DESIGNRO » milano 2009

Household warmth

Cosmina Dinu — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:40:38 +0000

“Women know best what heat means” my colleague Mihai told me today when discussing about Hedvig af Ekenstam’s heating solutions. And I remebered my stack of blakets, duvets and flies, of different thicknesses and fillings, indutrially processed or hand woven, white or white with some color. I smiled like my dear always does when he sees me wrapping. They say woman’s body needs extra 5 degrees celcius than the man’s ones. Well, I can’t tell you anything scinetific on that, but I feel it…

Swedish designer Hedvig af Ekenstam learned unusual ways to integrate technology in some of her products. Her Knitted Radiator, Heating Curtain and Vacuum Cleaner designs all illustrate this well (you may remember prototypes from milan design week). Each product gives a softer and more human touch to common household devices.
The Knitted Radiator is designed using heating cables coiled to create a new type of radiator. The design is a flexible and lightweight screen that can be shaped to fit the user’s needs.
The Heating Curtain is another radiator design that is integrated into the curtains. The curtain is made from fabric and has a heating coil woven into it to provide heat.

The Vacuum Cleaner aims to be a softer and more attractive vacuum that users don’t want to hide.
the final solution has a textile body that expands when in use and can be slid along the floor. This product got all my enthousiasm through another aspect that that of space-saving. The textile bag is definately easier to produce, fewer resources and friendlier materials used.

Hedvig af Ekenstam

Marina’s home sweet home

Cosmina Dinu — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 08:15:37 +0000

Sometimes you do not need dozens of confirmations and reassurances that this is it what you want or need. You just feel it from the first glance. Marina Bautier has taken my dearest ideas and put them into life. Some of her qualified projects correspond to my shy, in home trials. And I am happy to have discovered her. I’m not alone…

First encounter: September 2008 at 100% Design London with Fold chair.

Taking little space when folded away, Fold keeps nevertheless the comfort of a standard lounge chair. Its language is voluntary the one of an indoor seat, thanks to the choice of material, the generous proportions and the padded seat. Easily moved around it can also occasionally be used outside.
I spent more than the polite exhibition time with this piece. I kept it in my mind.
This year, in Milan, at Galleria Bonaparte, the lounge folding chair got its name through my admiration of the new pieces Marina came out with: Lap Shelving and Modular seating:

Lap Shelving is a modular storage system that combines a low production cost with a real quality of appearance and use. Laser cut, folded and powder coated metal shelves and storage units integrate themselves within an oak structure. The system enables to create consoles and bookshelves and to join several units without doubling the structure.

The basic element of the flexible seating system is the bridge shaped leg. The repetition of the oak legs creates a regular rhythm that expresses the modularity of the project. The thin padded seats (with or without backrest) invite to a short rest in a hall, a hotel lounge or a library for example. A metal pole with a lampshade is fixed to the armrest. Beyond its functionality, it contributes to define an intimate sphere and introduces a warm domestic code in the rational typology of waiting rooms seating.

Indeed, this was the turning point. I became a fan of Marina Bautier and I forsee her with a beautiful future.
She is a Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College (UK) graduate and in 2002 she set up her own design practice in 2002, back in her home town, Brussels. She works on a wide range of projects, from products to interiors. Developing her own designs for manufacturers, interior projects for private clients, as well as self-initiated projects.
Surfing through her website, I got hooked by a Sewing workshop, every diligent girl’s dream

And by a set for Collection for Idee,a Japanese online shop:
Photo by Koomi Kim
Or by a Bureau:

A Chair & Tabouret:

Or a concrete Gardenslab:

And the list goes on.

Marina Bautier
Idee

Sylvain Willenz is Designer of the Year 2009

Mihai Gurei — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 22:55:55 +0000

“Belgian design will be the next big thing” some people say and they are probably right. We already experienced the bilingual country impact on fashion in the last decade and the show presented by Atelier A1 last year at Design September Brussels was impressive. One of the members of the collective already launched products for Vlaemsch, Freecom and Established&Sons. His name is Sylvain Willenz and has a bright future ahead.

Photo by Julien De Wilde

Brussels-based designer has been nominated Designer of the Year 2009 by the Interieur Foundation, Weekend Knack and Weekend Le Vif/L’Express magazines, the Design Museum Gent and Grand-Hornu Images. This seems like a big achievement for someone who opened his own studio only five years ago. Enough time for design conaisseurs to sniff his particular approach regarding archetypes and materials, especially rubber and steel. Willenz work is split in projects and also products developed for a specific manufacturer. This year during Milan Fair I was glad to discover a new range of lamps made for Established&Sons but also a whole collection of steel furniture presented again in a exhibition together with the colleagues from Atelier A1.

Landmark lights

The table and floor lamps for Established&Sons are inspired by technical boxes and signage you would find along motor-ways or airports. The structure is made in powder coated steel with an acrylic diffuser.

Candy collection

Photo by Michel Bonvin

This was impressive. Steel reinforcement bars would not usually fit on materials list when you think about design furniture. Willenz took the humble bars, applied a high gloss polyester coating on them, a process normally used in the marine industry, and magically created a whole collection of shelves, tables and chairs.

Photo by Julien De Wilde

Sylvain Willenz

Studio Juju at Salone Satellite 2009 in Milan

Cosmina Dinu — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:34:15 +0000

Studio Juju is Timothy Wong and Priscilla Lui. Timo and Priscilla work together closely in their projects. They like to make a lot of prototypes and enjoy greatly this hands-on approach in their design process. This helps them to be more sensitive to the objects they are creating and the people and spaces they are creating for.
The collection presented at Salone Satellite is inspired by detailed attention to appropriateness in functions, form and materials. This series will consist of a shelving system, a series of low tables and a few wooden lights.
The aim was to show how design can fit naturally into spaces and arrange itself according to different behaviours. Each piece has been produced in Singapore either by local manufacturers or entirely in their own little workshop.
The Studio Juju exhibition in Milan is kindly supported in part by Design Singapore.

AT Led lights made out of maple with steel legs, painted.

A light raised up by four legs. For the table. In two heights.

One shelves
Nested shelf-units. A set of small boxes that can be nested together to take up the least amount of space and expanded without tools to form a big shelf. Stack and arrange the boxes to fit different rooms.

Made in aluminium powder-coated (white/silver), walnut.

Rabbit
Low tables. none of the tables are the same in height, dimension or shape. the arrangement becomes fluid and, hopefully, will inspire an indefinite interaction when people sit themselves along the curves and place their cups on different heights and shapes.

Made of aluminium powder-coated (white).

Bollard and the black box
Touch sensitive lamps, made of painted jelutong. Blocks of light that reflect off the walls. One for the table. one for the floor.

Studio Juju
Design Singapore

Fredrik Färg at Salone Satellite 2009 in Milan

Cosmina Dinu — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:55:25 +0000

First, I was attracted by its shape. And the very next second by its cover. Then, I learned its story.
Modus:cover is a cupboard distinguished by the fashion prevalent on the day it was built. The cupboard is covered with fashion magazines from its birthday, and is thereafter stained in black and varnished, and the magazines show through ever so slightly. A secret shelf inside the cupboard hides a magazine in original. The inspiration for this piece of furniture comes in part from the magical moment when one renovating an old house finds newspapers, as old as the house, behind the wallpaper. The historical context of the building suddenly stands before you!

Something seemed familiar at this cupboard and my intuition was right. The designer of Modus:cover is Fredrik Färg, whom I knew from Stockholm Furniture Fair. He is actually one of the winners of Glimåkra Designers Prize, distinction received for his Coat chair:

The intention with this chair was to fight against the trend of easy replacement of furniture and to create more confortable and durable pieces. Pieces that you fell in love with and you don’t get rid of them easily.

RE:cover – Bespoke dresses for old chairs.
On the same mindset, along with Modus:cover, Fredrik Fräg presented at Salone Satellite 2009 a range of found chairs rejuvenated with felt coverings.

The fabric structures are inspired by vintage tailoring.

The project looks to the beauty of those shapes that never change. Fredrik takes his inspiration from classic tailoring, such as suits and dinner jackets that never go out of style.

Material: Old chairs and a new cover of 100% recyclable polyester felt.

Fredrik Färg

See in the box! – new collection from SCP

Cosmina Dinu — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:07:54 +0000

Each of us has their things they like to come back to. A quite and rewording relation, no strings attached, still fulfilling.
This is the way I feel about SCP. Doesn’t matter when I come back, I am always well received.
Today I remeberd how much I liked their latest collection - Boxed Collection back at Salone del Mobile in Milan.

Designers who produced pieces for the collection include:Timorous Beasties, Konstantin Grcic, Alex Hellum, Matthew Hilton, Pearson Lloyd,
Peter Marigold, Michael Marriott, Kay & Stemmer and Donna Wilson. All were given a brief to create products that could be easily packaged and sold at more accessible prices, as well as to design products that were small enough to carry home from the store under individual’s arms.

I will start with my favorites: Donna Wilson and Matthew Hilton (about Matt we’ve discussed previously) They perfectly fit together, don’t you think? One is enough masculine to temper down a colourful enthousiasm, and the other is enough witty to balance a rather formal atmosphere.

One sofa – Mabel, one occasional chair – Lola, three poufs – Ernest, Frank and Henry and pillows and blankies from Donna.
Mabel
Lola
Ernest, Frank and Henry

And one armchair – Berwick, one Mr. sofa – Oscar and two trestles – Compass from Matthew.
Berwick
Oscar
Compass

The other products are just as appealling as these first ones.

Sum shelves by Peter Marigold

Ulrik stool by Alex Hellum

Drysdale sofa and Peggy table by Pearson Lloyd

Chester armchair by Timorous Beasties

Cedric desk and Jeeves coat rack by Kay + Stemmer

Tom Tom and Tam Tam side tables by Konstantin Grcic

SCP

More from Giorgio Caporaso

Cosmina Dinu — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:19:40 +0000

This “object” really teaches the word versatility. Make it a storage unit, a bookshelf, a stool, a table or a chair. And if you’re up for a sort of linkage through the rooms of your home, this is definitely the thing you need. I personally, am investigating the purchase conditions.

Italian designer Giorgio Caporaso launched More furniture system during the ICC Cologne in January and Milan Design Week 09 in April.
Modularity has been the key to this project, it enables one to create furniture of various shapes and dimensions, it can be used for different contexts, starting with a few base elements that are easy to assemble.
The project centred around the theme of transformability starting from the design of a simple unit, and in the same time close attention was paid to experimenting with new tactile, visual, aesthetic and chromatic effects.
The furniture can serve as shelving, a resting platform, display or even as a seat. It can act as a suspended wall unit, an open bookcase against the wall, or it can be used as a dividing wall to separate the spaces in a room or other environments, thanks to the innovative possibility whereby it can be anchored or suspended from the ceiling.

The product is based on the use of units which can be readily combined without needing any special or complex equipment and which can be built up as desired, so providing highly versatile and interesting solutions which are not only aesthetic, but – given its self-supporting nature – also functional.

Giorgio Caporaso

No related posts.

Brikolör at Salone Satellite in Milan 2009

Cosmina Dinu — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:13:47 +0000

I won’t make a secret out of it – the most exciting part at Salone Internationale del Mobile in Milan is Salone Satellite – the place where upcoming designers exhibit. At least for me. So, no wonder I’ll start writing about the young designers met there just one week ago. Of course I will pay my tribute to the big and important producers, those making design available for the world and so on! But, later…
I’ll begin randomly – due to the amounts of flyers, business cards and press CDs collected. The first to send the press link were Brikolör. So, let’s take a look.

Brikolör makes a risky bet and propose a 300 years of durability guaranteed furniture. Here is their motivation:

“There is no concept outside the product itself. The question is rather: can there be such a thing as quality within? Is there a sort of soul of a product or furniture in itself? If so, how is that created? Is it when the many years experienced craftsman or designer builds something that truly matters to him or her? Can you feel any of that by looking at a particular piece of furniture? By touching its texture? Do we even need to experience that feeling in order to build a lasting relationship with the product?
Brikolör has the ambition to manufacture furniture with a guaranteed emotional and technical durability of 300 years. Milan 2009 marks the start of our ambition.
Brikolör will save the world.”

Pretty enthousiastic, huh? Well, I still wear the broch my grate-mother gave it to me. And it looks like my niece will wear it too. So, hardy but not impossible, isn’t it?
Let’s take a look at the “saviours”:

Hägg
Storage/cabinet in ash veneer. Plinth, iron-weighted. Pattern by Rasmus Hägg.

Pärlan
A chair made from turned solid ash. Laminated wood-sides. Varnished.

Alta-Alta
A stool with legs of solid ash

Lodlärk and Våglärk
Storage/cabinets in solid larch. Part-varnished/part untreated.

Brikolör are Victor, Mathias, Fredrik and Sami.
Victor Alm (b. 1975) is a trained carpenter and MFA from HDK, School of design and Crafts, Gotebörg University with additional education at Pratt University, New York,USA and at Rietvald Akademie, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Mathias Eriksson (b. 1981) is a project manager and partner of Sinnes advertising agency in Gotebörg, Sweden with education from from Nordiska School of journalism and Gotebörg University
Fredrik Hansson (b. 1981) is a carpenter and a partner as well as an architect of Okidoki Arkitekter. He is educated at Chalmers University of Technology, Gotebörg.
Sami Kallio (b. 1975) is a carpenter and a MFA from HDK, Gotebörg University. He is also educated at UIAH Helsinki, Finland. Sami was awarded the first price at Caiazza Memorial Challenge 2006 for his chair Stich.

Brikolör

Studio Job in Milan April 2009: The Gospel

Cosmina Dinu — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:11:36 +0000

Last year, at Studio Job‘s Farm collection presentation, I had a unique sensation of inner peace. I don’t know if it was because of the powerfully symbolic objects, bird’s songs, white furniture, difuse light flowing from above or the simple and delicious food, but I felt like seizing Heaven. I hoped it would be like the same this year.
The Dutch designers from Studio Job presented a new bible-inspired collection in Milan called The Gospel. See our movie here:

This work consists of two large sculptures in lead glass and rosewood, depicting iconic and biblical scenes, as well as an enormous rusty cast-iron service. Together these objects form the graphic and dimensional starting point for an exclusive 12-piece, hand-made service – a collector’s item – and an industrially produced service, which can be ordered by the public at large. Dutch porcelain manufacturer Royal Tichelaar Makkum will produce both services.

The Gospel exhibition was presented in a splendid cloister in the centre of Milan, as part of the Salone del Mobile 2009 exhibition. Partner for this exhibition, The Zuiderzee Museum regards the collaboration between the artist, ING, the manufacturer and the museum as an important way to realise unique work. This certainly benefits the museum, but above all it leaves a lasting impression of Dutch heritage.

Studio Job
Royal Tichelaar Makkum
Zuiderzee Museum

This year the Moustache is on!

Cosmina Dinu — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:32:07 +0000

Founded and run by Stéphane Arriubergé and Massimiliano Iorio, moreover partners in Domestic, Moustache’s aim is to bring together a group of like-minded designers to nurture the development of innovative and honest furnishings that will stand the test of time.
Moustache seeks to break away from pre-set market concepts and create innovative products by combining a variety of approaches and thought processes. To open new domestic horizons designers such as François Azambourg, Big-Game, Matali Crasset, Ana Mir + Emili Padros and Inga Sempé cohabit in Moustache.
Rather than artificially developing the principle of novelty at any price, the products produced by Moustache will attempt to take advantage of passing time and to give them a little of the heritage value that furniture and objects held in the past.
Far however from looking nostalgically at the contemporary production of the objects, the Moustache collection will try to anticipate and project the solutions for our scenarios for future life.
At the scale of its market, Moustache will attempt to take up a position beside those which, rejecting some ideals of the society, are entrusted with substituting and inventing new ones.
New French brand Moustache presented furniture and lighting by designers including Inga Sempé, Big-Game and Matali Crasset in Milan last April.
The new range also features products by François Azambourg and Ana Mir + Emili Padros.
The collection was on show at Via Tortona 19 in Zona Tortona from 22-26 April, during the Salone Internazionale del Mobile (international furniture fair).
And finally, let’s take a look at the products.

Vapeur lamps and suspension by Inga Sempé

Weightless in our interiors. The Inga Sempé Vapeur collection uses the mechanical and structuring qualities of the pleat to create strange and large lighting volumes.

La belle et le clochard table by François Azambourg

A previously unknown association of two materials with opposing qualities, La belle et le clochard table by François Azambourg invites the use of fused precious wood and polyurethane foam to create an extremely light table (12 kg) with astonishing acoustic qualities.
A table-top sandwich in maple or brazilian ironwood plywood and polyether foam. The base in solid maple or solid maple veneered with brazilian ironwood.

Instant table by Matali Crasset

With the Instant range, Matali Crasset has designed obvious articles starting with a simple tool: the trestle. While retaining it, Matali completes the trestle principle so that only one is needed to support the table-top. To be unfolded according to requirements, the Instant Table table is economic in materials: its top is made of all the wood chips left over from the cutting of its own base.
In plywood beech and brass.

Box table by Big-Game

Taking inspiration from and applying the pleating techniques used in the cardboard and aluminium industry, very light, the Box coffee table is easily moved by means of the handles drilled into its sides.

Bold chair by Big-Game

Made up of two tubular parts in metal embedded in each other, the Bold chair is an updated version of the tradition of a chair in tubular steel. Inflated with a thin polyurethane foam, the line drawn by the Bold successfully plays the role of foot, seat then back and gives it an amazing level of comfort. With a single stroke, in the manner of the Osvaldo Cavandoli Linea, and thickened similarly to the font which is made bold, the Bold chair succeeds in doing away with the seat and back. Covered with a removable textile coating, the Bold chair can change colour in a few seconds.

Box stool by Big-Game

Taking inspiration from and applying the pleating techniques used in the cardboard and aluminium industry, very light and versatile, the Box stool can be folded away like a cardboard box. A hole is pierced in the centre of the seat so that it is easy to carry, it brings to mind certain mass seating in the last century.

Instant seat chauffeuse by Matali Crasset

With the Instant range, Matali Crasset has designed obvious articles starting with a simple tool: the trestle. While preserving its versatility, Matali associates it with a shell seat to create an armchair. The trestle shape follows the shell’s profile and, at the back, has a hook for a bag or anything else. The two are very easily separated so they can be put away or stacked. An article conspiring to make the Instant Seat armchair comfortable can at any time disappear to take advantage of the space it took up.

Armoire souple storage module by Inga Sempé

Inga Sempé has done substantial research on the pleat and, this time, uses its characteristics to create the façades of an amazing storage module… Made of a sycamore structure, its flexible cupboard can be accessed from the front or the back and, by stacking, enables storage space of variable dimensions to be created.
Access to this flexible cupboard is by simply sliding and folding back a pleated textile surface along a rail. Precisely observed and studied, the mechanical qualities inherent in the pleat applied to the simple and recurring gesture of opening and closing. Available in 4 colours, a large number of combinations, horizontal, vertical with 2, 4, 6, 9 elements, are available. Its dual access and the possibility of stacking several also enables it to be used as an element partitioning the space.

Mètre shelf by François Azambourg

The Mètre shelf unit by François Azambourg takes over the mechanical principle of the mason’s yardstick to articulate a support all along the wall to take the shelves. Delivered folded. It is up to the user to unfold the Mètre to install his shelves.

Slastic coat rack by Ana Mir + Emili Padros

The Slastic coat rack goes back to the order that parent generally give to their children not to draw on the walls and, once adult, invites them to disobey it. Each deposit on the coat rack marks your having been there and participates in the collective achievement of a work very far from being just an accident.

Xtra room interior refuge by Matali Crasset

Matali Crasset has always been interested in the principle of building/unbuilding articles in the living space. Flexible, therefore her interior Xtra room refuge, according to needs and wishes, can be unfolded or removed. Putting up a passing friend in the house, cutting oneself off to work, read, watch television, the Xtra room offers a better management of space by creating transient sub-spaces. From the simple principle of a trunk/posts, the Xtra room makes it possible to build a structure which, according to the number of elements assembled, becomes a screen, a private corner or a real refuge.
Completed by a felt-lined skin, the hut becomes homely and welcoming, suitable to carrying out a large number of activities in a single open area. A tool for partitioning the area, the Xtra room refuge is a light alternative to building walls.

Moustache
Inga Sempé
Big Game
Matali Crasset
Ana Mir + Emili Padros