Don’t you hate it when you’ve got a huge pile of aluminum shavings lying around after a big project and think, “What a waste! I should really do something with this glistening pile of metal!” Well, the folks at Renewed Materials had the same brilliant thought, and created a solid surfacing material called Alkemi. By binding aluminum scrap with resin, they have produced a striking alternative to the typical surfacing products on the market. Best of all, its exotic look doesn’t come at an exotic price; it’s comparable to the lower-priced levels of Corian and granite.
Like most solid surfacing materials, it can be custom shaped, sanded, buffed, and joined to fit a variety of applications. What gives Alkemi its particular appeal is what’s inside: a minimum of 60% post-industrial scrap aluminum. Once bonded with polymeric eco-friendly resins, the aluminum scraps create a hard, strong surface, suitable for countertops, tables, sinks, or tiles.
The reflective property of the suspended aluminum creates two visually compelling patterns. The first is where the scrap is completely incased in the colored resin. The second is where the material has been honed or cut and another thin layer of resin poured over the top. A variety of colors are available, attributable to integrally colored resins and/or colored aluminum scraps.
They also have some interesting, but less visually stimulating opaque versions in black and white. But we’re willing to look past that, because these come in quite possibly the coolest…..samplebox….ever! There’s no official indication that the box is made from recycled content – but it definnitely looks like it. The icing on this earthy cake is the dramatic effect of the name branded into the container.
+ Alkemi
I LOVE this!! This looks like the coolest modern alternative to granite yet! Now if they can just bring the price down to the level of Everyman, and maybe get this in like Home Depot or something, the environment will be saved! Well, part of it, kinda… But the world will definitely be a better place…
[...] Inside the Celebration House, many of the ideas featured in our Inhabitat Green Building 101 series have been put to use, as well as several products previously featured here. Architect Henry Siegel maximized indoor daylight with a dog trot dividing the public living spaces from the private; in the master bath, reclaimed and recycled Teak have been used for the countertops; the fireplace, finished in a warm honey color to keep the room light, is made from a concrete that has been mixed with rice hulls; the dining room features an expandable table made from recycled bamboo, which can seat up to 10 guests; and the guest bathroom and all shower surrounds are made from Renewed Materials’ Alkemi product line. [...]
Hi i was wondering if you could buy the box of 12 alemi samples.
I am in architecture and i would really like to have it to show to clients and suggest it