Hasta La Ideas

Milan 2012: Copenhagen designers GamFratesi presented this trolley with enormous wheels for Italian brand Casamania in Milan last month.

Called Chariot, it comprises two trays in MDF or oak joined by a metal structure that doubles as a handle.

The wheels have rubber rims and the whole thing can be finished in white, bright red or natural oak with black metal.

See more work by GamFratesi here, including a desk with a hood and storage based on traditional sewing boxes, and watch our interview with them from 2010 here.

See all our stories about Casamania »

The Salone Internazionale del Mobile took place from 17 to 22 April. See all our stories about Milan 2012 here, plus photos on Facebook and Pinterest.

Here’s some more information from Casamania:

Chariot is a mobile table consisting of three simple elements joined together: wheels, trays and structure. The wheels, which in common carts are usually small, are brought to the extreme size, becoming the iconic element of the project.

The rubber profile is inserted into the wheels for easy movement; the two trays act as storage compartments, the metal structure is also a handle: slightly raising the cart, it can be moved.

Swedish designers in Hong Kong explore sustainability as religion

It’s easy to become “design blind” at the world’s biggest design exhibition, I Saloni, and those rushing around to see the blockbuster names run the risk of missing the small gems hidden throughout. One such discovery for us was Boris, a Hong Kong-based company born of Swedish ex-pats trying to live as close to their suppliers and manufacturers as possible. Founders Katarina Ivarsson and Anna Karlsson started the company in 2009 and have since developed a unique style of work blending design, sustainability and technology in a way which is fast becoming the signature hallmark of Scandinavian output—even if it is based in another country.

This year the company presented its new collection, the Enlightenment Series, which explores the notions of multi-ethnicity and the part played by religion and spirituality in our contemporary lives while also focusing on sustainability. “In the light of different beliefs and with mixed religion touch points we present this series,” says Karlsson. “Religion is about believing in something and this is our reason for the religious perspective—personally, we believe in sustainability and want to show this devotion in our products.”

“We wanted to ask what happens when you dig deeper into the subjects of sustainability and religion from a design perspective,” adds Ivarsson. “What are we actually devoted to? Consumerism or sustainism? How important are the objects around us from a spiritual perspective and can we as designers fabricate spiritual products’?”

With the symbolic collection the company has paid close attention to the sustainable details for each piece, whether through efficient energy consumption during production or proper selection of materials. Each piece follows a specific train of spiritual thought—for example, the Seven Piece Mirror centers on a number with many spiritual connotations, from the seven chakras in Buddhism, to Christianity’s seven days of creation, to the more literal like the number of years bad luck you’ll get on smashing a mirror. Boris gives each piece of the mirror an added aesthetic touch to tie in the design elements found in places of worship. On a more directly visual level, the rosary necklace adds its form to the Rosary Lamp, with the beads adding structure to the otherwise slack form.

The Confession Box places a modern twist on the Catholic confessional, combining traditional materials with advanced technology. “When you place your phone into the box it will automatically recharge via inductive charging while also making a backup of your information. By doing so we mimic a procedure not far from the classic ritual of lightening ones load and coming clean,” explains Karlsson.

The ruffled Omikuji carpet references the fortune strips of paper left at Shinto shrines. “Inspired by the process of collecting prayers, we tied 1764 wishes together when we made the carpet,” says Ivarsson.

This combination of strong conceptual narrative and more accessible aesthetic and technique attributes sets Boris apart. For more information on the Enlightenment Series and other collections, visit the website.

“Lesefutter”, which can be translated as “reading matter” is designed to provide space for the favorite books and magazines you always wan..

Milan 2012: these stacking metal chairs were created by French architect Jean Nouvel for the restaurant of the RBC Design Centre that his studio have designed in Montpellier, due to open next month, and they’re now in production with Italian brand Emu.

Flat metal bars make up the legs, backrest and arms of chairs, which come in white, red, grey and black. They stack and are weighted so they can easily be hooked over the edge of tables when cleaning the floor.

Launched at the Salone Internazionale del Mobile in April, the collection shares the restaurant’s name, MIA, and comprises stacking chairs, armchairs, benches, high stools and two tables.

See all our stories about Jean Nouvel here.

The Salone Internazionale del Mobile took place from 17 to 22 April. See all our stories about Milan 2012 here, plus photos on Facebook and Pinterest.

Here’s some more information from Emu:

Jean Nouvel designs MIA, the new collection with a strong, happy character.

The new MIA collection, designed by Jean Nouvel, is a crystal-clear example of the spirit EMU brings to placing technological development at the top of its priority list, in an atmosphere buzzing with productive creativity. The whole concept stems from the RBC Design Centre in Montpellier, where three important elements were brought together: design, production and distribution. Frank Argentin, founder of RBC and a personal friend of Jean Nouvel, commissioned the Montpellier showroom to the French architect and designer with the aim of creating a venue that was to act as an authentic design manifesto, a showcase able to offer visitors a trip through the world of prestige furnishings. With this mission in mind, it was of the essence that the common areas be furnished with particular care; hence Frank Argentin’s decision to entrust the furnishing project for the Design Centre’s restaurant (also called MIA) to Jean Nouvel and to Emu, a company with years of sound experience in the contract sector, world leader in metalworking and trusted supplier of RBC. From the collaboration of these three outstanding names sprang the new MIA collection, with a design revolving around the concept of furnishings that make their mark and are so instantly recognisable the world over as to become true urban icons, thanks not only to the Emu brand name but to the efforts of the extraordinary work group the company is part of.

Simple, clean-cut lines are the hallmarks of these seats and tables, whose hard-wearing, practical qualities provide the perfect response to a wide range of requirements to suit all tastes. MIA is designed and certified as an outdoor product, but is also perfectly suitable for use indoors, not only in homes, but also in design or history museums, as well as the top-of-the-range hotel and street contract segment. Considering the needs of these different sectors, the new collection has been designed to guarantee maximum functionality: thanks to the lightweight frame and the shape of the seats and arms, the chairs can easily and practically be placed on top of the table, thus making tidying up and cleaning operations easier.

The collection will be composed of stackable seats featuring a distinctive, skilful combination of aluminium and metal, available with and without arms, as well as armchairs, a high stool, a bench and two tables, one round and one square, with fold-down metal and laminate tops and featuring a distinctive geometric base composed of four rectangular-shaped tubes. Made in Italy throughout, MIA is available in white, red, grey and black, and will be complemented with coordinated cushions suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.

Milan 2012: New York and Amsterdam designer Karim Rashid presented this sofa with modular arms and headrests slotted into a high back at the Salone Internazionale del Mobile this month.

Called Float, the design for Spanish brand Sancal comes with three different backs and can be upholstered in one colour or a combination of fabrics from the collection called Cairo that Rashid designed especially for Sancal.

If you like this, you might be interested in Doshi Levien’s sofa from 2008 called My Beautiful Backside.

See all our stories about Karim Rashid on Dezeen here and more sofas here.

The Salone Internazionale del Mobile took place from 17 to 22 April. See all our stories about Milan 2012 here, plus photos on Facebook and Pinterest.

Here’s some more information from Sancal:

Float

A sofa that is also a screen.

Hand in hand with Karim Rashid, we have managed to create a seat that respects our own universe when we cohabit in public spaces. As Virginia Woolf would say, a room of one’s own providing intimacy and freedom.

Float is a contemporary couch designed for multiple purposes. This slim floating seat with incorporated back wall provides complete privacy in open spaces, to rest back on, hang one’s scarf or coat on or simply wait in the secluded area given by its high back.

One of the main characteristics of Karim’s designs is their colourful combinations, which at first sight seem not possible. Sancal products, on the other hand, are less vibrant. Float offers the perfect balance, as we have granted greater relevance to the textures and reserved the touches of colour for smaller detail such as the headrest or cushions.

Each Float component (arms, seat, back and headrest) can be selected in a different fabric. There is also a single colour option, upholstered with the same fabric.

Float is available in 3 sizes: two sofas with a low back and one sofa with a high back. The latter offers different combinations: apart from the straight arms, you can choose an inclined arm to lie back on like a divan. Furthermore, two hangers can be attached to the high back as if as it were a wall.

As for the cushions and headrests, Karim has also designed a series of patterns named Cairo. The collection is inspired in Egypt, where he was born. With a strong contemporary approach, Karim unites tradition and personal memories, adding bright colours to pictures of organic geometry.