Alcantara is a suede-like, artificial leather materials that has a non-slip surface, one of its key qualities.
Japanese designers Nendo used this material to create their Non-slip Birdhouse, literally a birdhouse that uses the Alcantara to ensure that our feathered friends can perch steadily in their little homes.
The birdhouses are Nendo’s design for the Can You Imagine exhibition taking place at the National Museum of XXI Century Arts in Rome, from 6 October to 7 November 2011.
Alcantara is a material widely used in the automotive industry to upholster car seats and ensure driver stability.
Nendo also created a slanted wall, covered with Alcantara, on which the birdhouses can be displayed. They explain that it is the suede-like finish that allows the birdhouses to stick to the wall using only friction. There is no need for glues of screws, “clearing demonstrating Alcantara’s
