Architect: Torunn Ingersdotter Melander, CaseStudio AB
Collection: Rawline Scala
Designs: Crepe, Denim, Denim Stripe, Stitch, Velvet & Velvet Bloom
The new meeting space forms a shared view from surrounding office windows and walkways on multiple stories of the campus building. From the very beginning, the creatives of Stena Center had a vision of turning the meeting facilities into an upgraded artificial grass area. The intention was to create a minimalist yet playful garden creating a relaxed environment for idea generation and sharing.
CaseStudio AB managed to transform this design idea into an unconventional and stylish multipurpose room with an outdoorsy look and feel. Inspired by Vera Sandberg, the first female student to graduate from Chalmers University of Technology in 1917, the meeting venue was named “Vera's Lawn”.
The idea of the lawn as a symbol and a real design element had been a vision for some time. The creative team was initially set on the artificial turf used for outdoor soccer fields to materialise the look and feel. However, it only took a few samples to realise that a more conceptual lawn of carpet tiles was by far preferable due to the visual outcome, installation and cleaning.
In opposition, the Rawline Scala collection manages to create the exact atmosphere requested by the creative team including architect Torunn Ingersdotter Melander from CaseStudio AB. Featuring the characteristically crafted and structured surface, the Rawline construction makes the perfect imitation of a natural underlay.
Combined by the six patterns Crepe, Denim, Denim Stripe, Stitch, Velvet and Velvet Bloom the collection brings a grass-ish look and floral elements into the décor. Kept in a number of close-to-nature green and grey shades, the look is artistic and vibrant. Various Rawline Scala carpet tiles mark zones with different characteristics: the grey walking areas match the stone flooring in the entrance, the event zone features a large surface with irregular patterns and finally the quiet zone is equipped with tiles in deep green tones.
Melander highlights Rawline Scala’s flexibility as the product feature closest to her design heart: “I really like the possibility of combining the 48x48 cm tiles and rugs with the same pattern in other rooms. It connects spaces.”
When talking about a challenging aspect of the project Melander explains: “The company contracted to install the carpet tiles sent me pictures right after installing the first few square meters questioning if this was really what I intended. I asked them to stick to the scheme and explained that the random look would make sense later on. So, they carried on and luckily they felt relieved after some time.”
I was looking for a green carpet and not only in colours! So, I was happy to read about Ege Carpets' CSR work and the fact that Rawline Scala carpet yarns are made from used fishing nets. In the bigger picture, this is the product feature I like the most.- Torunn Ingersdotter Melander, architect, CaseStudio AB
