The Carbon Fiber Ladder

About the Cima Ladder: We found on this object a good opportunity to show the capabilities and amazing properties of composites materials. A useful and important object with a simple function, but with a lot of meaning behind it. We built the ladder around 3 major inspirations: Lightness: strip the ladder from the heavy look, from the complex assembly of a standard ladder to a simple and light shape. Functionally the weight of a ladder is a main factor. From our calculation our ladder weight is less than a kilogram. Paradox: between the outside shape and the inner shape, between the strength and the lightness, between the pure functionality and the pure aesthetics. Climb: like climbing a tree, brings us closer to the basic nature of climbing up to reach the top, climbing as a metaphor of growth and self elevation in life.

The manufacture of the ladder is produced in a single piece using the monocoque technique, similar to that used in bicycle frames. The material used is a carbon fibre composite. The continuous shape and the closed frame spread the forces in all directions. This study of form added to the high strength of the carbon fiber and allowed an extra thin and light ladder of only 1 Kg. The fact that the finished ladder works as a single piece makes the ladder more stable during the lifetime avoiding rattle of assembly parts.
The composite materials gives us the opportunity to re-think and redefine the ladder, to come out of the closet and stand proudly in the salon of the house. This way of re-thinking the ladder brings life to a normally unnoticed but important tool that goes beyond the pure function.