Chris van den Elzen

Department: Man and Identity

Concrete Leather

During his traineeship in Hong Kong, Chris van den Elzen was inspired by the grid and the linear patterns made by the city’s skyscrapers. “I love those repeating lines and planes, and the depth of it all. This kind of raw architecture results in an intriguing pattern.” His collection of tiles, Concrete Leather, is derived from these architectural features, but made from a surprising material: leather and parchment. By subjecting these to heavy pressure he has obtained a series of inflexible tiles in relief, to be used on floors or in front of the windows. It looks like poured concrete, bitumen and glass, but appearances are deceptive. Concrete Leather draws the aesthetic of the façade into the interior, but in a comfortable and sound-damping form.