Pilas

Pilas, pale stacked modules with a small figure on top, read as a sculpture

Pilas, from the Latin pila, means “column, an orderly vertical stacking of things”. A term that has remained unchanged since Roman times. It is an exercise around the most elementary gesture there is, but what is the minimum human intervention needed to turn raw material into a functional and aesthetic object? The basic conditions of a seat are its height and its support, to which is added the need for transport – which introduces a limit on weight.

A hand placing a book on the stacked modules of Pilas
Animation of the Pilas modules

Two simple premises give rise to a stack of identical modules that can be carried by one or two people. The bands between the pieces allow them to be handled and, at the same time, generate a rhythm for the composition. The simplicity of the approach gives the piece a formal ambiguity that allows immediate use as a seat and table, or a meditative appreciation as a sculpture.

Pilas used as a seat beside a leather armchair
Plan and elevation of Pilas
Pilas used as a low table, with a book on the stacked modules
Pilas as a side table beside a seated person

(Photo)

Ben Gutiérrez