Hasta La Ideas

Milan 2013: Zaha Hadid imagined a block of ice formed in the crevasses of a glacier for the design of this bench, launching this week in the Tortona district of Milan.

The Serac Bench, designed by Zaha Hadid for street furniture brand Lab23, is made from a resin and quartz composite that gives it a sparkling white colour.

The surface of the bench is shaped into a series of smooth ridges and curves, and a single arch forms a backrest on one side.

The piece is on show at the Officine della Torneria, Via Novi, 5, just around the corner from Dezeen’s movie studio at the MINI Paceman Garage.

London architect Zaha Hadid is showing a number of projects around Milan this week, including a pair of monochrome pendant lamps, a limited edition of marble tables and a system of twisting auditorium seats.

See more design by Zaha Hadid »
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Photography is by Jacopo Spilimbergo.

Here’s some more information from Zaha Hadid Architects:

Zaha Hadid for Lab23

Zaha Hadid’s concept of urban furniture to be seamlessly integrated with its context and Lab23’s experience coalesce into the Serac Collection, especially the Serac Bench, the urban bench designed by the architect and designer for the renowned street furniture label.

The concept behind the Serac Bench, which will be presented at Fuorisalone 2013, at the Officine della Torneria from April 8th to 14th, is evoked by the image of a block of ice formed by intersecting crevasses in a glacier. Developed as an urban sculpture for seating and resting, the Serac Bench seamlessly integrates with its context. Its striated articulations emerge from the landscape, each layer taking its own unique trajectory in reaction to latent forces that disperse – and ultimately coalesce – the many strata of the bench to generate its overall formal composition. The design rediscovers the fluid, continuous nature of Zaha Hadid’s work – exploring relationships between full and void, object and background, form and function; an evolutionary pattern that is evident throughout her repertoire.
The bench has been developed in resin quartz, a tough and durable material that when shaped into a more curvaceous form, transitions into a softer, fluid and tactile surface. The sparkling crystal balances a stunning light play with mesmerizing depth.

Lab23, with numerous collaborations with world-renowned architects and designers under its belt, will present the Serach Bench together with its entire collection of street furniture, developed with innovative and enviromentally friendly materials, which have always characterized the brand. Five and Sofa are designed to furnish urban living rooms with ottomans, side tables and sofas. On the other hand, line S, designed by Veronica Martinez, consists of benches and flower boxes that recall the winding shape of an S. Stéphane Chapelet developed benches, tables and Zadig, a steel seat which features an interesting texture thanks to its laser cutting.

At Fuorisalone 2013, and after focusing mainly on public spaces, Lab23 will have the chance to present Aria23, a collection of outdoor furniture dedicated to the general public that distinguishes itself for a unique sensitivity for enviromental impact. For Aria23, architecture studio Marconato e Zappa, has developed a selection of décors.

The common and idenitfying feature of this collection is indeed the use of WPC, wood and plastic composit, an entirely recyclable material.

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for Lab23 appeared first on Dezeen.

Milan 2013: London designer Ron Arad has created a range of 3D-printed spectacles and sunglasses for eyewear brand pq.

Speaking to Dezeen yesterday at the launch in Milan, Ron Arad explained: “The brand wanted to advertise the fact that it’s printed but I said let’s not go on about it. But it’s printed. It’s the first pair of glasses that I know about that is one piece of material; it’s monolithic. It’s polyamide.”

The frames are built entirely from nylon powder using selective laser sintering (SLS) technology, with hinges made by scores in the material rather than from additional metal parts. “It has a stem that’s flexible one way and stops the other,” said Arad.

Above: Archway style from the Springs collection
Top: Angel style from the Springs collection

Each style is name after a station on the London Underground’s Northern line, including Old Street, Kentish Town and Golders Green. The Angel shades have droplet-shaped lenses, the Colindale models come with round lenses and the Highgate and Archway designs both feature an exaggerated bridge.

All frames are available in a selection of colours and the sunglasses some with tinted lenses in various shades. Arad has also designed a range of glasses that can be adjusted to fit any face for the same company.

Above: Balham style from the Springs collection

Arad was one of the first designers to work with 3D printing in 1999. “In 1999 we had our first outing with what in those days was called rapid prototyping,” he said. “We did vases, lights and jewellery. There was a lot of excitement in the technology then, it was obvious it was on the cards and would be embraced by lots of people.”

Other 3D-printed designs released in recent months include American football boot studs and a dress for Dita Von Teese, while a race to create the first 3D-printed house is on between a canal house in Amsterdam, a plastic dwelling to be assembled in three weeks and a home modelled on a Möbius strip.

See all our stories about designs by Ron Arad »
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Read on more more information from pq:

Pq eyewear designed by Ron Arad introduces Springs

Pq, the original eyewear brand designed by Ron Arad adds Springs, a new collection to the pq family this spring.

Springs are a one-piece, one-material, monolithic creature. The gill-like sides allow the arms to hinge inwards freely but restrict them from opening outwards beyond the perfect width and perfect pressure for the head. A progenitor to Angel, and Corbs, now they are just part of one growing Springs family.

Standing out from the crowd, they are as playful as they are individual. Seven new styles within the SPRINGS collection share the cleverly integrated vertebrae giving a fluid continuous line unbroken by hinges and extraneous details. These unique frames enjoy curvaceous shapes and volumes, and are lightweight yet highly durable.

Made in the UK, embracing technology to overcome the constraints of traditional production techniques, Springs are made using SLS (selective laser sintering), a technique pioneered by Ron since the early 1990’s.

Pq launched in 2012 as Arad asserted; ‘There are very few ideas in the world of glasses.’ Pq’s name emanates from two letters side by side in the alphabet which together resemble a pair of glasses.

Springs also includes the distinctive Corbs, the first in the family produced from solid and laminated acetate.

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by Ron Arad for pq appeared first on Dezeen.

Milan 2013: industrial designer Konstantin Grcic is showing angular wooden stools and tables for Italian brand Mattiazzi at the Salone Internazionale del Mobile.

Grcic‘s stools and side tables are held up by an angled support that is stabilised by two more legs jutting out on either side, with all three tapering towards the ground. Two wings form the seats of the stools, while the slightly taller tables are topped with disks.

Both items have been developed to follow the design of Grcic’s Medici chair, which was first released last year and has been shortlisted for the Design Museum’s 2013 Design of the Year prize. The wooden pieces are painted in red or yellow, or stained dark brown to enhance the grain.

Along with the Medici collection, Mattiazzi is debuting seats inspired by camping furniture by Jasper Morrison and stools with T-shaped backs by Industrial Facility at their stand at the Salone Internazionale del Mobile – E23, Hall 20. Grcic will also be exhibiting his bench system based on Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chair at the trade fair.

See all our stories about design by Konstantin Grcic »
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for Mattiazzi appeared first on Dezeen.

Milan 2013: Japanese design studio Nendo presents a chair inspired by the spike heels on a pair of stilettos at the Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan.

Made from wood and lacquered in black, the Heel chair has two straight legs at the front, while the pair at the back are curved to meet the central section of a hollow backrest.

“The line of the back legs and their connection to the backrest give this chair the silhouette of a spike heel,” explains Nendo.

Heel is manufactured by Italian brand Moroso and is on show from today until 14 April at the Salone Internazionale del Mobile at C29/D30, Hall 16.

Nendo is presenting a number of products in Milan this week, including a collection of furniture and homeware designed in collaboration with Luca Nichetto. The studio also recently refurbished the womenswear floor of Milanese department store La Rinascente.

Other designs on show at the Salone Internazionale del Mobile include an outdoor chair by Jasper Morrison and a set of colourful three-legged stools by Industrial Facility.

See more design by Nendo »
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See all our stories from Milan 2013 »

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for Moroso appeared first on Dezeen.

Milan 2013: Belgian artists Studio Job will present a desk with a golden nose for a drawer handle as part of a collection for Dutch furniture brand Lensvelt at MOST in Milan this week.

Above: Job Buffet

Another piece in the Job Office collection for Lensvelt is the Job Buffet, a white powder-coated metal cabinet with two doors and a chrome-plated aluminium key that locks it.

The Job Desk also makes use of white powder-coated metal for its top and legs, but instead of a key to open the slim drawer, the user must pull on the golden nose.

Above: Job Desk

The two Job Tables are enlarged versions of the Job Desk.

Above: Job Desk

The Job Desk Lamp uses LED bulbs and features an oversized golden switch under its powder-coated metal shade.

Above: gold nose drawer handles

Each piece in the collection is available in a range of colours: white, green, grey, dark grey, black, red, yellow and blue.

Above: Job Desk Lamp

“Over time, Hans Lensvelt has proven to be an ingenious product developer who consistently transforms our unconventional designs into comprehensive functional products, yet intricately maintaining a sense of wit,” said designer Job Smeets. “Our collaboration constitutes sustainable office furniture, valuing the importance of functionality and high-quality objects that represent their own identity and humour.”

Above: Job Cabinet

The collection is an extension of the Job Cabinet launched by Studio Job in Milan last year – a metal cabinet with a single door that also comes with a gold-coloured key.

These pieces will be on show at the MOST exhibition in Milan from 9 to 14 April, while Studio Job will also show lamps with metal buckets and tubs for shades as part of Moooi’s latest collection – see all design by Studio Job.

This week we’re covering all the highlights from Milan, including Zaha Hadid’s monochrome pendant lamps for Slamp and OMA’s furniture collection for US brand Knoll – see all news and products from Milan 2013 or take a look at our interactive map featuring the week’s best exhibitions, parties and talks.

Photographs are by Roos Aldershoff.

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for Lensvelt appeared first on Dezeen.