Budapest-based design studio Hello Wood has unveiled a collection of outdoor smart furniture designed for schools and universities. The furniture is outfitted with solar panels to generate clean energy for charging USB ports. The sleek designs include extra-long, undulating lounge chairs and a funky “fluid cube,” all made out of solid wood.
Over the years, Hello Wood has created all types of innovative wooden installations, from LED Christmas trees built from reused wooden boxes to a solar-powered pop-up park to a colossal tiger stature made out of reclaimed timber. Now, the crafty wood artists have created a new collection of outdoor wooden pieces slated for the community spaces at local educational institutions.
Already installed in four Hungarian educational institutions, the outdoor pieces add a bit of whimsy to the open spaces found on campuses. The outdoor furniture collection includes two vastly different designs. One is a long lounge chair/bench that stretches out in a zig-zag shape with large curvatures marking the seating areas. The second design is what the designers call a “fluid cube.” The wooden cube is open on three sides, with a built-in bench on the interior.
In addition to their unique shapes, the furniture pieces are also sustainable. The wood used in Hello Wood’s latest installation is all certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), which guarantees that the timber comes from responsibly managed forests. Both pieces have been equipped with solar panels, which were manufactured using recycled plastic waste. The solar energy is used to generate enough power to charge the multiple USB ports the students can use while they relax in the fresh air.
This smart furniture features solar-powered charging ports [Inhabitat]