Fabrica & Tai Ping: From the Floor up

In an inspired union of East and West, Tai Ping carpets has teamed up with the leading manufacturer of custom handmade carpets, Fabrica, to create nine unique objects, presented this week at the Designer’s Days fair in Paris.

In an inspired union of East and West, carpet company Tai Ping teamed up with the Italian design studio, Fabrica, to create nine unique rug designs, which were presented at the Designer’s Days fair in Paris. The exhibition, called ‘From the Floor Up‘, saw creative director of Fabrica Sam Baron and his team transform the traditional carpet into an unexpected work of art.

The designers reinterpreted traditional carpet design to craft unexpected narrative objects, many of which were influenced by natural elements such as drops of water, waterfalls, foliage and fallen trees. Overall they displayed a sense of humour and the installations paid homage to the diversity of Tai Ping’s craft, interwoven with the creative spirit of Fabrica, leaving behind the customary horizontally-placed typology.

Tree Trunk by Ryu Yamamoto

Fabrica’s Ryu Yamamoto used the idea of a rolled-up carpet as the foundation for his Tree Trunk, a cylindrical bench that mimics the rings and knots of a fallen log with its multiple layers and etched cut-outs.

Reservoir Rug by Dean Brown

Reservoir Rug illustration by Dean Brown

Dean Brown referenced the waterfall in his Reservoir Rug; his wall-mounted silk river highlighted Tai Ping’s talent for creating depth and nuance with texture and colour, mimicking water flowing into three pools before collecting in a ‘reservoir’ on the floor.

Foliage by Sam Baron

Foliage by Sam Baron

In perfect harmony with the stone building and its garden, Foliage rose up the length of the windows like the growth of ivy and then skirts along the floor, adopting the usual horizontal rug position.

Fields illustration by Valentina Carretta

Fields by Valentina Carretta

The concept of Fields featured flat surfaces that can fold, rise and reform to create three shelves of different levels and represented an invitation to slow down and relax.

Raindrops by Giorgia Zanellato

On the left an arched, raindrop-shaped piece by Giorgia Zanellato acted as precious space for storage. On the right, influenced by the rustic benches made by Tai Ping’s Chinese artisans, the benches by Mariana Fernandes invited users to explore the carpet-finished seating.

Dog’s Caprice by David Raffoul