softwall is a flexible

room divider A room divider is a screen or piece of furniture placed in a way that divides a room into separate areas. Room dividers are used by interior designers and architects as means to divide space into separate distinct areas. There are a number of ...

molo Molo may refer to: People * Molo (ethnic group) * Molo of Rhodes, rhetorical teacher of Cicero and Julius Caesar * Molo (satrap of Media) (died 220 BC), a general and satrap of the Seleucid king Antiochus the Great * Molo (footballer) (born 198 ...

. Made from

paper Paper is a thin sheet material produced by mechanically or chemically processing cellulose fibres derived from wood, Textile, rags, poaceae, grasses or other vegetable sources in water, draining the water through fine mesh leaving the fibre e ...

or nonwoven

polyethylene Polyethylene or polythene (abbreviated PE; IUPAC name polyethene or poly(methylene)) is the most commonly produced plastic. It is a polymer, primarily used for packaging (plastic bags, plastic films, geomembranes and containers including ...

, the walls use a structured

honeycomb A honeycomb is a mass of hexagonal prismatic wax cells built by honey bees in their nests to contain their larvae and stores of honey and pollen. Beekeepers may remove the entire honeycomb to harvest honey. Honey bees consume about of honey t ...

geometry to bend, curve, expand and contract. The honeycomb structure also provides acoustic absorption. Part of a

modular system Broadly speaking, modularity is the degree to which a system's components may be separated and recombined, often with the benefit of flexibility and variety in use. The concept of modularity is used primarily to reduce complexity by breaking a sy ...

, each softwall can connect to another by magnetic end panels. The walls have been used to create booths for

trade fairs A trade fair, also known as trade show, trade exhibition, or trade exposition, is an exhibition organized so that companies in a specific industry can showcase and demonstrate their latest products and services, meet with industry partners and cu ...

pop-up retail Pop-up retail, also known as pop-up store (pop-up shop in the UK, Australia and Ireland) or flash retailing, is a trend of opening short-term sales spaces that last for days to weeks before closing down, often to catch onto a fad or scheduled e ...

, sculptural art installations, backdrops for performances, as well as to divide space in living and working environments. In 2003, softwall was welcomed into the

Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street (Manhattan), 53rd Street between Fifth Avenue, Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It plays a major role in developing and collecting modern art, ...

’s permanent collection. Two years later, it was presented with the

INDEX Award The Index Project, formerly INDEX: Design to Improve Life, is a Danish nonprofit organisation that promotes designs aimed at the improvement of life worldwide, both in developed and developing countries. The organisation is behind the biennial In ...

for Design to Improve Life.

Design

Forsythe and MacAllen first conceived softwall as a method for repurposing architectural shells to provide shelter for the homeless. The concept grew into a modular system of space partitions that could quickly and easily transform space to suit diverse uses, whether in small live/work studios or large scale environments. softwall reflects molo’s interest in sustainable building methods and flexible living. Both the paper and polyethylene textile used for the soft collection are 100% recyclable. These materials are paired with non-toxic

fire retardant A fire retardant is a substance that is used to slow down or stop the spread of fire or reduce its intensity. This is commonly accomplished by chemical reactions that reduce the flammability of fuels or delay their combustion. Fire retardants ...

adhesives Adhesive, also known as glue, cement, mucilage, or paste, is any non-metallic substance applied to one or both surfaces of two separate items that binds them together and resists their separation. The use of adhesives offers certain advant ...

, and

inks Ink is a gel, sol, or solution that contains at least one colorant, such as a dye or pigment, and is used to color a surface to produce an image, text, or design. Ink is used for drawing or writing with a pen, brush, reed pen, or quill. Thick ...

. By organizing the paper or textile layers with a honeycomb structure, the material takes on strength to create freestanding partitions and the flexibility to adapt to or shape space. The pleated surface and interior cells, which facilitate movement, also absorb sound.

References

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External links

molo's official website
Furniture Sustainable products Paper products