French design duo Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec will introduce their first fabric collection of upholstery textiles knitted from jersey in Milan next month (+ slideshow).
“At the very beginning of our research there was a fascination for the structural traits of textiles that, observed under a magnifying glass, can be interpreted like a lattice of threads – building marvellous architectures,” said the designers.
Each fabric is created using a double jersey knit, made from a front and a back layer that, when knitted together, show the elements of the internal structure on the surface.
The front layer is made from a mix of wool and polyester yarns that combine dark and light coloured fibres, while the back layer is made from polyester yarns in a single vivid colour.
“To reach this particular irregularity of wool colour, we chose to use a very soft dyeing treatment that resulted in a coloured surface made of diluted tones,” said the designers. “Polyester, as a synthetic material, provides an intense plain colour accent.”
Three collections of 3D knitted and stretch upholstery fabric.
Constructed using a double jersey knit, the collections reveal new surfaces of slightly quilted fabric combining the stretch flexibility and firmness necessary to upholster a wide variety of shapes with the possibility of less points of stitching.
The knitted front layer of the textiles is made from fine melange wool and polyester yarns, which combines dark and light fibres. This ensures that they have a sensuous touch and feature a rich play of warm, delicate and irregular colour nuances.
The knitted back layer is made from unicoloured polyester yarns, in accent colours. These provide firmness and structure.
Dutch designer Martijn Rigters created this rippled sofa by forcing a long block of foam through the gap between four hot wires.
The Cutting Edge sofa by Martijn Rigters is a playful take on the methods used by design studios to prototype objects.
Hot wire foam cutting usually involves heating a thin piece of wire to cut through polystyrene quickly. In design studios, this is process is normally controlled very carefully, but Rigters wanted to make the process more random.
“This technique offered the opportunity to explore a new process and experiment with the great three dimensional potential it has,” Rigters said.
The designer created a series of unique shapes out of wire representing the seat and backrest, underside, back and front, then attached them to a wooden frame big enough for a block of polystyrene to pass through.
The wires were connected to batteries, which provided the heat necessary for the polystyrene to be cut cleanly.
Setting the wires in differing profiles to begin with would alter the overall shape of the piece, but the final form and rippling effect was controlled by how the foam was pushed through the gap in the middle.
“All movement of the user guiding the block through the machine is directly translated into a form,” explained Rigters. “This is a very intuitive way to work, because one can react to the form that is created at that exact moment.”
When completed, the couch was covered in a tough polyurea coating, making it suitable for use indoors or outdoors.
The process could be replicated on any scale, with the only limitation being the size of the foam available.
Japanese designer Tokujin Yoshioka will show a glass chair that refracts light around its edges for Italian brand Glas Italia in Milan next month.
The Prism chair by Tokujin Yoshioka is created from sheets of thick high-transparency glass.
The chamfered edges are cut so light bends as it passes through the material, creating a rainbow of colours across the surfaces.
“This creation will be a chair like a shimmering sculpture,” said Yoshioka. “Miraculous expression is brought by the refraction of light.”
Four rectangular sheets fit together to create the seat, with the bevelled edges facing inward.
Yoshioka will present the chair in Milan during the city’s design week, alongside the reflective glass Prism table he has also designed for Glas Italia.
Japanese design studio Nendo has created a range of chairs with wood grain patterns printed onto natural timber for a forthcoming solo show in Milan.
Nendo‘s series features six chairs, each one mixing a different combination of wood and printed grain.
The Print-chairs feature two square wooden panels atop four legs connected by two pieces of interlocking metal. The simplicity of the design highlights the intricate series of patterns the Japanese studio has printed onto the seat and back rest of the chairs.
“We experimented with different degrees of combination,” said the designers. “For some seats we layered two different woodgrain patterns, and for others printed enlarged, abstracted woodgrain patterns onto the existing pattern.”
In one example, the studio printed an enlargement of a grain typically found in a single piece of wood onto one with a finer grain. The result is a distorted perspective with the viewer uncertain of which grain is indigenous to the wood and which has been superimposed.
In another instance, the team changed the angle of the original grain and printed it over the existing one.
“We also experimented with other materials, printing a marble pattern onto the wood,” said Nendo.
Nendo also experimented with colour in the series. In one chair, a pale palette typically found in woods such as pine and birch gradually fades into deeper shades such as those seen in mahogany and teak.
“Thanks to printing technology we could make fine adjustments like the scale, density and colours over and over, bringing out the charm and attraction of natural materials from a variety of angles,” Nendo said.
In perhaps the most extreme combination, Nendo created a chair out of chipboard and then printed a grain over the top.
The six chairs will be exhibited at the studio’s solo exhibition Works by Nendo at Via delle Erbe 2 in Milan’s Brera district, during the city’s design week in April.
Japanese designer Tokujin Yoshioka will present a reflective glass table for Italian design brand Glas Italia in Milan next month.
Yoshioka‘s Prism Mirror Table for Glas Italia uses a high-transparency mirrored glass that covers the surfaces of the table to reflect its surroundings.
“This piece will be a table like a shimmering sculpture reflecting the view of surroundings,” said Yoshioka. The table is made up of a long rectangular top with bevelled edges, with mirrored blocks for legs.
The panels of glass were cut in a way that allows the edges of the table to refract light like a prism.
Kitchen and bathroom equipment is lowered into islands made from engineered quartz material Caesarstone in this animated preview of an installation for the brand by London studio Raw Edges, to be unveiled in Milan next month (+ movie).
Raw Edges designed a series of islands using Caesarstone, which have sections removed for slotting in storage units, appliances and accessories.
The movie shows models of these items attached to clasps or tied onto strings and lowered into the holes incorporated into each design.
Sinks, shelves and plants pots are all dropped into their specific places in the units. The animation will be realised as an interactive installation in Milan.
“For the Milan presentation we want to further-explore the concept of the sliding of objects into Caesarstone Islands,” said Raw Edges founders Yael Mer and Shay Alkalay.
“The focus will be on the kitchen, which will be set as a working station – a stage for performing cooking.”
The full Islands range includes units for the kitchen and bathroom, as well as sideboards and a ping pong table.
All the designs comprise a thin surface supported on two slices of the material and feature rounded corners.
Different units in the collection are made in various colours from the Casearstone range.
Following a preview of the products at the Interior Design Show in Toronto earlier this year, the installation will be presented at the Palazzo Clerici in Milan’s Brera district from 9 to 13 April during the city’s annual design week.
Visible brush strokes pattern the surfaces of this furniture collection by Japanese studio Nendo for Italian brand Glasitalia (+ slideshow).
Nendo’s boxy Brushstroke tables and seats for Glasitalia are formed from rectangular sheets of glass, which are decorated with streaked colours created by dragging layers of paint across the material.
“We brushed colour onto the transparent glass surface, then blew another layer of coloured paint on top,” said the designers.
Scraped across in one direction, the resulting effect resembles the texture of wood grain.
“The tense perfection of glass’ glossiness and smoothness fuses with handwork’s imperfect texture to create an unusual material,” added the designers.
The eight-piece set includes a side table, console, bench and dining table, and the top of each design overhangs its base.
A range of blue, grey and beige hues have been used for the different designs.
The collection will be shown in Milan in April, at both the Salone Internazionale del Mobile and Nendo’s solo exhibition taking place at Via delle Erbe 2.
British designer Samuel Wilkinson has created a range of lightweight aluminium furniture (+ slideshow).
The Grace collection designed by Samuel Wilkinson for Italian brand EMU includes a stacking chair and armchair, a stool, plus a folding cafe table.
All the pieces are formed from die-cast aluminium to make them lightweight, and suitable for use both indoors and outdoors.
The shapes were influenced by early twentieth-century wood furniture.
The table has a simple self-locking mechanism for when the top shifts from horizontal to vertical and is supported by a stand that branches into four legs.
Tubular chair legs have been designed to stack neatly on top of each other.
“By making the castings and connections work hard we have reduced the amount of welding to a minimum,” said Wilkinson.
At the end of their life, the pieces can be disassembled and recycled.
Dezeen promotion: the second edition of EDIT by designjunction will take place at the eighteenth-century Palazzo Morando (pictured) in Milan from 9 to 13 April, during this year’s Salone Internazionale del Mobile furniture fair.
Curated by the team behind the London designjunction event, EDIT will present a range of new products and furniture by British and international brands.
Poke Stool by Innermost, to be shown at EDIT by designjunction
Already confirmed to exhibit are British brand Modus, New Zealand designers Resident and Hong Kong-based company EOQ, with more to be announced soon.
The exhibition will be held in Palazzo Morando located at Via Sant’Andrea 6, a historic eighteenth-century building close to Milan’s Brera design district.
A cafe by Florence coffee company La Marzocco will also be set up on-site, plus bike tours organised by London cycling store tokyobike will meet and depart from the venue.
designjunction returns to Salone del Mobile for EDIT with a powerful showcase of international brands taking over Palazzo Morando .
For the second year running, EDIT will take place during the Salone del Mobile from 9-13 April 2014. EDIT, which launched in April 2013 and attracted 22,000 visitors through the door, will showcase a powerful line-up of leading international brands. Set against the stunning backdrop of Palazzo Morando, a historic 18th Century building in the heart of Milan’s fashion district, EDIT strikes the perfect balance between creative and commercial.
EDIT is set to be the premier design destination at this year’s fair, presenting a carefully curated selection of more than 20 international brands, aiming to showcase quality, authentic design across all design disciplines.
Creating a dynamic hub for design in the centre of the city, just a stone’s throw from the Brera Design District, EDIT by designjunction will present new product launches, brand collaborations and installations including daily city bike tours courtesy of tokyobikes, Dezeen’s augmented reality pop-up watch store, an exhibition from COVER Magazine and a bespoke onsite café from Florence-based coffee connoisseurs, La Marzocco constructed in the building’s outdoor courtyard. Other brands exhibiting include: Modus, Innermost, EOQ, Stellar Works, Utopia & Utility, Flux, Resident, Baroncelli, Afghan Made and Adentro with more still to be announced.
Lily Chair by Modus, to be shown at EDIT by designjunction
“This year’s show will be a truly international showcase of leading global enterprises. Twenty cutting-edge design brands have been carefully edited to capture the imagination of our flagship London show – with a focus on quality not quantity,” said event director Deborah Spencer.
“This year we have moved to Palazzo Morando, to the south of the Brera Design District. The venue continues our ethos of finding architecturally interesting venues to house the designjunction showcase. Palazzo Morando is traditional and authentic in its architecture and the perfect backdrop for our international exhibitors. Spaces have been divided into zones rather than traditional stands to create a flow through the venue, and to allow exhibitors more expression,” said creative director Michael Sodeau.
Modus
Modus launch a series of new products at EDIT including a new sofa collection by Kenneth Grange with Smith Matthias and a new chair by Michael Sodeau.
Modus is an award-winning British furniture manufacturer dedicated to producing the very best in contemporary design. They work with both internationally acclaimed designers and emerging young talent to produce high quality, covetable pieces for both domestic and contract use.
Innermost
Innermost launch three new products this April. Dent 200 is a light fixture, two metres in diameter, with an interlocking cell structurebased around a truncated icosahedron form – the form most commonly used for footballs – each piece is powered by a custom LED unit of 31 bulbs. Poke is a new wooden stool with a unique stacking feature and Canvas is a surreal seating solution – a two-dimensional image which leans against a wall yet allows for effortless lounging through a clever construction of structured fabrics hidden within.
Innermost is a British design brand that stands for concept, quality and wit. Founded in London and working with designers from all over the world, founders Steve Jones and Russell Cameron’s philosophy is to be British yet very diverse.
Flux
Flux adds its own unique take on the new tea revival with a new collection in cobalt, gold, platinum, and in four new designs; Novella, Archibex, Tropical and Bendot. An elegant, contemporary but minimalistic teapot, milk jug and sugar pot, with detailed fluting reminiscent of Flux’s Staffordshire tradition. Whether your taste is for a refined Lapsang Souchong or the classic family brew, Flux has the right mix and match ideas for you.
Flux Stoke-on-Trent is an innovative company designing & manufacturing English fine bone China in the traditional heartland of the British ceramics industry with innovative and unique designs at the driving seat of the brand. Based in Stoke-on-Trent, the traditional heartland of fine bone china since the 18th century, Flux is driving a veritable renaissance of design, craftsmanship and quality manufacturing.
Chair by Adentro, to be shown at EDIT by designjunction
Adentro
Adentro launch the Ninna armchair by Carlo Contin formed from solid Ash with a leather-crust seat. The Cosimo Desk by Marco Zanuso Jr and H.E.A.D. chair by F.Pozzi + Adentro Studio formed in solid Ash is also new to the collection.
Adentro contemporary design was launched in 2011 in Paris with a single aim: to design and make furniture that bridges classic furniture to the Modern world. Timeless collections represent simple shapes and contours with a purity in form and line that makes the Adentro collection suitable for both residential and professional usage. Working with only the highest quality materials, Adentro take great pride in craftsmanship during each and every step of production.
Baroncelli
Baroncelli creates inspired lighting designs and installations for interiors throughout the world. Each project is expertly managed by Baroncelli’s technical expertise and creativity combined with the highest level of personal service. All pieces are made exclusively in Italy and are showcased in London and New York.
The London design studio is a creative hub for projects underway around the world. There are two main elements to Baroncelli’s lighting design business. The award-winning Collection features a bold and dynamic range of original designs which can be customised by interior designers. While Commissions demonstrates Baroncelli’s skill at creating spectacular, design-led centrepieces for industry leaders working on prestigious projects.
Flexus Pendants by Baroncelli, to be shown at EDIT by designjunction
Stellar Works
Launching a series of new products at EDIT, Stellar Works is a contemporary design brand with a strong commitment to creating collections inspired by craftsmanship and style traditions from around the world. Stellar Works has partnered with a select group of the world’s finest designers (Neri&Hu, Space Copenhagen, Zaha Hadid, Yabu Pushelberg, Borge Mogensen) who share a passion for cultural investigation and natural materials.
Furniture and design collections are designed to work in both domestic and commercial environments, where they provide a sense of comfort and warmth, elegance and timeless refinement.
Resident
New Zealand based contemporary lighting and furniture company Resident, launch nine new products at EDIT this April. Established in 2011, Resident combines an authentic blend of craft, engineering and innovation to produce a refined collection of furniture and lighting. Drawing from the eclectic inspirations of a select group of designers, Resident champions New Zealand based manufacturing and aims to find new materials and processes to produce iconic, practical and dependable consumer products.
EOQ
Michael Young has designed a brand new lighting collection for Hong Kong brand EOQ, to be presented this April alongside his new Yi chair.
EOQ is rooted in a spirit of enquiry and industrial adventure, delivering perfectly executed future classics with a balanced offering of functions and finishes. Committed to offering the highest quality while using the most sustainable methods, the first three collections from Michael Young work with aluminium extrusions. In the future, EOQ are looking to add further materials to the range – focussing on developing productsthat are both accessible and useful.
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