With the loss of provenance in many of todays consumer products its increasingly refreshing to see a studio supporting local craftsmen and being content with small production runs. Dare Studio will launch their collection this week at 100% Design in London.
Maybe it’s because I have a soft spot for Oscar Niemeyer but the new Arc table by Foster + Partners seems like a much needed breath of fresh air. There’s no contrived Zaha Hadid curves here, just a purity that seems lost in a lot of furniture now days.
The Bartok table by Strala is a beautifully raw piece of contemporary furniture design by a studio that is challenging the conventions of their profession. ”Art invention by Strala unifies modernity and tradition. Our passion for awakening thoughts, quintessential craftsmanship and the enthusiasm for research are the energy behind our unprejudiced innovative power”
You know the joy you get when you come across something beautiful and then after further investigation discover its been created by two great guys that you went to school with? That happened to me today with the No 3 Stool by Scott, Rich & Victoria. This playful piece forms part of their first collection Moscow Road which will be released this week at 100% Design in London.
They say no news is good news but in this case, old news can be refreshing news. HAY is one of those great companies quietly producing great furniture and accessories with a beautifully uncomplicated aesthetic. I came across them a while back but recently re-found them and am enjoying their refreshing take on design. In particular the Loop stand which would cast an impressive silhouette in anyones dressing room.
Maybe it’s a European initiative but when i was at school the thought of collaborating with a well established furniture manufacturer seemed like an impossibility. The students at The Design Academy Eindhoven however have achieved just that with Dutch manufacturer Leolux. Their pieces will be on show from September 26th to October 4, 2009 at Woonbeurs
Atelier A1 is a group of young Belgian designers producing some great work from their small studio in Brussels. The combination of simple forms and materials coupled with a dash of intense colour really appeals. Up until now, defining a typically Belgian design aesthetic has been difficult but with the influx of young talent like Atelier A1 this looks set to change.
As part of London Design Week Judith Seng has released these new pieces which share a striking resemblance to the work of Atelier A1 which i posted earlier. Stylistically the pieces are almost identical, however on closer inspection the work of Seng celebrates the imperfections of the material rather than hiding them. For me, the Atelier A1 release seems more cohesive in terms of colour and execution but In a world of simple boxes maybe its time we celebrated the imperfections more readily?
It’s hard not to enjoy the playfulness of Studio Big Game’s work. Their collection of furniture and objects skillfully manipulate scale and colour to achieve a visually dynamic language which challenges the rigidness of other established design houses. In particular, the Metal Work lamp would sit gracefully among any table setting.
The Sputnik Springer chair by design group Ampersand reinvests a D.I.Y sensibility to the humble seat. Assembly is simple and all the associated nuts and bolts you find with other such pieces are replaced by beautifully polished oak pegs. Formally it harks back to the kind of craftsmanship you may find on early Herman Miller pieces while still maintaining a very contemporary silhouette.
