Hasta La Ideas

Furniture made from lobster traps and informed by metal music feature in the independent furniture design studios in Montreal, Canada, presented as part of our North American Design 2024 series.

Just north of the border with the United States, Montreal is the largest city in the Canadian province of Quebec and the second largest Francophone city in the world, after Paris.

Once a major hub of the fur trade in North America, Montreal had a thriving industrial economy in the 20th century. It is well known from a design perspective for its 1967 International and Universal Exposition (Expo 67), where local architect Moshe Safdie presented the futuristic Habitat 67 apartment complex.

The city has been dealing with a process of de-industrialisation for decades and relatively cheap rent, skilled labour and large post-industrial spaces have enabled a thriving arts scene.

Like Detroit, it received a UNESCO City of Design designation. The citation for the designation states that the city has a design industry that accounts for 34 per cent of the total economic input of its “cultural sector” and that as many as 25,000 professional designers are working in the city.

It has also become a hub of the study and research of artificial intelligence, with Google and Microsoft both opening research centres in the city.

Innovative uses of industrial materials

“Named a UNESCO City of Design, Montreal’s design industries and creative fields are currently thriving, driven by a unique blend of historical, social, and economic factors,” Martin Racine, graduate program director at Concordia University‘s Department of Design and Computation Arts, told Dezeen.

Racine cited both lighting design and circular design as strengths of the city’s scene.

Montreal does have a number of developed, internationally recognized houses putting out high-quality designs, such as lighting studio Lambert & Fils, which has provided starts to many young designers in the city.

Racine also noted that many designers are using industrial materials, but are “stripping them of their cold, industrial image through innovative texturing, hammering, polishing, and lacquering techniques”.

“This creative reimagining allows these materials to permeate various parts of the home, from the kitchen to the living room, showcasing Montreal’s bold and imaginative design ethos,” he continued.

Read on for nine independent furniture designers at different points in their careers, working in a variety of styles in Montreal.

Studio Clara Jorisch

Clara Jorisch‘s solo practice explores the translation of organic forms into sculptural furniture pieces. Working mostly in glass, she told Dezeen that she is currently moving away from industrial glass and towards recycled forms including developing a process of fusing plate glass with pate de verre.

She recently moved into modular furniture design and believes that young people should be reconsidering the place of design in society.

“I think the place of design in the world is changing. The current issues and needs are no longer the same as at the start of industrialization and there is perhaps a philosophical reversal taking place,” she said.

“Probably like many young people my age, I think that my approach to design is one of degrowth and inclusion. I also believe in the revival of vernacular craft techniques and the culture of knowledge transmission it implies.”

Cyrc

Cyrc co-founders Daniel Martinez and Guy Snover use recycled plastics and 3D printing to create sculptural decor pieces – including bowls and vases – for the home.

Snover utilises his industrial design background to work directly on developing and fixing 3D printers used for the brand, with the business model of the young studio based on circular design.

“We’re using plastic because it allows us to create a fully circular business model and manufacture in-house,” Martinez and Snover told Dezeen.

“Recycling is a failed program at the municipal level, but it can be done if you design for it and do it yourself. We want people to have the experience of returning something they own to the producer at the end of its life, knowing it will be made into a new object.”

Simon Johns

Simon Johns, who creates furniture in a variety of materials including wood, clay, gypsum cement, and glass, tries to make materials “resemble things that they weren’t intended to”.

“I hope my work asks more questions than it provides answers to,” he told Dezeen.

“I like when form and texture in a material evoke a different material, and the experience initiates an emotional response somehow similar to what we can experience in the presence of nature. If that can happen, then we aren’t thinking about woodworking, or ceramics, or plaster, or craft, or even function.”

After graduating from Concordia University, where he worked on set design, Johns took a trip to New York in 2015, where he decided to launch a career in furniture design.

Thom Fougere

Trained as an architect, Thom Fougere later focused on furniture and became the creative director of Canadian furniture giant EQ3 at only 23. He worked there for 10 years before setting off on his own in 2019.

Fougere’s practice revolves around a fascination with wood and woodworking techniques and has drawn influence from traditional communities such as the Shakers. He told Dezeen that his designs usually respond to the immediate needs of a commission.

“Some may be as simple and nuanced as enhancing one’s connection to nature, while others are more pragmatic and complex, such as developing tools for fostering a healthy work environment,” he said.

“My general approach is to uncover an intuitive or poetic solution to these problems, which often comes as a result of material exploration and research, observation, drawing, and make those discoveries as simple and legible as possible. The hope is to make the end result feel inevitable, beautiful and practical all at once.”

Éditions 8888

Éditions 8888 is the brainchild of Jean-Michel Gadoua, who aims to bring a heavy metal edge to furniture design, working in steel, aluminium, black leather and concrete.

Trained as a graphic designer, Gadoua uses the studio as a creative outlet and also as a protest against what he views as “industrial and impersonal manufacturing”. His designs, which he refers to as Brutaluxe, take humorous and often dark names, such as the Nuclear Assault Cabinet and
the 1,000,000 Dead Hippies Lamp.

The designer who uses local materials and often puts on exhibitions is not trying to solve any specific problems with his designs.

“While all my work is fully functional, it is created first and foremost as an aesthetic object,” he told Dezeen.

Lauren Goodman

Lauren Goodman utilises waste to create sculptural furniture, with her most recent projects using discarded lobster traps to make shelving and seats.

Trained at the University of Toronto and RISD, Goodman began as a woodworker, and then, compelled by the multitude of waste, transitioned into sculptural furniture after graduate school. She said that the waste streams she works with inform the character of her work.

“The chance to transform this otherwise unwelcome material into a functional piece of furniture is really invigorating to me so I keep pursuing paths like this,” she told Dezeen. “Adopting a model that prioritizes the use of materials that already exist, over something clean and new, can begin to respond to our ongoing problems with waste,”

“I believe that micro changes carried out collectively over time can lead to revolution and I want to be part of the design community who are working towards that radical transformation.”

Reggy St-Surin

Reggy St-Surin recently started as an industrial designer, after transitioning from architecture, and created an upholstered chair that can stand in many different positions, like a jack. He recently joined an industrial fabrication shop, where he is working as a welder.

St-Surin said that he aims to bring an element of play to designs and described the work he is creating as “soft sculptures”.

“I want to encourage people to get a little funky and try to bring something new to the table,” he told Dezeen.

“Also, it might not be through my work, but it is nice to represent the black community in this scene, as it can feel a little deserting.”

Studio Botté

Founded by Philippe Charlebois-Gomez, Studio Botté creates lights from upcycled materials sourced through urban mining, city scavenging and donations from a community he has built around his brand – and this sourcing method often dictates the forms of the objects he creates.

Having once worked for Lambert & Fils, Charlebois-Gomez brings his expertise in lighting design to the project of upcycling and often provides an outlet for products that may be discarded.

“[It means] one less item brought from overseas and demanding new materials to be extracted,” he told Dezeen.

“We bring the new and take your old! Then we use the old to make some new! The way design has been is most likely going to fall and upcycling will come to save the day!”

Will Choui

Will Choui creates brutalist furniture, often using metal rendered in bright colours and featuring repeating patterns. His designs usually take direct reference from a specific building such as the SMC building in Sydney.

A graduate of RISD, Choui often collaborates with others in the scene such as Simon Johns and lighting company D’Armes. He told Dezeen that durability is a high priority when creating his collections.

“I’ve been primarily working with aluminum. I appreciate its lightweight yet sturdy nature, and its aesthetic appeal both in raw and finished forms,” he said.

“My goal is to create furniture that lasts a lifetime, emphasizing good design and sturdy construction to prevent it from becoming disposable waste.”

North American Design 2024

This article is part of Dezeen’s North American Design 2024 series selecting independent furniture and product design studios from cities across Canada, Mexico and the United States.

The first edition of this series is created in partnership with Universal Design Studio and Map Project Office, award-winning design studios based in London and now in New York. Their expansion into the US is part of The New Standard, a collective formed with Made Thought.

The post Nine Montreal independent design studios to follow in 2024 appeared first on Dezeen.

The inaugural edition of RAD Design, held in Bucharest, Romania, marks the first contemporary collectible design fair in Eastern Europe.

RAD Design showcased furniture, lighting and decorative objects, bringing together the work of 17 different designers, independent makers and galleries from Romania and around the world.

Titled With or Without Poetry, With or Without Function, the event was held as part of the RAD Art Fair and aimed to explore ideas of utility and aesthetics surrounding everyday objects.

“It’s time to radically reconsider the conventional roles we assign to the things that surround us,” said RAD Design director and curator Adela Maria Marius.

Pieces on display were selected to celebrate Romania’s cultural heritage while also incorporating international collectible design.

Read on to find out more about six notable products made by architects and designers that were showcased in Bucharest:

Raw Bench by Atelier V&F

Chinese design studio Atelier V&F used soft white goat fleece and goat skin offcuts for this curved bench that was on display in the atelier space at Hotel Caro in Bucharest.

Intended to evoke images of a shifting glacier or a resting animal, the Raw Bench was designed to demonstrate the studio’s perspective on “non-utilitarian beauty”.

Atelier V&F was shortlisted in the furniture design category of Dezeen Awards China 2023.

Love seat Fauteuil by Pauline Leprince

French interior designer Pauline Leprince designed this chair made from brushed stainless steel. Named Love Seat Fauteuil DD, the chair is one of the multifunctional objects that make up the designer’s 05-FP-23 collection.

Created with a focus on sustainable practices, each object in the collection is intended to represent a balance between the individual and the collective.

Two people can sit back-to-back in the steel chair, creating a contrast between the cool hard texture of the chair and the soft warm contact with the other sitter’s body.

Carte Blanche swing by Crina Arghirescu Rogard

Romanian Architect Crina Arghirescu Rogard, who resides in New York, showcased two collaborative pieces at RAD Design 2024 – the Carte Blanche swing and armchair.

Made from wood, marine fibreglass, paint, jute, led, cotton and poly-blended rope, the swing also features a hand-sculpted concrete seat by artist Mr Liz Hopkins.

Designed for an industrial warehouse space, the swing was intended to combine playful artistry with functional elegance.

Carte Blanche armchair by Crina Arghirescu Rogard

Arghirescu Rogard’s second piece on display, the Carte Blanche armchair, combines a colour palette of brown, blue, red and cream.

The angular, hand-painted piece was made in collaboration with artists Claudia Doring Baez and Ekaterini Konidari.

Light Object by Radu Abraham

Romanian designer Radu Abraham collaborated with Epretext Gallery to create this light out of glass using repurposed waste materials from a glass factory.

It was made by the stratification of glass sheets – a technique usually used in wood. Abraham’s work focuses on integrating the edges of objects and the visual result given by their stratification. The Light Object has an intense turquoise colour and is fully transparent, while also refracting light.

More broadly, Abraham’s work aims to create a dialogue between Romanian heritage, upcycling and modern design principles.

Surfaced stool by Sho Ota

Netherlands-based Japanese designer Sho Ota presented a pair of wooden stools as part of his project titled ‘Surfaced’ at this year’s edition of RAD Design.

Sho sets out to push the boundaries of traditional furniture design through his work. His approach begins by taking a single form and carving out intricate details from it, ensuring that each piece is individual and distinct.

RAD Design is part of RAD Art Fair, which is now in its second year. As part of the exhibition, digital design store and gallery Adorno co-created a design shop presenting pieces ranging from glass and ceramic tableware to intricate metalwork.

Other recent design fairs that have taken place include Lisbon by Design, which “focussed on contemporary interpretations of Portuguese heritage”, and NYCxDesign, which included an exhibition of metal furniture by three female designers.

RAD Design took place from 16 to 19 May 2024. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

The post Six collectible design highlights from RAD Design in Bucharest appeared first on Dezeen.

Dezeen Showroom: designer Andreas Krob and Japanese office furniture brand Okamura have released a task chair that combines the aesthetics of 1950s drafting chairs with modern ergonomic support.

The Specere office chair comes in two styles – a chair and stool – both of which reference vintage drafting chairs in their shape and compact proportions.

At the same time, the chair is designed with a contemporary appreciation for the importance of active sitting in the workplace, with an ‘Active Move’ mechanism that allows the chair to tilt subtly forward and back in response to the user’s body weight.

The flexible nylon backrest further supports natural movement, all without introducing overly complicated parts or mechanics.

Aesthetically, the Specere offers a minimalist yet distinctive look, with subtle transitions between thick and thin profiles that Okamura says give the piece a “refined elegance”.

This is further enhanced by the monochromatic finish, with the specified colour used throughout the chair from the nylon backrest and upholstered seat right down to the base and casters.

Product details:

Product: Specere
Designer: Andreas Krob
Brand: Okamura
Contact: chicago@us.okamura.com

Material: nylon, steel, aluminium
Colours/finishes: White, Black, Dark Gray, Light Greige, Sage, Dark Green, Orange Red
Dimensions: 556 x 700 x 908 millimetres

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Mykonos beach club Scorpios is opening a second location in Bodrum, Turkey, where a team of architects and designers has created a series of stone bungalows and a wellness “temple” featuring a dramatic coffered ceiling.

Set to open in June 2024, Scorpios Bodrum is positioned on a peninsula that juts out into the Aegean Sea, 30 minutes drive north of the main town of Bodrum.

“Renowned as the most exclusive coastline in Turkey, Scorpios Bodrum’s peninsula puts the beauty of nature at the forefront, with endless sea views from sunrise to sunset,” said the design team, which comprises multiple studios.

Istanbul architecture practice Geomim, Berlin-based interiors firms Lambs and Lions and Studio MacBride, and designer Annabell Kutucu all collaborated on the project, continuing the rustic aesthetic from the Greek location.

An emphasis on natural materials including wooden furniture and panelling, textured plastered walls, linen fabrics and woven rugs will contribute to the club’s laid-back atmosphere.

“The design ethos honours imperfect simplicity and the honesty of natural materials,” the team said.

At the small peninsula’s highest point are the 12 guest villas, which fan outward from a central courtyard so that each faces the sea.

The bungalows feature exposed stone walls, dark wood accents, floor-to-ceiling glazing and neutral-toned decor.

Two options are available: single-level suites, and others with mezzanine levels that can accommodate additional guests.

All have private swimming pools and expansive outdoor entertainment areas and are within easy reach of the club’s communal spaces below.

These include the beach restaurant, with both indoor and outdoor dining areas designed using the same earth-toned materials as the bungalows.

Scorpios Bodrum is also home to a space that the team describes as a  “contemporary temple”.

Known as The Ritual Space, it comprises a large multi-purpose space topped with an angular coffered ceiling.

The temple will host “its own distinct cultural program around wellbeing, with ancient and contemporary mind-body practices and immersive performances at the intersection of art, music, technology and mindfulness,” according to the team.

Spa facilities within this pavilion range from private treatment rooms to a cold plunge pool, a flotation room, a sound healing dome, a healing terrace, a yoga terrace and an outside pool.

As with the original Scorpios location in Mykonos, the Bodrum outpost will host a variety of music programming, spearheaded by the brand’s own record label, Scorpios Music.

Founded in 2015 by Thomas Heyne and Mario Hertel, Scorpios is renowned for its sunset music rituals that invite international DJs and local artists to play during golden hour and into the night.

The Mykonos location was acquired by members’ club group Soho House in 2019 – along with the nearby San Giorgio Hotel, now known as Soho Roc House – and its members will receive priority access for reservations at Scorpios Bodrum.

As the 2024 summer season kicks off, several hospitality venues are announcing new facilities to entice guests and visitors.

Among them is the Potato Head resort in Bali, which recently unveiled a nightclub named Klymax designed by OMA and DJ Harvey, and members’ club The Malin, which opened a second location in Nashville this year.

The photography is by Nihal Ceylan.

The post Scorpios Bodrum overlooks the Aegean Sea from every angle appeared first on Dezeen.

The xTool F1 Ultra represents a significant advancement in the engraving industry. It is the world’s first desktop engraver featuring a dual laser system with a 20W fiber and 20W diode galvo. This system allows it to handle a diverse array of materials, such as wood, acrylic, leather, metals, and plastics. Its versatility makes it an ideal option for both professionals and hobbyists.

Designer: xTool

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Using an IR (infrared) laser as its laser source and a fiber (diode-pumped fiber laser) as the gain medium, the F1 Ultra stands out in its capability. These components are crucial for generating laser light. When the laser source strikes the gain medium, the intensity of the laser beam is amplified. Unlike the xTool S1 & F1 and other common IR lasers on the market that use DPSS (diode-pumped solid-state laser) as the gain medium, this engraver uses fiber to maximize laser power. This design choice results in deeper engraving and cutting at the same power level, making the F1 Ultra an exceptionally powerful and efficient tool.

The F1 Ultra, combining a 20W fiber and a 20W diode laser, broadens the range of materials that can be engraved. This powerful system supports deep engraving, embossing, and cutting. The 20W fiber laser excels on all metals, plastics, rocks, and ceramics, enabling deep engraving, embossing, and cutting thin metal sheets. The 20W diode laser is perfect for common materials like wood, acrylic (excluding translucent colors), leather, glass, paper, rubber, and fabric, and can efficiently cut these materials. In addition, the F1 Ultra is adept at metal cutting. Its 20W fiber laser can cut thin pieces of stainless steel (0.3mm), brass (0.4mm), and aluminum (0.2mm), making it suitable for various metalworking projects.

The Auto Streamline Production technology is enhanced by a built-in 16MP camera, which can automatically recognize shapes and patterns on the production line. This intelligent system allows the F1 Ultra to accurately fill patterns on each piece. The process is streamlined and requires only a single cable to connect to the conveyor, simplifying operations.
With the largest working area among desktop galvo engravers, the F1 Ultra measures 220x220mm and extends to 220x500mm with the conveyor. This area is nearly double the size of other brands, which typically measure 110x110mm and expand to 170x170mm with the conveyor. Despite its large size, the F1 Ultra maintains laser power concentration, making it the largest of its kind, whether equipped with a conveyor or not.

The world’s first 20W fiber and diode dual laser. Not only does it expand the range of materials that can be engraved, F1 ultra’s 20W high power allows you to do deep engrave, emboss and cut.

Both the diode and fiber lasers inside the F1 Ultra are engineered for exceptional performance, capable of engraving at impressive speeds on a wide variety of materials, including wood, metals, plastic, acrylic, and leather. The high power and precision of the lasers enable rapid processing without compromising on quality. This speed significantly reduces waiting times, allowing for more projects to be completed in a shorter period. As a result, the F1 Ultra enhances productivity and improves workflow efficiency. Whether you’re working on a single intricate piece or a batch of items, the swift engraving capabilities of the F1 Ultra ensure that deadlines are met and output is maximized. This level of efficiency is particularly beneficial for businesses offering personalized services, as it allows for quick turnaround times and the ability to handle a higher volume of custom orders, ultimately boosting profitability and customer satisfaction.

Auto Streamline Production with Camera, No More Complex Procedures

Safety is a primary focus in the F1 Ultra’s design. The fully enclosed machine is engineered to prevent accidental injuries from the invisible fiber laser light, providing a secure operating environment. The enclosure is specifically designed to filter out strong blue light emitted by the diode laser, which protects users’ eyes from potential harm. This design consideration is crucial, as exposure to intense laser light can cause serious eye damage. Additionally, the F1 Ultra is equipped with an efficient smoke extraction system. This system swiftly removes smoke and dust generated during the engraving process, ensuring clear visibility of the working area and maintaining air quality, reducing the risk of respiratory issues for the user. This feature is particularly important for storefront use, where maintaining a clean and safe environment is essential for both employees and customers.

These safety features make the F1 Ultra suitable for various settings, including educational environments where safety is paramount. These features collectively ensure that the F1 Ultra is powerful and safe, allowing users to focus on creativity and productivity without compromising health and safety standards.

Designed to be user-friendly, the F1 Ultra comes pre-assembled for immediate use. Its intuitive xTool Creative Space Software, combined with a built-in camera for easy focusing and positioning, makes it accessible even to beginners. With 7GB of storage, the touchscreen control panel allows users to save projects directly on the machine and start processing without needing to connect to a computer or tablet. Future updates will include 3D curve engraving, enabling engraving on curved surfaces up to 45°, further expanding its capabilities.

For business owners, the F1 Ultra is a big potential revenue generator. Its speed of 10000mm/s and versatility make it ideal for on-site customization, attracting customers, and creating memorable experiences.

Whether engraving names on metal jewelry or adding intricate designs to wooden items, the F1 Ultra is a valuable asset for any store offering personalized services. Its ability to perform deep engravings, cut thin metal pieces, and automate production processes sets it apart from other desktop engravers on the market. Dubbed the “Crazy Money Maker,” the F1 Ultra excels in on-site customization in stores, batch production with factory-level productivity, and jewelry making, including deep engraving and 3D embossing on metals.

Empowered by Makeblock, xTool aims to turn creativity into reality with powerful software and user-friendly hardware. Since its inception in 2018 and the launch of the first xTool Laserbox in 2019, the brand has consistently innovated in laser engraving technology. The F1 Ultra builds on this legacy, providing a versatile and powerful tool for creators, crafters, and educational professionals. It offers unmatched versatility and efficiency, making it an exceptional choice in the engraving industry.

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