In the project “Copytopia”, Pierre Castignola questions the benefits of the patent as part of the intellectual property system using one of the most recognizable objects of our time, the plastic garden armchair. While nobody knows who originally created the ubiquitous design, numerous remakes of it are currently patented. Castignola has reassembled sections of one armchair into a new object, exploring the ambiguous relationship between patent law and the freedom to create.

Eindhoven-based designer Pierre Castignola (b. 1995, France) graduated Cum Laude from the Design Academy in 2018. He aims to have a conceptual background in his work while focusing on a surprising, intriguing and surrealist outcome. His conceptual focus belongs in the perception of the world, with a strong fascination for semiotics and symbols inspiring radical and critical design.