Sharp Kayak: Folded Aluminum Hull with Cork Seat by Guillaume Bloget

Designer Guillaume Bloget has created Sharp, a kayak made from folded aluminum sheet and cork, developed during a residency at Rhizome in France's Morvan region. The project was inspired by the workshop's acquisition of a new press brake, which enabled the shaping of the metallic hull. Rather than mimicking traditional molded plastic or composite kayaks, Sharp uses folding as both structure and expression. The hull's hydrodynamic profile was refined through iterative half-scale models tested in water. The final design features a faceted exterior above the waterline and a more efficient underwater shape. The kayak's structure relies entirely on folding, creating a double-wall construction that makes it unsinkable without an internal frame. A cork seat inside the cockpit provides ergonomic comfort and contrast to the angular metal. Craftsman Antoine Rivière produced the first full-scale prototype and now makes Sharp on demand, emphasizing local production. The project showcases how industrial fabrication techniques can be applied to recreational watercraft, with aluminum, cork, and precise folds providing flotation, structure, and visual appeal.