UM Project’s Furnishings Double as Power Stations
“It’s an optimistic rendering of technology at the intersection of function and fiction.” UM Project founder François Chambard waxes poetic over Patch, his microgrid prototype, in which furnishings become power stations. Place the tidy Solar Panel, made from recycled high-density polyurethane and aluminum, outside to harness the sun.
Then, activate the lacquered and chromed steel switch to distribute solar energy to the interconnected pieces: Enamel, a chest covered in 250 glass-enameled tiles and fitted with a charging port and power outlet; Phenolic, an armoire covered in 200 phenolic tubes equipped with touch pad–activated light and sound; Glass, a cabinet surrounded in printed glass panels; and Wire Net, utility poles constructed of glass tubing and gold-colored wires. The assembly recharges in eight hours and functions a full day without sunlight.
