Hasta La Ideas

Cologne 2011: more from Jean Nouvel for Ligne Roset at imm cologne, this time the reissue of the French designer’s Saint James collection (above) and Simple Bridge (below).

Saint James was originally designed by Nouvel for a restaurant, where the elasticated covers over the foam pads were changed for each new customer.

The collection includes a chair with or without arms and a pouf.

The Simple Bridge was originally part of Nouvel’s Elémentaire collection, now reissued as a sofa, armchair and footstool, characterised by the curved shape cut away from both arms and footstool.

See also: Simplissimo by Jean Nouvel for Ligne Roset at imm cologne.

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imm Cologne takes place 18-23 January 2011. See all our coverage of the event »

Once again we’ve teamed up with imm Cologne to hold a free series of Dezeentalks at [D3] Design Talents. More details »

See films of all the Dezeentalks at last year’s fair here.

Here are some more details from Ligne Roset:

Saint James

CONCEPT. “This chair was originally designed for an extremely luxurious restaurant, with a white cotton cover which was changed for each new customer. Even so it had great simplicity whilst expressing with its very form the idea of great comfort, like an invitation to sit down and eat well. It was especially designed for this location, but it is the right of every piece of furniture to go wherever it wishes. Its friendly character has always ensured that it is viewed with a certain amount of humour. Its spirit is this openness, this declared fluidity. Contemporary techniques have enabled us to make gains in terms of both comfort and lightness. Just like a construction set, the elements of the armchair are separate: the curved metal stems link four ‘bubbles’ with removable covers.” Jean Nouvel

AESTHETICS

A devotee of unembellished design, Jean Nouvel has reduced the elements of the structure (feet, arm supports, junction of seat-back) to their most simple expression in order to offer, by contrast, generous, highly welcoming proportions in the case of those areas which come into contact with the body (seat and back cushions, armrests).

The Saint-James seating combines simple and very light lines of steel, elegantly curved, with the sensual fullness of the seat, back or arm cushions. Its threadlike, spidery appearance in no way precludes excellent comfort.

Simple Bridge

CONCEPT

“This seat had in the Elémentaire collection, which was originally produced by Ligne Roset. Elementarity has always been, for me, a rather anti-design position. I designed this armchair for the centre des congrès de Tours in the early 90’s. To say the least: now, I want THIS armchair – because the seating of the 1930’s to 70’s, when put into the architecture of the 1990s, is like quotations which have been displaced. I tried to make a design with no stylistic effect in and of itself, with just a little ergonomy and comfort. This armchair should be capable of adapting to all situations. One should rethink them constantly, taking account of the locations into which they will have to fit. So it could be higher, lower, wider, the essential element being that its materials and proportions remain strict and correct.” Jean Nouvel

AESTHETICS

It was clearly the designer’s intention to create a lucid, transparent piece which marks a return to traditional geometric forms: minimalism as a means of achieving perfection in terms of form. On the bridge, a quasi-cube around 65 cm2, a sweeping curve cuts across the seat and front edge of the arms to optimise the comfort and the harmonious balance of proportions.

Simple Bridge reinvents the‘club’, a comfortable, masculine chair, but with an extreme purification in terms of form.The design of the curve of the arms is sufficient to bring a certain dynamism to the overall piece.

And yet, the apparent simplicity of Simple Bridge conceals the very skills necessary to its execution: there can be no approximations in terms of cutting, sewing or upholstery if the severe edges of the seat are to remain perfectly straight.

Finally, to remain true to its designer’s desire for simplicity, Simple Bridge demands, as a priority, a timeless covering : a smooth hide or a black, white or grey polyurethane-coated fabric.

See also:

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Ploum by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec for Ligne Roset	Ruché by Inga Sempé for Ligne Roset	More about Jean Nouvel

Cologne 2011: French design brand Ligne Roset have launched a sponge-like sofa by designers Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec at the imm cologne fair in Germany this week.

Ploum is upholstered in just two pieces of stretchy, foam-backed fabric and is described by the brothers as “like a ripe, voluptuous piece of fruit”.

The sofa comes in three- and four-seater versions.

See all our stories about Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec »
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imm Cologne takes place 18-23 January 2011. See all our coverage of the event »

Once again we’ve teamed up with imm Cologne to hold a free series of Dezeentalks at [D3] Design Talents. More details »

Here’s some text from Ligne Roset:

“We attempted to make a very comfortable contemporary settee. Ploum is a vast shape on which the whole body rests on a soft, welcoming surface. Its seat is relatively low, it seems organic. Perhaps the use of a stretchy fabric is like a symbolic parallel to a contemporary lifestyle, in which flexibility of use and comfort seem to us to be essential. We pictured it like a ripe, voluptuous piece of fruit.”

Such was the intention of Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, who wanted to give special consideration to those special moments during the day when we each want to relax and perhaps catch up with the other members of the household. It is therefore important that the greatest comfort afforded by the settee is the one which enables the body to relax in any position, from sitting to lying. The 4-seat settee also offers, in a very specific manner, a croissant-shape which tends to turn people towards each other around a common centre.

The Ploum settees are the fruit of a great deal of research into comfort, leading to a specific combination of two materials, used jointly: a stretchy covering fabric and an ultra-flexible foam. The combination of these two materials, when associated with the real dimensional generosity of the Ploum settees, offers an extreme level of comfort whilst offering the body the chance to adopt a number of possible postures.

Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, both born in Quimper, studied at the Ecole nationale supérieure des arts décoratifs, Paris and the Ecole nationale supérieure d’arts de Cergy-Pointoise respectively. Ronan (born 1971) and Erwan (born 1976) came together in 1999 to carry out their work within a framework of permanent dialogue and a shared requirement for greater precision and delicacy.

Today, their works are produced by Vitra, Magis, Alessi, Established & Sons, Axor Hansgrohe, Kartell, Kvadrat, Cappellini, Camper, la Galerie kreo and Ligne Roset (Outdoor folding chair – 2001, Facett seating – 2005, distribution of Clouds decorative modules in Kvadrat – 2009). Their works can be found in the collections of institutions such as the musée national d’Art moderne, the centre Georges Pompidou, the musée des Arts décoratifs, Paris, the Museum of Modern Art, New York, the Chicago Art Institute, the Design Museum London, or even the Moijmans van Beuningen museum, Rotterdam. In autumn 2011, the Centre Pompidou Metz will stage the first great retrospective of the work of Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec in France.

Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec seek to make objects which are singular, elegant and sensual of form, and sustainable and adaptable in terms of function.They seem to have a predilection for certain themes: concepts such as elements which may combine to facilitate multiple use (Axor Bouroullec bathroom collection 2010) and half-closed spaces which serve to (re)define the concept of space (Lit Clos bed, 2000; la Cabane, 2001; Alcôve armchairs, 2007; North Tiles and Clouds textile tiles) are all part and parcel of their desire to preserve intimacy by structuring space.

The Ploum settees are the fruit of much research into comfort which led them to combine two specific materials: a stretchy covering fabric and an ultra-flexible foam.The combination of these two materials, when associated with the real dimensional generosity of the Ploum settees, offers an extremely high level of comfort whilst giving the body the chance to adopt a number of possible postures.

In effect, the quilted fabric employed, which in fact comprises a thick layer of polyester quilting sandwiched between two superimposed woven layers and held in place by points of stitching, offers a warm and comfortable visual aspect and a soft feel. Furthermore, its elasticity enables it to cover the continuous curve of the seats, high backs and arms in one single piece of fabric: a rhythmic repetition of points of stitching is what enables it to maintain its position.

Secondly, even whilst held in place by the points of stitching, this stretchy covering retains a great capacity to stretch and then regain its original shape, enabling the hyperflexible foam to ‘play’ beneath the weight of the body and to mould itself perfectly to the shape of the user, much as the sand might do so on a beach.

The hyperflexible polyurethane foam used for the comfort layer covering the entirety of the structure of the seat allies a great capacity to lose its shape in order to perfectly support the body in all positions with a lasting ability to rapidly regain its original shape, thus guaranteeing the longevity of Ploum.

The seat of the large settee, which may accommodate up to 4 persons, has a slightly closed angle perfect for encouraging sitters to move closer together, which in turn facilitates conversation between the occupants of the settee. In fact, the generous dimensions of the Ploum settees and their open, welcoming shape have been specially designed to accommodate a variety of positions, from sitting to lounging, or even fully reclined.

The great flexibility of contact associated with a freely-formed shape turn Ploum into a veritable nest: in fact, all positions are possible here, both back and head enjoy the same soft contact, no matter which part of the seat is concerned, even the arms.

Construction: Steel tubing, wire and mesh. Covered base.

Comfort: Integral seat in high resilience polyurethane Bultex foam 48 kg/m3 – 3.6 kPa and integral back in Bultex foam 26 kg/m3 – 1.4 kPa with comfort layer in hyperflexible polyurethane foam 30 kg/m3- – 1.8 kPa. Comfort is reinforced by the nature of the Mood fabric : a double-layer quilted stretchy weave, held in place by points of stitching.

Making-up: Cover made from a woven fabric generously padded with polyester quilting and quilted by points of stitching. Covers may be removed by an upholsterer.

Fabrics: Exclusively available in Mood fabric.

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Quilt by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec	Star System by Enrico Buscemi and Piergiorgio Leone	Ruché by Inga Sempé for Ligne Roset

Apple furniture collection. Consists of armchair, sofa and coffee table. Developed for Simplicity company in 2010.

Good newsWe could all need some good news! In the newspapers we read aboutpollution, the melting of the polar ice, war and terror. We thereforedesigne..

Cologne 2011: London studio Doshi Levien present this child’s rocking horse at imm cologne in Germany this week.

Called Rocker, the pared-down design is for German brand Richard Lampert.

See all our stories about Cologne 2011 our special category »

Once again we’ve teamed up with imm Cologne to hold a free series of Dezeentalks at [D3] Design Talents. More details »

The information that follows is from Doshi Levien:

Rocker
Design for Richard Lampert

While observing young children, we found that most things of interest to them are not figurative but everyday objects that are not intended for play! Children find their own imaginative purpose for any object already in the home. This observation prompted us to create a “Rocker” for Richard Lampert that is like a found object, an improvised ride. Moulded seat with solid oak rockers.

IMM Cologne Hall 11.2 Stand J 010

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Rocky collection by PearsonLloyd	More about Doshi Levien	More toys on Dezeen