Product news: Japanese design studio Nendo has launched a range of cutlery that looks as though it’s been carved from flint like prehistoric tools.
Called Sekki, the set was created by Nendo in collaboration with metalwork firm Kobayashi Kogyo.
“Kobayashi Kogyo is a metalwork firm located in the cradle of modern Japan’s metal cutlery industry, the city of Tsubame in Niigata Prefecture,” said Nendo.
“The firm was founded in 1868, the first year of Japan’s modern era, and enjoys a strong reputation for its command of metal production techniques, including polishing.”
The three-piece set was designed to show off the firm’s expertise and its crooked shapes recall implements carved from flint.
“It’s difficult to make the pieces’ rough, nonstandard forms by machine, so the firm had to rely on its artisans’ sensibility, skill and handwork,” explained the designers.
The concave surfaces were sandblasted to a matte finish while the other surfaces have been polished to a mirror finish, heightening the impression of sections being carved away.
“The pieces’ thickness and weight recalls stone, too,” the designers added.
“We flattened the pieces’ backs to further make the connection with cutlery carved from lumps of stone, pressing the metal sheets seven times, rather than the usual one.”
Le créatif Roxy Russell a imaginé quatre nouvelles lampes au design inspiré par la forme des méduses. Visuellement très réussies et réalistes, ces lampes faites en polyester de mylar réunies sous le titre et le nom « Medusea Collection » sont à découvrir en images dans la suite de l’article.
On display at the Galerie Kreo in Paris, the Perles necklaces by the Bouroullec Brothers consist of simple repeated stone modules.
Bell-shaped pieces sit inside each other to form a ridged band akin to prehistoric jewellery. “We had a profound desire to use stone in relation to our fascination with primitive jewellery,” said the duo. “Something direct but searching as well for delicacy in its fall and the relation to the body.”
The necklaces are made from blood jasper, black onyx and Carrara marble in a matte or shiny finish, and the collection includes three sizes.
A l’occasion du dernier épisode de la saison, Fubiz TV Issue 22 vous propose de découvrir une interview exclusive du réalisateur français Bruno Aveillan à propos de ses derniers projets. Retrouvez le meilleur de l’actualité graphique, ainsi que la vidéo de cette rencontre dans la suite de l’article.
BAM’s Harvey Theater now has a shiny new neighbor. Founded in 1977 by Richard Yelle and Joe Upham, the New York Experimental Glass Workshop—the country’s first open-access glass studio—has bounced around from its original Great Jones Street location in Manhattan to several other…
News: leading figures from London’s design institutions have warned that new immigration rules which make it harder for international students to stay in the UK after graduation could be a “disaster” for the city.
Kieran Long, senior curator at the V&A museum, described London as “a crossroads for great creative people to come and learn from their peers,” but warned: “Anything that stops that would be a disaster.”
Design Museum director Deyan Sudjic said: “London has really based its success on having 150 years of great art schools. They have been somewhat industrialised, got too big, and the government has also got quite curious about allowing students to stay once they’ve graduated. We need to be an open city, that’s what London always been.”
Last month the UK government announced changes to immigration rules that add “genuineness” interviews to the existing points-based hurdles students must clear if they wish to extend their leave to remain in the country once their course ends.
The new rules also introduce the power to refuse an application for a student visa extension where the applicant cannot speak English.
“It would be a disaster for London,” agreed Nigel Coates, professor emeritus at the Royal College of Art. “For creative people, London is the most attractive city in the world, partly because of its schools. But the government, confused as always, seems to be shooting itself – and us – in the foot.”
“It’s making it very, very difficult for AA students,” said Sadie Morgan, president of the Architectural Association school. “They give huge amounts to the UK economy. It’s a really big issue. It’s damaging and short-sighted of the UK government. They’re looking to be doing something aggressive about immigration but it is hugely damaging for schools like ours.”
Architectural firms can apply for visas on behalf of overseas graduates they want to employ, but Morgan said it was a “convoluted and expensive” process.
Sudjic added: “London is a remarkably successful place at attracting really smart, gifted young designers. They come to study here and lots of them build a practice here, not necessarily based on clients here, but on clients all around the world. London is a great place to be but it can’t be complacent and one of the things it has to do is go on attracting smart and new people and get them to stay.”
“London is welcoming, enterprising and full of opportunities”, said Max Fraser, deputy director of the London Design Festival. “It’s multiculturalism is one of its great selling points. We want to retain the best talent and the new visa restrictions are not conducive to that.”
London mayor Boris Johnson is understood to share the institutions’ concerns and convened a meeting with leading London arts schools this summer to discuss the issue. However, the mayor has no influence over national immigration policy. The UK’s Conservative government introduced the rules to appease backbench MPs, who demanded a tougher stance on immigration.
Dezeen spoke to leading figures in the design world during the London Design Festival last month to get their views on London’s position as a centre for design and the reasons for its current strength as a creative hub. The pre-eminence of London’s arts schools and its openness to immigration were the most-cited reason for the city’s standing as one of the world’s leading international centres for design.
“I think London has always been a place thats incredibly tolerant of new things, of people arriving in the city,” said Kieran Long. “We know that the city is based on immigration, and the people that are already here tolerating them and we’re really comfortable with that. In terms of design and architecture, we have some of the greatest schools in the world, a lot of people come to study here.”
He added: “I think there are threats to that, certainly we should keep London as open as it possibly can be and any political agenda that’s about closing that down somehow, to me, is anathema to what London really is.”
Sudjic said: “London is a great place to be but it can’t be complacent and one of the things it has to do is go on attracting smart and new people and get them to stay.”
Alex de Rijke, dean of the School of Architecture at the Royal College of Art, added that funding cuts and the rising reputation of schools abroad presented new threats to London. “Inevitably you produce a lot of architects that stay for a while then go and forge a career, whereas perhaps in the future that will not be the case as emerging economies all over the world will inevitably take over cultural production. So I see, not necessarily a lessening in the influence of education here, but certainly more of a diaspora of talent.”
“As other universities around the world offer amazing opportunities for the global student population, it’s increasingly difficult to be able to offer added value,” agreed Morgan. “The added value is being able to stay and work in the UK because of the huge kudos you get from working for UK practices.”
In an interview with Dezeen during the festival Patrizia Moroso, creative director of leading Italian furniture brand Moroso, praised London’s openness to students from overseas and contrasted it with the situation in Italy, where she says underinvestment in schools is leading to the collapse of its creative industries.
“The schools [in Italy] are collapsing,” she said. “When I see our universities and design schools, they are not the best in the world, they are not so important unfortunately. If you don’t give importance to learning, not immediately but in ten years you lose a generation of material culture.”
Last month the mayor of London proposed a new “London visa” to allow exceptional creative talents to bypass the lengthy new visa application system to set up businesses in London. He told the Financial Times (£): “It is a clear message to the elite of Silicon Valley or the fashionistas of Beijing that London is the place they should come to develop ideas, build new businesses and be part of an epicentre for global talent.”
Coup de cœur pour le studio grec A31 Architecture qui a récemment présenté ce projet « Art Warehouse ». Située en Grèce, cette étonnante structure moderne monolithique se divise en trois zones. Une construction arrondie impressionnante à découvrir en détails et en images dans la suite.
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