A sponge soaked with light
by Georgia Klebleev

Coordinated by the contemporary design platform DMY Berlin in collaboration with Create Berlin, designers and creative labs from Berlin gathered during Milan week of design 2010 for the exhibition „Made in Berlin – Open Process“, revealing new prototypes and innovative concepts for future living spaces.
Set up in the environment of a garage, the exhibition provided a closer look at the design processes, going from the very first inspiration and concept, beyond various testing phases to the prototypes.
Here, we were able to have a first look at Berlin’s young design studio newest lamp collection – Malva.  Ett la benn’s products stand out due to their high level of innovation and offer new approaches in terms of materials, functioning and application and Malva lamps are a fine example of their vision.


The collection is inspired by the natural qualities of cellulose and viscose: the objects are generated by the forming of moistened sponge cloth and its subsequent hardening by air drying on a mould. The translation of this customary material into individual design pieces through basic processes of forming and drying measures up to the highest demands in sustainability and eco friendliness: all objects are compostable.
Next on agenda, Malva travel to New York where there will be exhibited and sold at ABC Home during North America’s singular showcase for contemporary design, the ICFF.

ett la benn