Jun 7 2008
Potential bidders from around the globe are expressing interest in a unique structure that will be a featured piece at Sotheby's Important 20th Century Design auction Saturday, June 14, in New York. Originally designed as an exhibition pavilion, it is constructed almost entirely from UPM ProFi, a wood-plastic composite made primarily with recycled materials from UPM's label business.
The pavilion is the result of a unique partnership of global forest industry leader UPM, renowned Japanese architect Shigeru Ban and Finnish design company Artek. A trailblazer in applying ecological thinking to architectural design, Ban was inspired by UPM ProFi and sketched an exhibition space for Artek that would be built from the new wood-plastic composite. The pavilion was first presented by Artek and UPM at Salone Internazionale del Mobile, Milan, Italy, then was reassembled for display in Helsinki, Finland, and at Design Miami 2008 in Florida.
Innovative and award-winning, UPM ProFi leads the next generation of wood-plastic composites. Not only does it offer new levels of performance, but with new recycling technology at its core, it makes a positive impact on the environment. UPM ProFi is manufactured from surplus materials, primarily paper and plastic, left over from the production of self-adhesive labelstock by UPM Raflatac, the Label Division of UPM. The process residue is sent to UPM ProFi's production facility where it is recycled and moulded into UPM ProFi products.
"The pavilion is a perfect match of UPM's drive in product innovation and Artek's world-class design," said Markku Koivisto, Director, UPM ProFi. Koivisto emphasized UPM's commitment to the environment and sustainability which led to the development of UPM ProFi. "We are continuously researching new ways of reducing waste at all stages of our products' lifecycles," he said. "UPM ProFi is a great example of our sustainable approach to business and the flexibility to think across traditional lines of business."
Sotheby's Important 20th Century Design pre-auction exhibition is open for public viewing June 8-13 in New York. The auction takes place June 14 at 10 a.m. The pavilion, created for Artek by renowned designer Shigeru Ban from UPM ProFi recycled material, is expected to sell for USD $800,000 to $1.2 million.