Posts
As we’ve repeated ad nauseam Depot Basel is a project that has interested and excited us since the first show, but is a location that we’ve never manged to visit. Happily when we were in Weil am Rhein for the opening of “Gerrit Rietveld – The Revolution of Space” at the Vitra Design Museum the [...]
Talk to anyone about design and the furniture industry in the UK and you’ll quickly come to realise that while the British Isles may be home to an enviable wealth of design talent. It ain’t home to that many producers of quality, contemporary furniture. Or at least anymore. Whereas, for example, the early years of [...]
If your going to organise an exhibition called “The Revolution of Space”, there is probably no more fitting location than Frank Gehry’s “revolutionary spaced” Vitra Design Museum building in Weil am Rhein. Unless that it is your exhibition happens to be dedicated to Gerrit Rietveld a man whose canon is principally defined by linear, regular, sober [...]
Is there anything left to say about Bauhaus? Have we not all seen, read, written enough? We all know the important points of the story. We all know the famous art works and design classics. Most of us can name three or four Bauhäusler, the cleverer among you might reach a dozen. There’s nothing new [...]
We’re almost at the end of our Milan 2012 coverage. Not because we’ve run out of themes; but have run out of time. In the coming weeks we’ve got the opening of the Gerrit Rietveld exhibition at the Vitra Design Museum, the opening of the Marcel Breuer Exhibition at Bauhaus Dessau, Belgrade Design Week, DMY [...]
As reported elsewhere in these pages, there is a great deal of hope in the UK that the 2012 Summer Olympics will provide fresh impulse for the UK design industry. Something we doubt. But then, what do we know. No honestly. What do we know? And so we’ve taken the opportunity in recent weeks to [...]
On May 3rd the exhibition “Bauhaus: Art as Life” opens at the Barbican Art Gallery London. Organised in co-operation with the Bauhaus Archiv Berlin, Stiftung Bauhaus Dessau and Klassik Stiftung Weimar, “Bauhaus: Art as Life” presents some 450 works by the likes of as Marianne Brandt, Wassily Kandinsky, Marcel Breuer, Walter Gropius et al and [...]
Back in October one of our highlights at Vienna Design Week 2011 was the exhibition kidsroomZOOM! Essentially a mid-town Vienna apartment kitted out entirely in furniture for children, we were not only impressed by the objects on display, but by the concept. Forget adults! We’re doin’ it for the kids! Being the message we got. [...]
Until September 16th the Grassi Museum Leipzig is showing the Vitra Design Museum exhibition The Essence of Things: Design and the Art of Reduction. And so keeping with the theme, we’ll keep our post reduced and simply link to our post from The Essence of Things: Design and the Art of Reduction at the Vitra [...]
The V&A Museum London exhibition “British Design 1948-2012” pretty much does what it says on the tin. It reviews British Design from 1948 to 2012. But how does the future look ? Where is British design going ? What issues are important? Where do the coming generation of designers see their futures ? Answers to [...]
Updates
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Depot Basel - As we've repeated ad nauseum Depot Basel is a project that has interested and excited us since the f http://t.co/5F43f0pJ
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RT @designforyou_it: TRIENNALE DESIGN MUSEUM Milano – FABIO NOVEMBRE http://t.co/sH0hbBiK via @fabionovembre #grafica #design #arte #art...
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It's a wonderful paradox that sometimes the tweets you can't RT bring the most joy... #keepingsecretsinasocialnetwork
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for all in London.... RT @vitrauk: Last day of Eames film screening! 10/12/2.30 no registration needed. http://t.co/PZmdRnEH
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DMY Berlin Satellites 2012: A Map http://t.co/cPQtBH9P
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RT @lucas_berlin: Designing design education: My contribution to the Berlin design festival: http://t.co/DMdMUvN5 Write me if you wanne join
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RT @core77: The @NewYorkObserver will be live tweeting from Takeshi Miyakawa's court proceedings... #FreeTakeshi http://t.co/WOMQlvXP
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@marcusfairs @MOgundehin Wow indeed!! But how much of the plagarism is new British design? R we talking about significant figures ?
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@design_week We still think Egon Eiermann got quiet close to perfection in 1961. With hymn book holder. And hat hook! http://t.co/VjmKR7LX
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British Design: Interview with Sheridan Coakley from SCP - Talk to anyone about design and the furniture industry in... http://t.co/6oDspazd
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Spent many a Sunday AM at Preston Bus Station. Happy days! RT @ajbldgslibrary: A selection of car parks in the AJBL - http://t.co/4cCLfaMI
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Ben "Photo Kid" Kelly of course also designed the HAC interior and the #britishdesign exhibition @V_and_A http://t.co/4Pc6Ykcm
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Not aged at all ;) RT @dazedmagazine: Happy 30th Birthday @Fac51hacienda! Excited to see this tune is being released... http://t.co/QkKh0byM
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Although it is nice to know people think we could do such ;)
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Just been accused of photoshopping the first photo in our @vitra design museum post.The cheek of it!! http://t.co/fhGn6iZu
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Vitra Design Museum: Gerrit Rietveld – The Revolution of Space. If your going to organise an exhibition called ... http://t.co/oKz05Srl
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@_davebritton_ or indeed Bauhaus Art as Life @BarbicanCentre ;) http://t.co/vUhOi2YH #theresnothingnewindesign
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Wednesday May 16th 2012 http://t.co/pfebzSHE
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@architonic Danke! Jetzt brauchen wir nicht hinzufahren. Haben schon alles wichtig gesehen ;)
Updates
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The winner of the @vitra panton chair cocktail competiton has been decided :) All information tomorrow, Thursday!Posted 9 months ago
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Currently putting the finishing touches to our summer competition... more details soon over at http://www.facebook.com/smowcomPosted 10 months ago
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After Bauhaus Weimar yesterday, we're of to the FH Potsdam graduate show today ... pictures and typos to followPosted 10 months ago
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Yup... we're still reading "It’s Hard to Find a Good Lamp" by Donald Judd . And still enjoying it!Posted 10 months ago
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Wie’s Wetter am Siebenschläfertag, so der Juli werden mag #Siebenschlaefer TagPosted 11 months ago
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Are we only the only ones who find the term "Hartz IV Wohnung" really offensive? Idea: Good - Name: Shocking! Or is it just us ? #dmyPosted 11 months ago
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The most important lesson from the catalogue photo shoot... the @vitra Alcove highback is heavy :)Posted 12 months ago
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The Simpsons has just started on the TV in the flat across the road from our office. We can see it, but not hear it :( #whatwouldhomerdoPosted 12 months ago
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As if it wasn't grim enough in #Leipzig #Plagwitz ... slowly everyone starts closing their shutters. It's all very Sergio Leone :)Posted 13 months ago
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Team one are in #Milan enjoying the sun. Team two in #Leipzig with jackets on in the office. There's even talk of snow.... Europe!Posted 13 months ago
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No one appears to have preapred a Saloni Sattelite Programme.... Otherwsie all going well. Interviews mit grcic, levy, moormann, usw uswPosted 13 months ago
Posts
Enjoyable as the exhibition “Bauhaus: Art as Life” at the Barbican Centre in London is…..
…..wandering round the exhibition one can’t help feeling that one is under constant observation.
Which is a little unnerving.
Our full report, and more photos, ASAP….
The things one finds in a flea market in Berlin. A fully upholstered Eames Rocking Side Chair produced by Herman Miller & “Fehlbaum Productions”
Nothing against the RAR, but this RSR was a true delight to see…
Look who fluttered into our office this morning!
Our old friend the Hummingbird Mechthild by Christoph Schmidt.
We first met Mechtchild at the Marianne Brandt Contest 2010 in Chemnitz.
And were instantly entranced.
And now with May round the corner; and appropriately enough the Bauhaus exhibition “Art is Life” opening in the London Barbican in a couple of days….Mechthild popped in to say a quick hello, on the way back to Hamburg from her winter break in Africa.
Which was as lovely as it was unexpected.
We hope she becomes a regular visitor. And brings few chums. Because in a swarm, the effect is so much better.
Mechthild by Christoph Schmidt getting to know the (smow) office….. …. System USM Haller…. … catching up with an old chum… … and enthralling us all with photos from her flight over SachsenComing back from the preview of “The Essence of Things: Design and the Art of Reduction” at the Grassi Museum Leipzig yesterday we stumbled across what is without question the biggest Tag we have ever seen.
Now it may look opulent and expansive; but as anyone in Leipzig can confirm, compared to the normal ORG Tags… this is pure reduction.
The initial rooms in MOST Milan were given over to the concepts founder - Tom Dixon.
In itself no bad thing. Especially when one found oneself confronted by rooms full of delightful objects such as Etch Light Web Copper.
We’re planning publishing our MOST review for next week - we need to finish typing up a couple of interviews first - but didn’t want to deny you a further impression of what was on display.
Although the Nils Holger Moormann stand in Mian was very much an homage on Pressed Chair by Harry Thaler … there were also a couple of other new products.
Including Paul & Paula by Matthias Ferwagner.
Looking a bit like a cross between Kampenwand and the Eames LTR Paul & Paula are two folding, occasional side tables.
Nothing complicated. Nothing clever.
Just a good practical design and a product that really no home should be without.
Apart from the fact they always throw an excellent party during Stockholm Design Week, Swedish producer Offecct are worth keeping any eye on because they produce some really interesting furniture from a very good pool of international designers.
Among the products Offecct presented in Milan, Smallroom by Ineke Hans particularly caught our attention.
Our picture probably isn’t the best, but we’re sure you get the idea.
In addition to being perfect for lobbies/waiting rooms, shops or in an open office space, Smallroom is available with an optional in-built plant pot holder.
Need we say more?
A central feature of the Vitra Philosophy is the “Collage” as propagated by Charles and Ray Eames.
In simple terms this can be interpreted as a mixing of styles to create your own. Or as Vitra Chief Design Officer Eckart Maise put it in our interview with him last year:
And so we were particularly pleased to see Transience by Lex Pott gracing the Vitra stand in Milan.
Vitra don’t produce mirrors. And probably never will. But every home needs mirrors and Transience is without question one of the most interesting projects we’ve seen in a long time.
And Lex Pott one of the most interesting young designers we’ve met.
It all just works so well…..
[[posterous-content:pid___0]]
Although we’re suckers for an easy cheap joke. On this occasion we’ll resist.
Presented as part of the inaugural collection for new French producer Le Chance, Borghese by Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance is, according to the press release, inspired by the pine trees in the grounds of the Villa Borghese in Rome.
As with Hella Jongerius’ Polder Sofa for Vitra we’re loving the playful use of shades in the work; however, much prefer Borghese’s open, spacious, organic form to Polder Sofas rigid, quadratic volume.
But then again the two have, in our opinion, differing functions. Polder Sofa is intended for a living room or other space where you plan to spend a longer period of time relaxing. Borghese is for us more a transient location perfect for the kitchen, communal space, lobby area, waiting room.
Or train station.
And we’ll have little more on the new Le Chance collection in extenso over on (smow)blog very soon.
We didn’t visit it.
Not because we’re still traumatised by last year’s Dream Factories fiasco
But because graphic design - Italian or otherwise - isn’t really our thing.
However if you are in Milan, and are interested in graphic design and typography, “Grafica Italiana” focuses on the 20th century and aims to discuss the role graphic designers have played in shaping Italy’s cultural, social and economic development.
And certainly if the entrance is anything to go by.. it looks worth a visit.
“Grafica Italiana” runs until February 24th 2013
Forced by the economic crises to cut costs, and by the pending fuel crises to find new ways of powering their aircraft the Italian air-force have come up with a new concept.
Which is currently on display at MOST Salone.
The balloons may look like normal balloons, are however constructed from a new, secret anti-ballistic material to prevent enemy aircraft shooting them down.
According to our information the next step is to find a way to control the horizontal movement of the planes - at the moment they can only drift where the wind takes them.One plan currently being tested is the controlled expulsion of the air from the balloons and using this released air to provide forward propulsion.
We’ll keep you updated.
Loved this genial new interpretation of the stool/armchair genre for Walter Knoll by Viennese design studio EOOS.
Christened Bao - Chinese for “hugging” or “embracing” apparently - and crafted from textile and leather Bao isn’t an object for spending a whole evening watching TV or reading a book in.
But as an occasional chair in a living room or conservatory it brings not only a touch of real comfort but also, we find, a different character. It doesn’t dominate. It serves.
And it swivels through 360 degrees. A very small detail, but something critical in making such an aestheticly pleasing object truly functional. And useful.
Regardless of how much designer furniture we see, some objects remain engrained on our souls.
One such is Reading Table Uli Budde.
At Salone Satellite Uli Budde is presenting “Shifted” a new side table/storage unit that for has echoes of Reading Table. Although is clearly an object in its own right.
Essentially, Shifted is a round wooden box with a lid; however, the lid has been deliberately cut so that it can either be placed “normally” directly on top or - and this is where it gets good - askew so that one part of the storage container always remains open.
A wonderful solution, for example, for a sofa table where you may want a surface for your beer, space for your magazines. And somewhere to hide the kids toys until tomorrow morning.
As we say, really appealed to us.
In our recent post on the Vitra Design Museum Miniatures Collection Exhibition here in Milan, we commented that in contrast to most of what one finds in Milan, the chairs in Miniature collection matter.
A similar thought occured when we saw this collection of objects on the Thone stand.
We first saw this system at IMM Cologne a couple of years ago and were instantly hooked. And so good to see that in COVO Mark Braun has found a producer for it.
Convieved as a modular system you build and extend it as you wish and can use the flat surfaces as either shelves or a seat.
Although to be fair there were at least two other scenes that will give this one stiff competition.
We made it along to MOST yesterday. Partly to see what Tom Dixon et al had created. And partly to do a couple of interviews.
The results of those conversations, and our opinions on MOST SALONE v. soon!
Even for us the answer is not very often.
And so it was all the more delightful to meet Donato D’Urbino at the opening of the Triennale di Milano exhibition “De Pas, D’Urbino e Lomazzi Il gioco e le regole”
And to be allowed to photograph him in a Joe Sofa.
As the name would tend to apply the exhibition is a tribute to the Italian designers Paolo Lomazzi, Donato D’Urbino and Jonathan De Pas and explores the importance of the three to the story of Italian design.
Spatially it’s not a big exhibition. But it packs an awful lot in.
More soon.
Audio
Photos
Posts
As traditional the main DMY Berlin 2012 festival week will be accompanied by a bright and varied series of Satellite events at locations throughout the city.If we've correctly counted there are 37 this year.And to help us, and you, keep track of what is happening where, we've constructed a simple Google Map.Yes, we could have built an App.No, we don't know how to do that.No, we don't have a budget for such.No, we don't have a smart phone or tablet between us.But. Everyone can read and understand a map. And you can find our map at DMY Berlin Satellites 2012
We can't really admit why this interview tickled us. Suffice to say we like it and thoroughly approve.
Interesting for us though is Justin McGuirk's views on the length, depth and context of design criticism.
Because, for us, he forgets the masses.
As he says the Twitter/Facebook/Web 2.0 criticism is valid - if not particularly useful, if we've understand the silent undertone correctly. Apologies if we haven't
And we would whole heartedly agree. Judging the number of "Likes" a product gets is no indicator of the quality of the design; just a comment on the photogeneity of the product coupled to the popularity of the website on which the image is posted. It is however admittedly more helpful than "lifestyle" blogs cooing about how "sweet" objects are.
He then moves on to longer essays. Again making the perfectly valid point that many people have a need for such texts.
And even if they didn't, we'd argue they are important.
But such texts are essentially for people who already understand the subject and either want specific information, or more often are looking for a different perspective from which to view and understand a particular theory, aspect or work.
But what about all those people who don't really understand what it design is all about.
People who, as Barber&Osgerby said, have been led to believe by home makeover shows that "...you can “do” design for tuppence"
People who think design is like art; complicated, exclusive, expensive.
People who currently only have the Twitter/Facebook genre backed up with the heavily photoshopped "money shots" and so feel verified in their belief that good design equals pleasing aesthetic.
Is it not important that design journalism also reaches these people in an entertaining, informative and comprehensible fashion?
Should design journalism not be treated like music, film or literature journalism and form a normal, everyday part of mainstream media's cultural output. Rather than being left to malleable social networks or 10,000 word essays?
That for us is surely the crux of the issue.
As we say we can't really say what amuses us, but the interview is to be recommended and Justin McGuirk makes some very valid points and presents a couple of interesting opinions.
Enjoyable as the exhibition "Bauhaus: Art as Life" at the Barbican Centre in London is.....
.....wandering round the exhibition one can't help feeling that one is under constant observation.
Which is a little unnerving.
Our full report, and more photos, ASAP....
The things one finds in a flea market in Berlin. A fully upholstered Eames Rocking Side Chair produced by Herman Miller & "Fehlbaum Productions"
Nothing against the RAR, but this RSR was a true delight to see...
Look who fluttered into our office this morning!
Our old friend the Hummingbird Mechthild by Christoph Schmidt.
We first met Mechtchild at the Marianne Brandt Contest 2010 in Chemnitz.
And were instantly entranced.
And now with May round the corner; and appropriately enough the Bauhaus exhibition "Art is Life" opening in the London Barbican in a couple of days....Mechthild popped in to say a quick hello, on the way back to Hamburg from her winter break in Africa.
Which was as lovely as it was unexpected.
We hope she becomes a regular visitor. And brings few chums. Because in a swarm, the effect is so much better.
Mechthild by Christoph Schmidt getting to know the (smow) office..... .... System USM Haller.... ... catching up with an old chum... ... and enthralling us all with photos from her flight over Sachsen
Coming back from the preview of "The Essence of Things: Design and the Art of Reduction" at the Grassi Museum Leipzig yesterday we stumbled across what is without question the biggest Tag we have ever seen.
Now it may look opulent and expansive; but as anyone in Leipzig can confirm, compared to the normal ORG Tags... this is pure reduction.
The initial rooms in MOST Milan were given over to the concepts founder - Tom Dixon.
In itself no bad thing. Especially when one found oneself confronted by rooms full of delightful objects such as Etch Light Web Copper.
We're planning publishing our MOST review for next week - we need to finish typing up a couple of interviews first - but didn't want to deny you a further impression of what was on display.
Although the Nils Holger Moormann stand in Mian was very much an homage on Pressed Chair by Harry Thaler ... there were also a couple of other new products.
Including Paul & Paula by Matthias Ferwagner.
Looking a bit like a cross between Kampenwand and the Eames LTR Paul & Paula are two folding, occasional side tables.
Nothing complicated. Nothing clever.
Just a good practical design and a product that really no home should be without.
Apart from the fact they always throw an excellent party during Stockholm Design Week, Swedish producer Offecct are worth keeping any eye on because they produce some really interesting furniture from a very good pool of international designers.
Among the products Offecct presented in Milan, Smallroom by Ineke Hans particularly caught our attention.
Our picture probably isn't the best, but we're sure you get the idea.
In addition to being perfect for lobbies/waiting rooms, shops or in an open office space, Smallroom is available with an optional in-built plant pot holder.
Need we say more?
A central feature of the Vitra Philosophy is the "Collage" as propagated by Charles and Ray Eames.
In simple terms this can be interpreted as a mixing of styles to create your own. Or as Vitra Chief Design Officer Eckart Maise put it in our interview with him last year:
And so we were particularly pleased to see Transience by Lex Pott gracing the Vitra stand in Milan.
Vitra don't produce mirrors. And probably never will. But every home needs mirrors and Transience is without question one of the most interesting projects we've seen in a long time.
And Lex Pott one of the most interesting young designers we've met.
It all just works so well.....
Although we're suckers for an easy cheap joke. On this occasion we'll resist.
Presented as part of the inaugural collection for new French producer Le Chance, Borghese by Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance is, according to the press release, inspired by the pine trees in the grounds of the Villa Borghese in Rome.
As with Hella Jongerius' Polder Sofa for Vitra we're loving the playful use of shades in the work; however, much prefer Borghese's open, spacious, organic form to Polder Sofas rigid, quadratic volume.
But then again the two have, in our opinion, differing functions. Polder Sofa is intended for a living room or other space where you plan to spend a longer period of time relaxing. Borghese is for us more a transient location perfect for the kitchen, communal space, lobby area, waiting room.
Or train station.
And we'll have little more on the new Le Chance collection in extenso over on (smow)blog very soon.
During Milan Design Week the Triennale Design Museum Milan opened their major exhibition for 2012: "Grafica Italiana"
We didn't visit it.
Not because we're still traumatised by last year's Dream Factories fiasco
But because graphic design - Italian or otherwise - isn't really our thing.
However if you are in Milan, and are interested in graphic design and typography, "Grafica Italiana" focuses on the 20th century and aims to discuss the role graphic designers have played in shaping Italy's cultural, social and economic development.
And certainly if the entrance is anything to go by.. it looks worth a visit.
"Grafica Italiana" runs until February 24th 2013
Forced by the economic crises to cut costs, and by the pending fuel crises to find new ways of powering their aircraft the Italian air-force have come up with a new concept.
Which is currently on display at MOST Salone.
The balloons may look like normal balloons, are however constructed from a new, secret anti-ballistic material to prevent enemy aircraft shooting them down.
According to our information the next step is to find a way to control the horizontal movement of the planes - at the moment they can only drift where the wind takes them.One plan currently being tested is the controlled expulsion of the air from the balloons and using this released air to provide forward propulsion.
We'll keep you updated.
Loved this genial new interpretation of the stool/armchair genre for Walter Knoll by Viennese design studio EOOS.
Christened Bao - Chinese for "hugging" or "embracing" apparently - and crafted from textile and leather Bao isn't an object for spending a whole evening watching TV or reading a book in.
But as an occasional chair in a living room or conservatory it brings not only a touch of real comfort but also, we find, a different character. It doesn't dominate. It serves.
And it swivels through 360 degrees. A very small detail, but something critical in making such an aestheticly pleasing object truly functional. And useful.
Regardless of how much designer furniture we see, some objects remain engrained on our souls.
One such is Reading Table Uli Budde.
At Salone Satellite Uli Budde is presenting "Shifted" a new side table/storage unit that for has echoes of Reading Table. Although is clearly an object in its own right.
Essentially, Shifted is a round wooden box with a lid; however, the lid has been deliberately cut so that it can either be placed "normally" directly on top or - and this is where it gets good - askew so that one part of the storage container always remains open.
A wonderful solution, for example, for a sofa table where you may want a surface for your beer, space for your magazines. And somewhere to hide the kids toys until tomorrow morning.
As we say, really appealed to us.
In our recent post on the Vitra Design Museum Miniatures Collection Exhibition here in Milan, we commented that in contrast to most of what one finds in Milan, the chairs in Miniature collection matter.
A similar thought occured when we saw this collection of objects on the Thonet stand.
They may not look spectacular, but they matter enormously because of what they are, where they came from and how they shaped furniture design and production.
We first saw this system at IMM Cologne a couple of years ago and were instantly hooked. And so good to see that in COVO Mark Braun has found a producer for it.
Convieved as a modular system you build and extend it as you wish and can use the flat surfaces as either shelves or a seat.
We suspect so. So we're getting in early.
Although to be fair there were at least two other scenes that will give this one stiff competition.
We made it along to MOST yesterday. Partly to see what Tom Dixon et al had created. And partly to do a couple of interviews.
The results of those conversations, and our opinions on MOST SALONE v. soon!
i
How often do you get the chance to photograph an Italian design legend enjoying one of his design classics?Even for us the answer is not very often.
And so it was all the more delightful to meet Donato D'Urbino at the opening of the Triennale di Milano exhibition "De Pas, D'Urbino e Lomazzi Il gioco e le regole"
And to be allowed to photograph him in a Joe Sofa.
As the name would tend to apply the exhibition is a tribute to the Italian designers Paolo Lomazzi, Donato D'Urbino and Jonathan De Pas and explores the importance of the three to the story of Italian design.
Spatially it's not a big exhibition. But it packs an awful lot in.
More soon.
