Finally time again to post upcycle design made out of skateboard decks. You may have noticed that I’m a great fan of skateboards. I don’t ride a skateboard, but sure do like the performed tricks, smooth movements and the way the boards and decks look. For many people skateboards have become a way to express themselves or even a lifestyle.
These decks are ready to be discarded after a lifetime of being ‘beaten and battered’. Luckily there’s a way to recycle them and, even better, many designers find ways to upcycle them into stunning design. Here are a few beautiful examples: Skate Guitar and Art of Board.

A dining chair that represents movement

The design in this post is called TULIP and is a creation by a company called Sitflip, founded in 2010 by Jörg Volgger, based in Bolzano | Italy. First started out in Vienna and now situated in the Alps of South-Tyrol, surrounded by marvelous mountains. Sitflip is an unconventional furniture label that converts the creative energy of skateboarding into compelling design projects.

Jörg Volgger is an architect and designer whose projects revolve around ideas like mobility, DIY and using materials and concepts for other purposes than they were originally intended for. He owns a lot of used skateboards and thought about combining two of his passions, skateboarding and design. And this idea let to his company Sitflip and their products. One of the first products was the Tre chair. A light and mobile chair that is constructed out of three used skateboard decks.

The Tulip dining chair is their latest upcycle furniture piece. Like every Sitflip product, it represents movement. The skateboard parts are flower like petals, gently following the lines of the body. The metal structure used for this chair is very sturdy and gives the design a slender and stylish appearance. The version shown here uses new skateboard decks, but I’m looking forward to a version that is made out of discarded decks. Personally I think that these old ones have so much more character and a story to tell with all their scratches and graphics. And of course, using old decks makes it all the more about upcycling.

Jörg Volgger:

“We are constantly working on new projects. Sustainability and an eco-friendly approach are at the base of every new product. Through our designs we always try to tell a story.”

The design company doesn’t see design as just the ‘fulfillment of functional criteria’. No, for them the story behind the object makes their furniture stand out.
Sitflip also wants to be a platform for emerging artists wanting to express themselves on an unusual and innovative medium. Just like other Sitflip designs, the decks can be used as canvases. This way the skateboard chairs can be rendered into unique pieces of furniture art.

Photos © Arno Ebner

Tulip is unconventional skateboard furniture and will surely stand out in every interior. If you like skateboarding and want to bring a bit of skateboarding lifestyle into your interior, you should visit Sitflips website.

Design by Sitflip | Facebook