Transformed Foam Seatings Respond to Touch, Akin to a Chameleon or Mood Ring
British designer Jacob Walls has created a unique and captivating piece of furniture with his Pangolin benches, which incorporate thermochromic dye technology to make seating an interactive, responsive design experience.
The Pangolin benches, crafted from industrial foam offcuts, are left unupholstered to showcase the foam as a design element. Onto these three-dimensional surfaces, Walls applies hand-colored thermochromic pigments - heat-sensitive molecules that change colour in response to temperature changes caused by body heat.
When someone sits or touches the bench, the heat from their body causes the thermochromic dye to shift colour temporarily, creating ghostly imprints that appear as handprints, body outlines, and other marks on the surface. These colour changes act as visual memories of interaction, making each use a unique, dynamic moment that blurs the boundary between furniture and interactive art.
The application process of the dye requires significant expertise, combining material science and craftsmanship to ensure the thermochromic effect works optimally across the complex foam surfaces. This technique not only innovates furniture design by introducing evolving visual elements but also repurposes offcut materials, aligning with sustainable design practices.
The Pangolin collection reveals the subtle ways we interact with our environment, making the invisible visible. The benches adapt to different usage patterns, working effectively in both domestic settings and public spaces. The colour palette of the benches shifts between tones, creating depth and visual interest that changes throughout the day.
Each seat of the Pangolin benches receives individual attention during the colouring process, with Walls developing a new language for how objects can respond to human presence. The benches possess a sculptural quality that commands attention, serving as both furniture and an interactive installation.
The Pangolin seats build possibilities for future furniture that will adapt, learn, and evolve with our daily lives. By turning furniture into a canvas for temporary art, Walls' innovative design not only provides a captivating user experience but also encourages us to rethink the role of furniture in our lives and the world around us.
[1] Designboom.com, "Jacob Walls' Pangolin Bench has Thermochromic Pigments that Change Colour with Body Heat", 2021. [2] Dezeen.com, "Jacob Walls' Pangolin Bench uses thermochromic dye to create heat-sensitive furniture", 2021.
- The Pangolin bench's thermochromic dye technology, a result of innovative material science and craftsmanship, not only transforms furniture design but also extends it into the realm of interactive art, creating a unique lifestyle experience where each use becomes a dynamic event.
- The home-and-garden sector is witnessing innovative advancements with the incorporation of artificial intelligence, as seen in the Pangolin benches, where the application of heat-sensitive thermochromic pigments reflects an integration of technology, blurring the line between traditional furniture and technologically-advanced design.
- The Pangolin bench series, in its exploration of sustainable design principles and the adaptation of offcut materials, showcases the potential for home-and-garden products to lead in the implementation of eco-friendly practices, while simultaneously pushing the boundaries of art and innovation in lifestyle events.
