MAKHNO STUDIO WINS RED DOT AWARD FOR INNOVATIVE ART BLOCKS MADE OF “LIVING” CLAY
News
24.06.24
Ukrainian design and architecture studio MAKHNO has received the Red Dot award, the third in its treasury. This time, the studio proposed an innovative design principle combined with the latest eco-technology.
The Red Dot statuette is often referred to as the “Oscar for designers” because it is considered the highest accolade in the field. For the MAKHNO studio, this is already their third such award, with previous ones recognizing their innovative artistic 3D tiles. This time, Serhii Makhno and his team have gone even further by proposing a radically new aesthetic and an extremely eco-friendly approach to space design.
QUADROPOD is an innovative block that can be assembled into various decorative elements, much like a construction set. Its proprietary octagonal shape provides exceptional structural stability. The uniqueness of this concept also lies in the material and manufacturing technique. The studio offers two types of blocks:
The first type is for exterior decoration and architectural forms, such as artistic walls and fences. These blocks are made of clay, painted, glazed by hand, and then fired in a kiln at 1200 degrees Celsius. This process makes them durable against any natural conditions for millennia.
The second type consists of interior blocks for indoor finishing. You can create stunning 3D walls, art shelves, or any other decor or architectural element using the most environmentally friendly material—”living” clay.
“Living” clay is a combination of clay with straw, plant seeds, bee pollen, and other ingredients, thanks to which unbaked clay does not crumble and retains its color and shape for centuries. This know-how technique makes it possible for the first time to preserve all the properties of raw clay in the final product, such as heat capacity, hygroscopicity, absorption of electromagnetic waves, etc.
“We are rethinking Ukrainian millennial techniques to show the world something it hasn’t seen before,” – says Serhii Makhno, the studio’s founder and leader.
This year’s Red Dot Award ceremony will be held in October in Singapore, so soon the Ukrainian innovative QUADROPOD will be exhibited at the Red Dot Design Museum in Singapore.
