Exploration in design methods with rope.

Looking for the awe-inspiring in ordinary construction methods, Gilde aims to simplify the way ‘links’ are approached in design. To carry his research into ‘connections’, the designer selected rope to experiment with. Although the material is largely associated with the forming of knots, it is exactly this method Gilde avoids in his compositions. Replacing the cord’s cores and tensioning the material in various ways, Gilde not only shows alternative ways to fabricate joints but gives shape to an inherently flexible subject. The result, frames of metal and wood are ‘upholstered’ with rope. To explore the concept to its full potential, a number of cords were fabricated especially for a collaboration with the TextielMuseum in Tilburg.