shades that are all unique records of the sunlight conditions on the day they were produced.

Movie: The Idea of a Tree by Mischer'Traxler at Clerkenwell Design Week

First shown at their graduation from the Design Academy Eindhoven, the solar-powered system rotates a mould to wrap thread round itself, first drawing the cord through a tank of glue and a tank of dye.

Movie: The Idea of a Tree by Mischer'Traxler at Clerkenwell Design Week

When there is more sunlight the mould spins faster, so the material builds up thicker and in a lighter colour, meaning the resulting piece is striped with the passing of clouds and moments of bright light.

Movie: The Idea of a Tree by Mischer'Traxler at Clerkenwell Design Week

The items are priced by length and pieces made in the winter are shorter to match the days.

Movie: The Idea of a Tree by Mischer'Traxler at Clerkenwell Design Week

Read more about the project in our earlier story.

Movie: The Idea of a Tree by Mischer'Traxler at Clerkenwell Design Week

Watch Mischer'Traxler talk about their Collective Works machine that only creates baskets when someone's watching in our earlier movie.

Movie: The Idea of a Tree by Mischer'Traxler at Clerkenwell Design Week

See all our stories about Mischer’Traxler »
See all our stories from Clerkenwell Design Week 2012 »