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Magma Plastique is a conceptual experience featured in the We Design Beirut exhibition. The event began on Thursday, May 23 at Abroyan Factory / Union Marks and will continue until Sunday, May 26, attracting art lovers.
Composed of two conjoined volumes that twist and diverge, the Magma Plastique installation forms a portal to an exhibition about Plastc Lab, guiding visitors through a dynamic exploration of recycled plastic’s production processes and innovative applications.
The exhibition’s installation, crafted by the design duo “Rabih Koussa + Nabil Farhat,” executed by Plastc Lab, and brought to light by Émotions Lumineuses captures the essence of the plastic predicament, materializing its urgency with a fiery temperament.
Explaining the concept, Nabil Farhat and Rabih Koussa affirm, “The envelope of the installation is entirely made out of recycled plastic and is produced at Plastc Lab’s factory. One pivotal objective is to define a novel narrative of waste and recycling in the design industry. The skin plays an important role in this redefinition, where it is regarded as a potential innovative material. Magma, simply put, comes as a singular expression of the urgency of the climate crisis, a moment representing the possibility of eruption, a consequence of the lack of climate action taken. Upon its encounter with light, the material highlights this expression and transforms the installation into its physically expressed purpose.” Discussing the form of Magma Plastique, they state, “It is inspired by the truncated cone geometry of smoke stacks seen in industrial architecture. Color came as a representation of alarm and the beauty of waste. We intended to highlight the potential beauty of waste.”
Talking about the concept, they added, “As designers, we focused on flexibility in adapting the design to its given constraints that unfolded throughout the process. The strategy was rethought several times during the execution journey. The production and design team were able to intersect at an extraordinarily fitting materialization of Magma Plastique. The Plastc Lab team cooperated with us and provided necessary feedback to develop the concept. Thus, we were confidently fabricating and manufacturing it. Flexibility during the whole process is vital to the project success. Our accomplishment is measured by conveying our message: integrating sustainability better in the design process.”
The founders of Plastc Lab include Ralph Bourgi, a mechanical engineer specializing in environmental solutions, Rami Sbeih, a biochemist and the initiator of the idea, and Ralph Sbeih, a civil engineer expert in environmental planning and infrastructure. With integrity and dedication, they lead their projects with expertise, innovation and perseverance.
Elaborating on the goal of Plastc Lab, Ralph Bourgi states, “We sort the plastic by type and color, allowing us greater flexibility and models tailored to clients’ wishes and aspirations. The material is thus made from 100% purely recycled plastic.”
Open to all types of collaboration, Plastc Lab responded brilliantly to the unique request of the designers. From an innovative concept was born a structure as gigantic as it is aesthetic, open for spectators to visit. Contemporary art at the heart of Abroyan Factory / Union Marks, with volcanic expression, rivaling international contemporary art structures.
Ralph Sbeih asserts, “For the past four years, we’ve dedicated ourselves to improving our recycling techniques, crafting recycled plastic sheets and beams. With Magma Plastique, we’ve shattered boundaries, transforming our products to meet more sophisticated designs. Our production skills are growing quickly, and we are now partnering with visionary designers to create stunning pieces using our materials. This journey has already supercharged our capabilities, making Plastc Lab the go-to expert for sustainable design projects. Magma Plastique is just the beginning of our breathtaking ventures. Today, the entire Plastc Lab team celebrates our collaboration with Nabil and Rabih, and we can’t wait to unveil what the future holds.”
The Magma Plastique structure is brought to life through the warmth of lighting designed by Émotions Lumineuses. The light of the installation carries sparks of life mingling with volcanic lava. Playing on fiery tones, it subtly enhances the illuminated object. Moreover, it reveals, like a sunbeam caressing angry walls, a touch of elegance and softness.
Cynthia Borgi, founder of Émotions Lumineuses and light designer, states, “The main objective was to bring life to Magma Plastique, and create a symbiotic emotional relation between the visitors and magma. Experimenting was crucial to see in what ways light affects plastic and is equally affected by it, since plastic sheets have different shades of red, yellow and translucent. The combination between them all created this play of light.”