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Custom Laminate Case Study: Karim Rashid

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With a diverse clientele including the likes of Tommy Hilfiger, Umbra, Sony, Georgio Armani and Yahoo!, Karim Rashid’s work is known all over the planet. And for this wildly popular, award-winning industrial designer, plastic is his material of choice. “I work with all materials, but plastic is my favorite. To me it represents the 21st century,” says Rashid.

Recently dubbed ‘the poet of plastic’ by TIME magazine, Karim had no prior knowledge of the custom laminate process, but was thrilled at the prospects of creating an original design that would be produced in high-pressure laminate. “I’ve worked with plastics for years but until now I’d never had the opportunity to create a two-dimensional project. Plus, I was always quite shocked at how conservative laminate colors and patterns were. For many projects, I never considered laminate, not realizing I could design custom surfaces that have a perceived dimension and depth.”

It’s that vision that led him to create “Morphscape,” a laminate design that’s now being used in a restart project known as “Landscaping Philadelphia.” Used on all walls, ceilings and floors, Rashid created what he refers to as a “non-stop surface scape.” “Laminate is such a great, high-performance material that needs greater variation, more energy, more interesting prints and uses. It’s just starting to get the respect it deserves. And in terms of creating a custom design, the process was seamless and simple,” he added. “I was very involved. Wilsonart would send me samples and I would make the necessary corrections to ultimately create the perfect pattern.”

Currently, Rashid is working on designs for several hotels and restaurants – with laminate playing a definite role in the overall décor scheme. “Laminate is phenomenal. It can heighten our environment, adorn our surfaces and meet our need for more economical and contemporary interior landscape options.”

So what’s next from the so-called ‘poet of plastic’? Keep watching. www.karimrashid.com