Ward van Gemert and Adriaan van der Ploeg of the Rotterdam-based studio Nightstop view their Showdown series as experiments in color and pattern. But they're also experiments in process: unlike textiles that are woven, tufted, or sewn, these pieces are made by piping urethane foam through large syringes.
Reminiscent of Droog designer Tejo Remy's psychedelic Homeshaker rug, Nightstop's carpets squash together technicolor materials to form pieces that have a certain 1970s vibe to them. To make them, the designers sketch out a pattern and then trace those lines with the foam, which is actually a prettier version of window sealant. As the material expands, it fuses together to create a solid. Nightstop created lattices, herringbone patterns, and more using the technique.
As a practice, the studio is "keen on investigating the boundaries between good and bad taste." Applying an industrial material in an unexpectedly beautiful way speaks to the contrast of high and low, but and naming the series after a Thin Lizzy track—the studio's a fan of the band—definitely falls more in line with the latter. One thing's for certain: these kaleidoscopic carpets are a sight to behold.
[via [i]Design Milk[/i]]