Hasta La Ideas

Promotion: kitchen brand Gaggenau is set to return to Villa Necchi during this year’s Milan design week with an immersive installation called The Elevation of Gravity.

Designed in partnership with Munich-based architecture studio and longtime Gaggenau collaborator 1zu33, the week-long exhibition will highlight the brand’s existing product ranges and also provide a first look at future designs.

The installation, based on a minimalist design, will be installed in the 1930s villa’s glass conservatory. It marks the second time the brand has commandeered this space following its design week event in 2022.

This year’s exhibition will serve as a launchpad for its new brand philosophy and will set the stage for a “transformative era in the world of luxury home appliances”.

As well as the chance to experience the products first-hand, visitors will be able to enjoy a programme of events at the villa, including a series of discussions, interactive sessions and workshops with thought leaders from the global architecture and design community. They can also meet the Gaggenau design, brand and product teams.

“We are always excited to return to Milan,” said Gaggenau managing director Peter Goetz, describing the event as a “must-see experience” during the design week.

“The Elevation of Gravity is an architectural marvel that celebrates the magnetic attraction of convention-defying, life-enhancing craftsmanship,” he added. “You will have to be there to truly appreciate the scale of our vision.”

Villa Necchi Campiglio was designed and built between 1932 and 1935 by architect Piero Portaluppi and was famously featured in the 2009 film I Am Love, directed by Luca Guadagnino.

To visit the installation during Milan design week register here.

The Elevation of Gravity will be on show at Villa Necchi Campiglio from 16 to 21 April 2024 during Milan design week. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

Partnership content

This article was written by Dezeen for Gaggenau as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here

The post Gaggenau to celebrate “life enhancing craftsmanship” at Villa Necchi during Milan design week appeared first on Dezeen.

Startup Humane has debuted their Ai Pin, an $800 wearable AI assistant meant to be something like a smartphone without a screen. First-wave tech reviewers are all over the thing, and the reviews have been damning.

There’s two main issues with this first-of-its-kind device. The first problem, according to reviewers, is that it just doesn’t consistently work. As The Verge editor David Pierce experienced:

“Asking the AI Pin to write down that the library book sale is next week: handy! Waiting for 10 seconds while it processes, processes, and then throws a generic ‘couldn’t add that’ error message: less handy. I’d estimate that half the time I tried to call someone, it simply didn’t call. Half the time someone called me, the AI Pin would kick it straight to voicemail without even ringing.”

“In general, I would say that for every successful interaction with the AI Pin, I’ve had three or four unsuccessful ones. I’ll ask the weather in New York and get the right answer; then, I’ll ask the weather in Dubai, and the AI Pin tells me that ‘the current weather in Dubai is not available for the provided user location in New York.’ I’ll ask about ‘the thing with the presidents in South Dakota,’ and it’ll correctly tell me I mean Mount Rushmore, but then it will confidently misidentify the Brooklyn Bridge as the Triborough Bridge. And half the time — seriously, at least half — I don’t even get an answer. The system just waits, and waits, and fails.”

The second issue is that both the UI and the UX are apparently horrible. Remember that the device doesn’t have a screen, and provides feedback via a projector that projects onto your hand. This is an intriguing idea, and ought be handy, no pun intended: Hold out your mitt, see info you need.

However, to get to that point is difficult. Examples:

UI: To use the device, you must unlock it with a passcode. This is achieved by holding out your hand. A single-digit number is projected onto it. To reach a lower or higher number, you move your hand closer or further away. When you get to the relevant number, you make a pinching gesture to “accept” the number. In this manner you gesture out your entire passcode. “Using it made me feel pretty dumb,” says Engadget‘s Cherlynn Low, who demonstrates the procedure below.

UX: The Ai Pin attaches to your garment via a magnet on the inside. It should of course always be attached to your outermost garment, so the projector is not obscured. This means, in coat weather, you’ve got the thing affixed to your coat. But then you go inside, and take your coat off. To continue using the Ai Pin you detach it from your coat and attach it to your shirt. Each time you detach/re-attach it, you have to go through the passcode sequence again to unlock it.

And that’s just scratching the surface. Low—who was actually burned by the device, as it tends to overheat—describes, and most helpfully demonstrates, the laundry list of UI/UX hassles in her review:

Watching Low try to use the device, both from her POV and when she’s on camera, drove home how insane it all is, how many problems are created by removing a screen.

I don’t envy Humane’s designers. They’re trying to do something new and bold, and the idea seemed interesting on paper. Figuring out an entirely novel interface was probably a lot of work. But the end result has the user working for the technology rather than the other way around.

The secret to an exceptional living room is a fantastic coffee table! Coffee tables function as the centerpiece of a living room, hence you need to pick one that truly livens it up, and sets the tone for it. And, once the perfect coffee table has been set, you can start building the rest of the space around it – a comfy sofa, cute side tables, exquisite lighting, and elegant decorative pieces. They are all brought together by the right coffee table! And even coffee tables are getting more innovative, unique, and well-crafted by the day! From a quirky red cuboidal coffee table that effortlessly stores your books and magazines, to a coffee table with a mesmerizing terrazzo-like pattern – these exquisite coffee table designs are all you need to completely bring together your living room, and meet your interior design goals!

1. Bookpet

Called the Bookpet, this cleverly-designed coffee table is intended to be a ‘coffee-book table’. This unique furniture design functions as an excellent storage section for your books and magazines, while also serving as an ingenious coffee table. It has a sculptural shape that artfully evolves from a double-bent cuboid, and is a truly visually exciting product.

Why is it noteworthy?

The intriguing furniture piece has a cuboidal form that supports a sturdy tabletop at one end, which serves as the coffee table section. The rest of the design incorporates slits and nooks designed to store your favorite books and magazines. It features a compact size which is quite space-friendly, and will fit well in different kinds of homes.

What we like

• Space-saving + compact design that is great for smaller homes
• Resembles a sausage dog, making it a fun and whimsical design

What we dislike

• There is no option to change the partition size and make space for larger books

2. Superpop Tables

Coined the Superpop tables, these colorful little tables feature beautiful terrazzo-like surfaces that have been made from recycled plastic. The Superpop tables were created by Paolo Cappello for Miniforms, and they’re the little furniture designs you need to add some vibrancy and color to your home.

Why is it noteworthy?

The coffee tables are quite versatile, and they can be doubled up as stools, or even side tables. They are lightweight, durable, and versatile pieces that are quite sustainable as well. They’re designed to add a splash of fun to your living space!

What we like

• Feature versatile functionality with a universal appeal

What we dislike

• The pieces are quite colorful and loud, it could be tough to match them with various interior styles

3. Centenniale Coffee Table

Created by the architect and designer Joanna Laajisto for the Finnish brand Nikari, the Centenniale coffee table is a sturdy and minimal coffee table built using 100-year-old wood. The simple yet stunning coffee table is designed to showcase the rawness and ruggedness of old timber. It is a no-frills and humble design that heavily focuses on the material used to craft it.

Why is it noteworthy?

The coffee table was designed by embracing the cracks and imperfections of the old timber. The entire coffee table was constructed from a single piece of wood, and it features a sharp-edged and elongated tabletop that is supported by blocky and chonky legs with rounded edges.

What we like

• The table beautifully showcases the versatile textures and variations in the old timber

What we dislike

• Aesthetics are a tad bit simple and unassuming and could have been exaggerated a bit more

4. Whisk Coffee Table

Named the Whisk Coffee Table, this unique-looking coffee table by Deniz Aktay is created by arranging a metal tube in an artistic and intriguing form. This metal tube creates the major section of the design and instantly defines it as a total eye-catcher. It is unlike other typical coffee tables we have seen on the market owing to its extraordinary shape.

Why is it noteworthy?

The coffee table is named Whisk because as you look at it closer, the simple and twisted metallic form of the coffee table reminds you of a whisk! But besides looking like a whisk, it also looks like a contorted safety pin, truly lending an eccentric feel to your living space.

What we like

• Perfectly marries sharp form with metallic excellence

What we dislike

• Since it is a conceptual design, the tangible product could differ after manufacturing

5. Studio Nuño’s Coffee Table

Designed by Studio Nuño, this coffee table uses a new kind of joinery which reduces the assembly time to just a few minutes! However, this joinery does not hamper the structural strength of the coffee table, nor does it compromise its ability to bear the weight of everyday use. The end result is a unique coffee table that can be set up with ease while holding all your prized possessions!

Why is it noteworthy?

All you need to do is insert the legs into the slots beneath the tabletop, slide in a supporting piece, and screw that piece using an Allen wrench. The legs are available in three or four pieces for the coffee table, and the side table, so you don’t need to worry about confusing combinations.

What we like

• The coffee table is made using 100% recycled and biodegradable materials

What we dislike

• Aesthetics are a bit too simple, and not very noticeable

6. LOOPS

Called LOOPS, this collection of coffee tables is designed to push the boundaries of 3D printing, and in turn build products that are larger than typical 3D-printed objects, but without the need for the extra hardware. The designer utilizes different geometric shapes with organic forms to create the tables, making it seem as if they’re growing before your eyes.

Why is it noteworthy?

The coffee tables are beautiful specimens of 3D printing and sustainable design. The tabletops have been crafted from 100% recycled plastic which is crushed, melted, and molded from used plastic! While the 3D printed bases are derived from a composite material containing cellulose from responsible forestry.

What we like

• The base and top can be recycled once the table reaches its end of use
• Pushes the boundaries of 3D printing

What we dislike

• There are no options for customization it seems

7. R24 Coffee Table & Stool

Paula Valentini married her training and experience in art and urban planning to create the R24 Coffee Table and Stool. She designed the pieces for GANDIABLASCO, and the two-piece set features a sculptural and artistic beauty to it. Through the table and the stool, she wanted to explore textile architecture on a smaller and more manageable scale.

Why is it noteworthy?

“The image of the weightlessness of bodies held in space and the intention to explore structural fabrics became the guiding light of the project. Through R24 I evoke sensations and images like the evanescence of a bailiff’s wing. It is a useful object and it is also a work in space,” said Valentini.

What we like

• Lightweight furniture pieces that are durable and resistant

What we dislike

• The aesthetics are a bit raw and rugged, and may not be preferred by everyone

8. Wormhole Coffee Table

Designed by Olivier Gomis, this mind-boggling coffee table is his effort to transform the hypothetical wormhole into a physical manifestation. Wormholes are supposed to connect two disparate points in spacetime via a tunnel, and this coffee table is what a wormhole would look like if it ever became tangible!

Why is it noteworthy?

The table looks like a wooden plank that has been bent, allowing both ends to be placed on top of each other. They are joined together by a double cone and then glued together with sheets of maple veneer, which look like faint light lines that seem to form the grid.

What we like

• The center of the hole features a lamp, which gives the table a rather creepy appearance in the dark

What we dislike

• Since it has a downward curve, the objects could roll inside

9. Orbit Coffee Table

The Orbit Coffee Table is really an interesting one. It includes interloping and multicolored legs, and it is inspired by the orbits you find in outer space. Think of the images in your school textbooks, the ones involving planets orbiting around the sun, and you’ll realize how similar this furniture design is to them!

Why is it noteworthy?

The Orbit Coffee Table includes a round glass tabletop, which is supported by three oscillating glass tubes. The glass tubes intertwine, forming an interesting visual mesh, and each of them has a different color, creating a vibrant colorful sight!

What we like

• The coffee table is inspired by orbits found in outer space

What we dislike

• There isn’t any storage section or space in the table

10. Circus Coffee Table

Named the Circus coffee table, this unique conceptual design is created to bring people together in an interactive, fun, and active manner. The Circus coffee table is pretty tall, and it can even be used as a regular desk if needed! Its tall and unique characteristics set it apart from typical coffee tables on the market.

Why is it noteworthy?

The table’s shapes and materials create an almost chaotic ambiance, much like a circus. It is a wooden table with metallic components which adds some functionality to the table. The table also includes metal bars and doors on opposing sides, to form a fun contrast in terms of design.

What we like

• The Circus Coffee Table is designed to be the center of attention
• Can be used as a regular desk as well

What we dislike

• Some people may not like the unconventionality of the design

The post Top 10 Coffee Tables To Design The Perfect Pinterest-Worthy Living Room first appeared on Yanko Design.

A green-steel structure and walls of exposed blockwork and plywood feature inside this house and artist’s studio in Paris by local practice Jean Benoît Vétillard Architecture.

Named Maison Nana, the home is located on a dense urban plot in Bagnolet and provides a series of flexible spaces organised around a central skylit atrium.

Maison Nana is accessed by a paved garden, which Jean Benoît Vétillard Architecture has placed across half of the site.

It is fronted by a glazed garden room, sheltered by a gently undulating awning and animated by oversized red steps that provide seating and space for plants.

“Following the volumes of the adjacent dwellings the land is divided into two parts,” said Jean Benoît Vétillard Architecture.

“The built volume is placed in the southern part, where the volumes of the buildings adjacent are higher, [and] the northern part is converted into a full garden,” it continued.

From the garden room, glass doors lead into the open-plan ground floor. Here, a living, dining and kitchen space is wrapped by exposed blockwork walls and framed by slender steel columns in a pale shade of green.

Overlooking this space is a skylit, wood-lined atrium that extends vertically through the entire home, punctured by openings in the living areas above and glass brick windows on the exterior wall.

Bedrooms, bathrooms and a studio space are organised in a U-shape around this atrium, with a finish of plywood panelling and deliberately simple fittings to allow them to be easily adapted to different uses by the inhabitants.

“The ground floor is left raw, and the more intimate [upper] floors are treated in wood, a more noble material,” said the studio’s founder Jean Benoît Vétillard.

“The idea was to remove any form of hierarchy and scale in the rooms on the upper floors, through a complete treatment in wood and a minimum of details,” he told Dezeen.

The rear facade of Maison Nana is largely enclosed due to the height of the adjacent buildings but the front elevation overlooks the garden with a symmetrical arrangement of square windows and a cladding of blackened timber planks.

Other homes recently completed in Paris include an apartment in a converted textile warehouse by Isabelle Heilmann and a revamped Haussmann-era residence for an art collector by Hauvette & Madani.

The photography is by Giaime Meloni.

The post Exposed materials and colourful accents define Maison Nana in Paris appeared first on Dezeen.

Dezeen Showroom: Italian furniture company Alf DaFrè has released a wooden sideboard characterised by dappled surfaces that appear to have been carved into by a chisel.

The Gubia cabinet is named after a carpentry tool called a gauge chisel that can be used to sculpt wood, forming concave areas defined by ridges around their perimeters.

Doors and handles are concealed by the characterfully mottled texture, creating a continuous appearance across surfaces.

The frame is made from metal while two wood options are offered for the doors and top: Terra or Canapa Oak Fashion Wood.

The cabinet comes in two sizes and shapes – one is designed to be positioned flush against walls and the other is intended to be placed more centrally in a space.

Product details:

Product: Gubia cabinet
Designer: Gordon Guillaumier
Brand: Alf DaFrè
Contact: alf@alf.it

Material: wood, metal
Dimensions: 2071 x 525 x 813 millimetres, 1553 x 525 x 813 millimetres

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