Neptune Lounge Chair - A Material Exploration

2024

Inspired by the Mediterranean coastline, the Neptune Lounge Chair explores the material and symbolic potential of so-called “Neptune balls” — naturally formed fibre spheres created by dead Posidonia seagrass through tidal movement. Often mistaken for beach waste, these formations are in fact indicators of healthy marine ecosystems. The chair repositions them as both material and message, inviting a renewed appreciation for the ecological cycles they represent.

Guided by a mono-material approach, the chair is assembled entirely from Neptune balls, sewn together by hand using a leather-work needle and durable hemp thread. Each ball was cleaned, analysed and placed according to its density and consistency: firmer elements form the backrest, softer ones shape the seat. The resulting form draws from coastal landscapes — rounded stones, sand dunes and eroded shorelines — appearing organically sculpted rather than designed.

Conceived as an ephemeral object, the Neptune Lounge Chair was returned to the coastline after completion. Over the course of a year, it naturally disassembled and partially biodegraded, completing its lifecycle as an act of giving back to the environment from which it emerged. The piece exists as both functional seating and material research — a quiet observation of time, decay and regeneration.

Material
The chair is made exclusively from naturally deposited Posidonia seagrass fibres (“Neptune balls”), collected from beaches and disposal sites without disturbing living meadows. Assembly uses untreated hemp thread as the only binding element, ensuring full biodegradability and minimal material intervention.