Hasta La Ideas

Northumbria University graduate Raymond Paulson presented two lamps which can be dimmed by rotating their shades at London graduate show New Designers last week.

The Orbit table lamp has a transparent shade that reveals the mechanism at work, while the floor lamp has a frosted shade and stands on a tripod frame.

Paulson was the winner of the New Designers Foundry Associate Prize at the show, which took place in London’s Business Design Centre last week.

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at New Designers appeared first on Dezeen.

Communist-era woodturning from a master Czech craftsman

by Adam Štěch

American artists like J. B. Blunk, Wendell Castle and Jack Rogers Hopkins are established heavyweights in the world of design and certainly represent the “haute couture” style of woodworking, but Czech master craftsman and turner Antonín Hepnar continues to work in relative anonymity behind the former Iron Curtain from his studio in the small village of Čakovičky near Prague.

Working in the art of woodturning since the 1950s, Hepnar is a unique creative mind in a local design scene traditionally associated with glass and porcelain. According to the artist and designer, wood is the most important material in our lives. “Man is born into the wooden cradle, sits on the wooden chair his whole life, and dies into the wooden coffin,” says Hepnar.

Thanks to his philosophy and love for wood, Hepnar has created various turned objects throughout his career. His vases, bowls, candlesticks and lamps, as well as large sculptural objects or realizations for architecture and interiors have been produced exclusively on the spinning axis of the lathe, a primitive and genial machine with seemingly never-ending possibilities.

Hepnar was a very productive artist during the former Communist era through the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, making functional and decorative home accessories for the only Czech design gallery at the time—Dílo. Inspired by Baroque, modernism and folk art, his objects represented traditional craft with a modern edge. He sold well—and very quickly—due to the lack of quality aesthetic objects available at the time.

After a series of exhibitions devoted to Hepnar in Prague, his work has become well-known and now, the master craftsman is at work once again. Next to his own re-issued editions of popular products, such as his lovely 1950s Amanita lamp, or the striking abstract owl decorative sculpture from 1983, he continues to discover new possibilities in the world of woodmaking. His latest “Bosáž” series of bowls made of very thin turned wood and deformed by steam is a handcrafted gem.

Antonín Hepnar sells his work in the Prague-based DOX by Qubus concept store.

Images courtesy of Jaroslav Moravec, Matěj Činčera, Antonín Hepnar archive and the Phillips de Pury Archive.

Handmade furniture, pipe lamps and otherworldly art

Quality is at the core of everything Sean Woolsey makes. From laser-cut wooden coasters and handmade furniture through to carefully crafted lighting and paintings on sheet metal, Wolsey creates pieces that effortlessly fuse form and function. Two years ago the former apparel designer left his work in the action sports industry in order to carve out a career from his craft. CH caught up with Woolsey in his Costa Mesa workshop to discuss furniture, fads and the freedom that results from owning less.

When did you start creating?

I have been creating art for about 10 years now. However, for about seven years I owned and designed my own apparel line and then worked in the action sports industry. Both sides of my family tree contain artistic people. My father has been one of my biggest influences: he had a career in architectural art and also was a talented photographer. My latest works of art are “other-worldly” paintings done on sheet metal using patinas, paints and solvents. The resulting paintings are ethereal images reminiscent of photos of outer space from the Hubble telescope. My more recent expansion into producing furniture and lighting began about two years ago, after I constructed pieces for myself. I discovered that I enjoy doing it and that there are people who desire better quality, hand crafted furniture and accessories made in the USA.

What was the first proper piece of furniture you made?

I made an escritoire for my girlfriend (now wife) which we still have in our house today. It is made of two-by-fours, four-by-fours, a piece of butcher block and oak casters. I recently completed a famous George Nakashima chair design known as the Conoid chair. The chair is black walnut and it took about 60 hours to make. It is absolutely beautiful. This was the first chair I ever made. It is definitely my favorite piece and I will probably own it forever.

What else have you been working on?

Right now I am working with several clients to furnish their entire workspace or house. It has been exciting developing a palette and tone that reflects the personality of the clients, and then designing and building with that in mind. There is something about creating for an entire space that is very special for me. It is a way for me to connect with other people’s subconscious.

How did the coasters come about?

Wanting to preserve the finish on my handmade furniture, I decided I wanted to design a set of coasters. I wanted them to look cool, yet be classic and substantial enough to use proudly for years. With that in mind, I produced laser-engraved wooden coasters with a manly feel to them. They come as a set of four, each one being labeled with one of my favorite beverages: coffee, bourbon, whiskey, and scotch. I also made 50 limited-edition black walnut cases for the coasters. Each case is hand numbered and branded with my “SW” logo. The walnut makes a classy little home for the coasters to live in on your table.

Given your furniture business, what are your thoughts on places like IKEA?

We live in a world and an age in which most consumers buy things for the moment; we exist in a disposable consumer society, where a lot of people make impulsive, trendy buys. I am subject to this as well, but consciously I have decided to try and only buy things I need and buy things of lasting value, that I may be proud to own. Right now there is a paradigm shift with some consumers consciously avoiding overseas, mass production items to searching out high-quality and locally made, sustainable objects, and luckily my customers understand this very well and support me. One of the best parts of what I do is actually interacting and developing a relationship with my customers.

Images by Braedon Flynn, Ryan Haack and Aaron Young

Découverte de cette réalisation d’Hugo Basism et de ce concept du studio espagnol Diestro pour les lampes Luzifer baptisées “Lzf Lamps”. Un court-métrage inspiré par la nature, avec un univers de mondes sous-marins. A découvrir en vidéo HD dans la suite de l’article.

Previously on Fubiz

• Infinity Pools
• 1500 Scissors Suspended
• Alexis Mire Photography

Copyright Fubiz™ – Suivez nous sur Twitter et Facebook

Intelligent design questioning the relationship between form and function (slightly)

A straight line between points A and B might be the fastest way to get there, but for Nonlinear Studio‘s founding designer Evan Clabots fixation on a predetermined end result isn’t necessarily best. “The design process quickly turns into decisions, concessions and justifications to get a round peg into the square hole that was determined from the onset,” he says. Instead Clabots’ design philosophy focuses on questioning why an object exists as it does, as sometimes the slightest shift might lead to an extraordinary new outcome. To wit, the Brooklyn studio’s Slip Watch has a face at a slight tilt, resulting in a wristwatch that’s both easier to read and a statement accessory. Released just last month, the watch is the studio’s first self-produced object, soon to be followed by others in Clabots’ “Slightly Awkward” series.

Why did you name your studio Nonlinear?

It’s an allusion to the to the term “lateral thinking,” which was first coined by Edward de Bono in his book, “The Use of Lateral Thinking.” In the lateral design process, you start at A, move forward to B, re-evaluate at B, then decide whether to move forward to C or side step to two—or perhaps even over and back to one.

Without a definite final product in mind, how do you determine next steps?

I tend to design around the idea of why something is, not what something is. We’re always asking questions like, “Why should it be this way?” or “How does this detail work in the bigger picture?” Following this path allows you to create a more holistic design that makes sense on every level. You can’t be focused on your destination from the onset—let your answers dictate the next step. And you should never be afraid to use your eraser.

Can you take us through this process in one of your designs?

There’s the “Slightly Awkward” lamp. The obvious fixation when designing an adjustable lamp is the mechanism. The thought is, “How can I reinvent the wheel and outdo every other wheel that’s come before this one?” But asking the question, “Does this thing really need wheels?” causes you to take a lateral step outside the box and design with a new perspective. The Slightly Awkward lamp adjusts without any mechanism at all. One of four legs is shorter than the others, which allows it to rock from on one tripod stance to another and changes the light. It’s an extremely simple lamp with a function inherent to its form—and there’s an almost human quality to its posture.

What particular designers or objects influence your work?

A lot, but who I’m really interested in today is Jasper Morrison and Naoto Fukasawa. They actually both collaborated on an exhibition called Super Normal, where they celebrated the beauty of pared-down simple design. I love the simple details Morrison creates, like the three-pronged lid handles for the Alessi cookware he designed. The handle allows you to lift the hot lid with a cooking spoon. And Fukasawa has a great eye for beautiful, minimal detail. I think his Twelve watch for Issey Miyake may be my favorite design object. He took your basic, unmarked, round watch and faceted the interior of the face like the inside of a socket wrench. That slight change in contour, marks the hours with every kink. He took the simplest form and with the slightest tweak made it genius.

Let’s talk about your own Slip Watch, a first for you. How did that come about?

I’ve been a watch-lover for a long time. I think they’re such great objects, especially in this day and age. They embody such history, lineage of craftsmanship and often status too—for men, it’s one of the few pieces of “man jewelry” that we get. But, let’s face it, they’re also becoming obsolete. We live in an era when everyone looks to their smartphone for the time. Watches have this antiquated function that, combined with their heritage, make them perfect for playing around with.

Do you wear a watch?

I’ve always collected watches that in some way play upon how time is told, like the Twelve watch. I have one of the first edition watches Mathew Waldmen created when he started Nooka, and I love old jump dial watches. One of my prized possessions is actually a $12 Lego watch.

Over-sized pilot and diver watches are really popular right now, but they don’t really say enough for me. I’m actually working on a watch design in this style that brings some commentary to the genre.

How does Slip do that?

It’s very much a commentary on the watch in its most basic form. It’s intentionally minimal, with proportions that are almost predictable. But its placement on the band makes it looks as though it’s slipping out of position. It’s also a poetic commentary on the passing of time, the moments we cherish are gone before we recognize they were even there.

At the same time, the watch’s posture relative to the band makes the numberless face easier to read—you don’t need to turn your arm as much. The band penetrates the case at 12 and 9, which along with the crown, gives points of reference to the otherwise unmarked face.

This was your studio’s first self-produced object. Will there be more?

Self-producing the watch was a bit of an experiment, and an education in the other side of design. It really helped me better understand how financial and marketing considerations are all very relevant in the design process. It’s not about designing “the best product” it’s about designing “the right product.” I’m always designing new watches, but I’ll produce the next one when I design the “right” one.

Your work is so varied and multidisciplinary, what are some common themes?

My friends often accuse me of being a minimalist, but I often find truly minimal objects to be too cold and austere. They fit well in your space, they look great, but they’re not the things you get really attached to. I really cherish objects with character and personality—something with proportions slightly different than you might expect, or perhaps it’s worn down or tarnished in a way that’s unique.

I love designing simple objects that are almost predictable, and then finding that little tweak that makes them special—especially when that one proportion that’s a little “off” is actually the functional aspect. For me, it all works when it creates a complete story… a slightly awkward complete story.

What’s next for you?

One thing I’d like to get back to is interior design. If a product is a short story, an interior is a novel. I’ve looked at a few projects in the past year, but haven’t found the right one. With interiors, the client is almost like your co-author. If you’re writing a novel with someone, you really want to make sure you both want the same book.

What might be next in the Slightly Awkward series?

I would love to design a motorcycle. I have an old 1973 Honda that I’ve been re-shaping, and I’m just in love with these machines. They’re a great meeting point of functionality and style. Motorcycles have such intricate proportions, and every one has a personality that can be changed with one line or one component. Come to think of it my bike is actually already “slightly awkward.”