Meltdown with Tom Price's Bizarre Chairs

Posted March 28th, 2008 by Sarah O

London-born Tom Price knows a good DIY project when he sees one. I wouldn't go so far as to advise you try this at home, but the results of some seemingly simple techniques and basic utilitarian materials are pretty stunning. What follows is a series of "Meltdown" chairs created using the same method, just on different materials.

Basically, what the man does is place a mold in the form of a seat into any number of raw materials. The mold is heated and as the heat transfers to his palette of choice it shapes to form a seat. PP Tube #1

In this PP Tube#1, a stack of plumbing tubes is transformed into a verifiable seat. As the ends of the tubes melt, they fuse together to create a unique, holey pattern.

Price also created a variation of this first one - Meltdown PP Tube #2 explores the same theme in a clearly four-legged fashion. This one has fewer welded joints and pipes as support, testing the integrity of the structure and the strength of the material.

PVC Tube meltdown - Ouch!

Expanding from plumbing pipes to PVC tubes, Price uses the same technique to create an odd, toxic looking charred seating area that "looks charred and brittle but is surprisingly flexible and comfortable to sit on." This baby's just screaming for aloe vera, is what I hear.

Polypropylene Rope Chair

And lastly we have a Meltdown Chair made from blue polypropylene rope. Apparently the rope begins to literally liquefy as it comes in contact with the heated mold, hence the perfectly shaped seat.

Mr. Price, with all due respect, sir, are you sure you're not in it for the fumes? You're not over there huffing, now, are you? The end result is fantastic, but the cost might be valuable brain cells. I guess the bottom line is that inspiration can hit in the most random of areas, and when it does, one must just go with it, hopefully with the proper ventilation!

Below is a video of the polypropylene chair in the making, if that helps explain anything...