Rado has announced Sussanah Weaver as the winner of its 2018 Rado Star Prize at NYCxDESIGN. The winning project, 'Felted Concrete,' combines solid concrete and wool, creating a mixture of materials that are juxtaposing, yet complimentary.
"Pioneering design and mastering the use of innovative materials are a fundamental part of Rado's DNA," commented Matthias Breschan, Rado CEO. "We were delighted to see Susannah reflect this in her project, Felted Concrete. Once again the standard of submissions was extremely high and it was a difficult decision for the jury. At Rado we are proud to have helped showcase the work of such talented young designers."
In Sussanah Weaver's design ethereal wool meets solid concrete. Wet concrete is poured and instantly begins to heat, creating a cloud of warm air rising from the mold. Raw wool is sheared, carded, and spun, wisps of hairs pulled from the bundle and added to the mold in a warp and weft pattern. Dry wool is hydrophobic, resisting the concrete as it enters the negative spaces between hairs. This network of fibers and stone is continually heating and facilitating the natural felting process in wool.