Working from home? Singapore’s Paper Carpenter has a DIY cardboard desk just for you
The coronavirus lockdown gave Adrian Chua, founder of the eco-friendly design agency, the idea for his latest product – a pop-up desk called the Poppi
Tell us about Paper Carpenter. “I started the business in 2013, making pallets and event displays out of cardboard, a versatile and eco-friendly material that offers advantages over wood. Our ability to produce simple to ultra-complex 3D structural solutions, using in-house digital print, cut, lamination and assembly production facilities, has made us a pioneer in cardboard design and production.”
Why the move into furniture? “I’d always wanted to climb a high mountain, and finally took that trip to the Himalayas in 2015. The day after I arrived in Nepal, a devastating earthquake struck [on April 25]. Joining in the relief effort, with many areas inaccessible, I realised that cardboard coffins would be lighter, and more scalable, for those handling the mass deceased. This experience inspired me to make more useful products out of cardboard.”
So it’s self-assembled, like Ikea stuff? “Yes. Anyone can put it up. The cardboard pieces slot together into highly compressed cardboard bars and recycled plastic connectors – our PaperConnect system – creating an internal structure that gives form and stability to the finished product. With the connectors coming in various configurations and the cardboard panels easy to cut, you can let your imagination go wild, like with a Lego building system.”
How robust is it? “With a compact size of 70.5cm [long] x 40.8cm [wide] x 85.7cm [high], the Poppi is designed to accommodate a large iMac, desktop monitor or laptop, plus a few books. The matching Hexa stool can hold a weight of 120kg.”
