Jan Korbes and Denis Oudendijk (alias Refunc) find value in objects that most people throw away.
Broken chairs, worn tyres, old fridges and broken, rusty bicycles – everything is a source of inspiration for these two “rubbish architects”, as they like to call themselves. Working on the boundaries between design, art and architecture to invent new products from old materials, their mission is to find innovative ideas for public (and private) space using local waste. When invited to Durban, South Africa, last February by Cascoland (a Dutch art organisation that gives local communities ideas for the use of their public space), they focused on rubbish bins, objects with a short lifespan that are immediately replaced when damaged. The idea behind their project was to keep the object mobile and, indeed, highlight this aspect while adding new functions. Equipped with car radios, batteries and crates, the bin became a mobile station for DJ sets (bin band); set in front of a bicycle, it was turned into a practical means of goods transport (bin bike); and, lastly, cut up and reassembled it became a fun game for children (bin toy) and a comfortable seat (bin chair). Elena Sommariva
www.refunc.nl
Pimp my bin!
Jan Korbes and Denis Oudendijk (alias Refunc) find value in objects that most people throw away.

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- 04 July 2008
- Durban
