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talking to michelle boone on chicago’s first architecture biennial.

Oct 2, 2015

It’s hard to believe that 2015 is the launch date of the first Chicago Architecture Biennial. With so many major worldwide architecture & design events going on and with Chicago’s architectural heritage being one of the richest in the world, this event will serve as the epitome of ‘it’s never too late.’ We talked to the biennial’s resourceful, Michelle Boone, Commissioner of the City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), after an exhilarant, worldwide audience filled, first press event. Many would say she’s 100% responsible for this inaugural happening.

[DesignApplause] What’s the genesis of the Chicago Architecture Biennal? How far back does it go?
[Michelle Boone] I was appointed by Mayor Emanuel in 2011, and I would say probably that second week of my tenure I got a call from the mayor wanting to work towards identifying a new platform, a major platform to convene the world and celebrate one of Chicago’s multiple assets. And very quickly through the process of working on the Chicago Cultural plan released in 2012, we landed on architecture. That while we had great organizations like the Chicago Architecture Foundation, and others that were doing their part to introduce visitors to Chicago institutions and Chicago Architecture history, the city itself had done very little to really promote architecture. We had great music festivals, engaging theatre programs and grant programs in support of individual artists, but as an agency very little for architecture, one of the city’s cultural strengths. And professions! I mean, just the sector of architecture as a creative industry is really important to the city. So we began to explore and look at biennials and exhibitions around the world.

[DA] And what year was this?
[MB] 2012. We went to Venice, the granddaddy of them all and met with those folks and they were very encouraging. And you know, they were shocked and surprised when we told them Chicago wasn’t doing a biennial. Every time we spoke to someone outside of the city, we heard that over and over. Through this process and along with our very encouraging and supportive local architecture community we’re here today kicking off our biennial. Looking back it was very easy in the beginning pulling the pieces together, but then we had to do the hard work of pulling everything together.

[DA] To summarize, how long has it taken to get to today?
[MB] We’ve been working on it for three years, in different iterations. The exploration, research, the ideas started back in 2012. I think Sarah (Herda, executive director of the Graham Foundation) coming on board, and really starting to massage the artistic vision for the biennial probably started in late 2013. So, yes, I think the work that she and Joseph (Grima, an architect and writer who co-curated the 2012 Istanbul design biennial) have been engaged in has been at least 18-24 months for sure.

[DA] Venice started in the 80s. The experts say you have 10 years, and with the biennial occurring every-other year, that’s 20 years. Are you going to hang in there?
[MB] Well, the Biennial will hang in there (laughing) I don’t know if it needs me to hang in there all that time. What’s very important, we started right from the beginning establishing the Chicago Architecture Biennial as an organization, an independent non-profit to ensure the sustainability of the event. It’s not dependent on me being here at the city of Chicago, or Mayor Emanuel being here, but that the organization will build the institutional intrastructure to be able to carry this on.

[DA] You’ve been able to see all the installations, can you point me to one or two?
[MB] There are a lot of cool things here and one of the coolest to me is the installation with spider webs, so the spider as architect (Tomas Saraceno, Berlin) is pretty interesting to see.

above> – click image for slide show; Tomas Saraceno, Berlin – When entering into Saraceno’s installation, a visitor’s perception is reoriented in a darkened environment dotted with glowing sculptures that are articulated in silvery spider silk. Formed of complex interwoven geometries suspended in air, each piece appears as a unique galaxy floating within an expansive, infinite landscape. The work’s titles reveal the technical basis for each sculptural element, like the genus and species of the spider collaborators and the amount of time needed to construct their webs – one four months. During the building period of a sculpture, each cube is turned onto its different sides, dislodging gravity and interweaving concepts of freedom of control within the work.

[DA] Anything else you wish to say?
[MB] It’s free! One unique thing about our biennial in comparison to some of the others around the world, is that all of the works are free and accessible.

[DA] How did the largest architecture and design festival ever to be held in North America press conference go?

The [ Chicago Architecture Biennial ] launches 3 October 2015, and will run through 3 January 3 2016. @chicagobiennial @grahamfound

zaha hadid announced as 2016 royal gold medal winner.

Sep 27, 2015

above> zaha hadid | photo steve double

British architect Zaha Hadid is the first woman to earn in her own right the Royal Gold Medal for architecture. The medal, approved by the Queen and awarded by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), has been the harborage of men since 1848, although women have shared the prize with others on a handful of occasions. Previous winners include IM Pei (2010), Frank Gehry (2000), Norman Foster (1983), Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1959), Le Corbusier (1953), Eliel Saarinen (1950), Frank Lloyd Wright (1941) and George Gilbert Scott (1859)

Zaha Hadid is internationally known for her built, theoretical and academic work. Each of her dynamic and innovative projects builds on over thirty years of revolutionary experimentation and research in the fields of architecture, design and urbanism.

RIBA President and chair of the selection committee, Jane Duncan, said: “Zaha Hadid is a formidable and globally-influential force in architecture. Highly experimental, rigorous and exacting, her work from buildings to furniture, footwear and cars, is quite rightly revered and desired by brands and people all around the world. I am delighted Zaha will be awarded the Royal Gold Medal in 2016 and can’t wait to see what she and her practice will do next.”

Zaha Hadid said: “I am very proud to be awarded the Royal Gold Medal, in particular, to be the first woman to receive the honour in her own right. I would like to thank Peter Cook, Louisa Hutton and David Chipperfield for the nomination and Jane Duncan and the Honours Committee for their support. We now see more established female architects all the time. That doesn’t mean it’s easy. Sometimes the challenges are immense. There has been tremendous change over recent years and we will continue this progress. This recognition is an honour for me and my practice, but equally, for all our clients. It is always exciting to collaborate with those who have great civic pride and vision. Part of architecture’s job is to make people feel good in the spaces where we live, go to school or where we work – so we must be committed to raising standards. Housing, schools and other vital public buildings have always been based on the concept of minimal existence – that shouldn’t be the case today. Architects now have the skills and tools to address these critical issues.”

serpentine sackler gallery | photo luke hayes

Born in Baghdad in 1950, Zaha Hadid started her architectural journey in 1972 studying at the progressive Architectural Association in London. She joined her former professors, Rem Koolhaas and Elia Zenghelis, at the Office for Metropolitan Architecture in Rotterdam, where she became a partner in 1977. By 1979 she had established her own practice in London – Zaha Hadid Architects – garnering a reputation across the world for her trail-blazing theoretical works including The Peak in Hong Kong (1983), the Kurfürstendamm in Berlin (1986) and the Cardiff Bay Opera House in Wales (1994).

Working with office partner Patrik Schumacher, Hadid’s interest is in the interface between architecture, landscape, and geology; which her practice integrates with the use of cutting-edge technologies – the result is often unexpected and dynamic architectural forms.

Hadid’s first major built commission, one that catapulted her rise, was the Vitra Fire Station in Weil Am Rhein, Germany (1993); subsequent notable projects including the MAXXI: Italian National Museum of 21st Century Arts in Rome (2009), the London Aquatics Centre for the 2012 Olympic Games (2011) and the Heydar Aliyev Centre in Baku (2013) illustrate her quest for complex, fluid space. Buildings such as the Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art in Cincinnati (2003) and the Guangzhou Opera House in China (2010) have also been hailed as architecture that transforms our ideas of the future with new spatial concepts and dynamic, visionary forms.

pierresvives | montpllier | photo helene binet

In 2004 Zaha Hadid became the first woman to be awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize. She has twice won the UK’s most prestigious architecture award, the RIBA Stirling Prize: in 2010 for the MAXXI Museum in Rome, a building for the staging of 21st Century art, the distillation of years of experimentation, a mature piece of architecture conveying a calmness that belies the complexities of its form and organisation; and the Evelyn Grace Academy, a unique design, expertly inserted into an extremely tight site, that shows the students, staff and local residents they are valued and celebrates the school’s specialism throughout its fabric, with views of student participation at every turn.

Zaha Hadid’s other awards include the Republic of France’s Commandeur de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, Japan’s Praemium Imperiale and in 2012, Zaha Hadid was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. She was made Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and Fellow of the American Institute of Architecture.

Zaha has held various adademic roles including the Kenzo Tange Chair at the Graduate School of Design, Harvard University; the Sullivan Chair at the University of Illinois, School of Architecture; guest professorships at the Hochschule für Bildende Künste in Hamburg; the Knolton School of Architecture, Ohio and the Masters Studio at Columbia University, New York; the Eero Saarinen Visiting Professor of Architectural Design at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut and the University of Applied Arts in Vienna.

The Royal Medal comes at a good time for Hadid. In July 2015, her proposed National Stadium for the 2020 Games in Tokyo was renounced by the Japanese government at the 11 1/2 hour. We’re also reminded of a similar fate for the Cardiff Bay Opera House, Cardiff, Wales, 1995. Of interested she won both design competitions for these projects. However, virtue was rewarded in 2010. Using the designs for the Cardiff Bay Opera House on the Guangzhou Opera House, the opera house is now credited with transforming a Chinese city with a population more than four times the size of Wales into a cultural capital. [ zha ]

video presentation & report – new national stadium tokyo. zaha hadid architects.

Aug 26, 2015

In November of 2012 Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) is selected from 46 submissions by the jury of architects and experts as the winner of the international completion for a New National Stadium for Japan. The venue is to last the next 50-100 years and that it would host the 2019 Rugby World Cup as its first event, then the Tokyo Olympics-Paralympics if Tokyo was awarded the 2020 Games.

This past July 2015 the National Stadium and ZHA experienced many new announcements, as you might expect, including: The New National Stadium Advisory Committee ministers approving the design and budget of the stadium; Prime Minister Abe announcing his commitment to building the stadium designed by ZHA; The Japanese Government deciding to scrap everything and start over.

The original stadium proposal is both admired and polarizing. The noise generated by architectural notables is worth noting: Tadao Ando, a 1995 Pritzker winner, chairman of the competition selection panel said of the winner: “The entry’s dynamic and futuristic design embodies the messages Japan would like to convey to the rest of the world.” He added: “I believe this stadium will become a shrine for world sport for the next 100 years.”

But there are equally notable detractors, 2013 Pritzker winner Toyo Ito and prominent Japanese architect Arata Isozaki saying it reminded him of a turtle. Another likened the proposal to another kind of animal.

“Why do we need this white elephant?” said Fumihiko Maki, a 1993 Pritzker winner. “Tokyo is not a zoo.”

There was additional noise that the winner of the National Stadium was not from Japan. But the finalists were in fact well-vetted: The Japan Sport Council, owner of the Kasumigaoka National Stadium, selected a total of 11 out of the 46 entries for the international design competition to update and remodel the venue in preparation for Tokyo’s Olympic and Paralympic Bid and the IRB 2019 Rugby World Cup. The 11 finalists were renown offices from Australia (1), France (1), Germany (1), Great britain (2), Japan (4), Netherlands (1), and Turkey (1).

Arguably, a most compelling bad vibe was the estimated 2020 finished product $2 billion price tag, supposedly even after a redesign in 2014 by ZHA.

The Tokyo stadium faces another challenge: It must avoid becoming an economic burden by carving out a life as a sports resource long after closing ceremonies. The most recent example is the London Aquatics Centre for the 2012 London Olympics. On 1 March 2014, the centre was opened to the public. Architect of record: ZHA.

So here we are today in late August 2015, with ZHA submitting a thorough revisiting of the project brief, which correctly asks for an 80,000 seat solution to sit on a tight parcel of urban real estate. The architect affirms the price-tag problem is not the design but the non-competitive bidding process and inflationary economy that is Japan at this point in time.

Admittedly, I had concerns with this concept in this venue at first glance. Will the stadium encroach on the nearby historic Meiji Shrine, built in central Tokyo in the early 20th century to commemorate Emperor Meiji. The arena will occupy part of the shrine’s outer gardens, which preservationists say leaving no breathing space and raising traffic and safety concerns.

above> the original national stadium that hosted the 1964 olympics is the oval in the red plot – seating capacity 55,000. below> the new seating bowl with and w/o roof exoskeleton – seating 80,000.

Let’s consider everyone craving an efficient and smart solution, which in fact may be sitting dead center right in front of them. The concept sketches draw much more attention to the building than what will really be. And the façade where the structure is not only expressed but inhabited. A series of diagonal stairways and elevated walkways are developed into the envelope of the stadium that function as a stadium on event days and other days it’s an extension of the pedestrian landscape of the Gainen area, allowing extended walks and elevated views over Tokyo.

above> a pedestrian landscape of the Gainen area, allowing extended walks and elevated views over Tokyo. below> carving out a life as a destination for many interests, a rock concert for example, long after closing ceremonies.

Hence, the more I understand the proposed solution, understand the considerable change the new speaks to the old, there is much more right than wrong. The proposal is worth another look.

Lest we forget, the brief also asks for a 50-plus-year lifespan at minimum. Who can’t envision the future landscape shift around this building – because of this building. We’ve learned the new and significant speaks to future ambitions.

Official ZHA Statement> [ zha / new national stadium report august 201 ] outline in detail the unique design for the New National Stadium which has been developed over two years to be the most compact and efficient stadium for this very special location in Tokyo. Zaha Hadid Architects welcomes a new contractor bidding process for the New National Stadium to reduce costs and ensure value for money in terms of quality, durability and long-term sustainability.

Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects and our Japanese partners, the New National Stadium contains all the knowledge and expertise gained from the team’s direct experience of other Olympic, World Cup and World Championship stadia. The substantial investment in time, effort and resources already made by the Government and people of Japan into the existing team over the past two years ensures the New National Stadium can be completed in time to welcome the world to Japan in 2019 ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and become a new home for sport for many future generations of Japan’s athletes, sportsmen and women.

[ prologue ]
September 2011> Tokyo submits their bid for the 2020 Olympic Games. Istanbul, Madrid and Tokyo are later shortlisted.

November 2012> Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) was selected from 46 submissions by the jury of architects and experts as the winner of the international competition for a New National Stadium for Japan to last the next 50-100 years and that would host the 2019 Rugby World Cup as its first event, then the Tokyo Olympics-Paralympics if Tokyo was awarded the 2020 Games.

September 2013> International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced Tokyo as the host city of the 2020 Olympic Games.

June 2014> ZHA submits a redesign responding to new budgetary restraints. The modifications include downsizing (the 80,000 seat capacity remained the same), a lower profile and lighter and sustainable materials.

Spring 2015> The old stadium which hosted the 1964 Olympic Games was demolished. (Surveys of the old stadium had found the original 1958 structure in considerable disrepair. Simply to meet current seismic and safety codes would have required an investment of at 100 billion yen alone. Further investment was also required for improvements to the facilities for athletes, spectator sight-lines and amenities, and to increase capacity from 55,000 to 80,000.)

7 July 2015> The New National Stadium Advisory Committee ministers approves the design and budget of the stadium.

10 July 2015> Prime Minister Abe announced his commitment to building the stadium design by ZHA.

17 July 2015> The Japanese Government decides to go back to the start on the New National Stadium.

25 August 2015> ZHA / New National Stadium Report August 2015 is submitted.

[ new national stadium video presentation ] [ zha / new national stadium report august 201 ]

getting from point a to b with giulio cappellini. icff 2015.

May 17, 2015

[DA] What’s on the top of your mind right now?
[GC] Ah, many things. It’s because I’m always looking towards the future, what’s next. And more and more now, I experience a great of degree of change to an approach to design that has transpired over time. In the 50s and 60s, those early products just had to be well-constructed and beautiful. Today it’s more than just a nice shape, now there’s more emphasis on function. We also think more about scale. By scale I mean that many of our customers live in the city and their living spaces are physically smaller, and we scale down for them.

More recently we have found the need to not only create for the home environment but for the office space as well, a landscape experiencing a great deal of change. The same for technology. There are many more natural materials and complex natural colors to work with. And today the consumer more and more likes the freedom to make their own choices. So more options, more customization is added to the mix. And through all of this, quality has to keep pace and not be compromised. There’s a lot to think about.

[DA] Giulio, you’re a great judge of talent. You’ve done this for years. So many designers that I’ve talked to agree you are responsible for who they are today. Who, what do you look for?
[GC] I think that each designer is unique, they don’t follow the same line or path. Sometimes they have a sketch or prototype and now I think I can’t live without this product and I want to bring it home with me now. I try to talk and get to know the designer to see if we communicate and can work with Cappellini. There’s a need to establish a relationship that communicates the right feeling, the common perspectives and values. So the personal approach is very important. I always say the good Cappellini designers are first of all good friends of mine.

[DA] Good chemistry. Everyone gets from A to B a bit differently. How did you get from A to B. What are some of the things that were important to you to put you where you are right now?
[GC] I’m always enthusiastic in my job and I try to be kind to my stomach, you know, less worry and more passion. At the beginning of my career I didn’t follow an A to B dream. And now today, the company is big, the situation different, and through this change I like to always keep a little freedom. Regarding the company and our relationships with our consumers, we do it a certain way which seems to work, but I also like to take my risks and strongly believe in what I am doing. For me this is very important.

[DA] Would you give the same answer if I was asking what advice would you give to a young designer?
[GC] I’m a visiting professor, invited by design schools to speak about my experiences. I tell students that I understand when they start their career they want their sketches and ideas to quickly hit the marketplace. But you cannot think it’s a simple journey to design a new chair or table. You have to follow the development of a product like a baby.

In the market there are thousands of products. We really don’t need a new table or sofa, we need a better table and sofa. The new products should be more contemporary and the shape may benefit from the new materials and technologies. Plus there are new strategies and philosophies to add to the process, such as incorporating environmentally friendly and less expensive features. I tell them do few things but do good things.

[DA] Is there any aspect in design that’s broken, not working, that can be improved upon?
[GC] What I’m going to say is something I just thought about this morning. There can be a communication problem in design. If a consumer doesn’t buy a product most of the time it’s because they didn’t fully understand the design’s value to them. The value needs to be better communicated to the consumer. We can’t assume the buyer is knowledgeable.

Knowledge is not enough however. For many years, the communication about design was, maybe too sophisticated or better, there was a presumption and maybe an elitist attitude that impeded communication. Maybe it was just hearing the top 300 in design talking to themselves. And maybe this dialog made some a little afraid of design. People might like and appreciate the artifacts in the permanent collection of a museum or the windows displays of a fine showroom but they’re still afraid to go deeper, to engage with design.

[DA] To be continued.
[GC] To be continued.

L>R luca nichetto, giulio, jaime hayon smokin the design world

Giulio Cappellini is a Milanese architect who has been working since 1979 with an energetic spirit and refreshing goals. Through the years his work transformed into that of a designer’s, offering a personal approach to contemporary design. He has successfully established both his brand and his name and has worked as the art director for other key design brands. His most important project, the “company”, transformed Cappellini into one of the biggest trend-setters worldwide. His lectures at the Milan Architecture University always generate great interest from Montreal to Valencia.

[envira-gallery id=”45242″]

discover design & gia awards winners. housewares 2015.

Mar 18, 2015

‘Discover Design’ is five years old in 2015 and is a destination of more than 100 design-centric exhibitors from around the world. The confines includes the ‘Discover Design Gallery’ featuring the products submitted for the gia awards; ‘Design Debut’, an incubator program within Discover Design, featuring 10 new companies; and the Discover Design Lounge with Wine Bar and Café. In 2015 over 270 entries were viewed by 20 judges to select the 2015 gia awards winners:

[ best Collection Design ]
global honoree
That! inventions > heat THAT!

finalists
Iittala > Ruutu
Jia > Steamer collection

[ best product design ]
global honorees
Eva Solo > Digital kitchen scale
Joseph Joseph > Can-do
That! inventions > scoop THAT!

finalists
Alessi > Cheese please
Big Dragon Design > Turbine usa pizza cutter
David Rasmussen Design > Wud tumbler
Dreamfarm > Savel
Po > Pao thermal mug

[ martin m. pegler award for best booth ]
global honoree
sagegreenlife > Firefly bio-dome

above> heat THAT! by that!

above> ruutu by ronan and erwan bouroullec for iittala

above> steamer collection by jia

above> digital kitchen scale by eva solo

above> can-do by joseph joseph

above> scoop that! by that!

above> cheese please by gabriele chiave and lorenza bozzoli for alessi

above> wud tumbler by david rasmussen design

above> savel by dreamfarm

above> páo thermo mug by po

above: turbineusa pizza cutter by big dragon studios

above> firefly bio-dome designed by daniel pouzet for sagegreenlife

[ 2015 judges ]
Specialty retailers, design and consumer editors, trendspotters and independent designers served as Discover Design judges for the gia awards. They are: Asko Ahokas, Asko Ahokas Consulting; Jens Bauerle, Global Brand Vision; Mary Liz Curtin, Leon & Lulu; Meredith Doherty, The Grommet; Mary Rose Gearon, Global Brand Vision; Michael Higdon, National Building Museum; Raymond Hu, Core77; Ron Kovach, DesignApplause; Dan Kraemer, IA Collaborative; Lu Lyndon, Placewares+Lyndon Design; Paul Makovsky, Metropolis magazine; Marco Perry, PENSA; Jamie Rowley, Fab; Billy Shelton, Chicago Architecture Foundation; Michele Tobin, Walker Art Center; Becky Tyre, Gift Shop magazine; Robyn Waters, R W Trend; Adrienne Wheatley, Culture + Commerce, Terri Winter, Top3 by Design; and LinYee Yuan, Mold.

2015 was our (DesignApplause) third year to judge this show. with almost one hundred more entries (270) than 2014, the competition this year was noticeably higher. all items were judged online – it’s worth noting, video submissions are compelling – though there were photo-only winners.

[ official release – winners ]

2015 ushers in 20th anniversary with debut maison & objet americas in miami.

Feb 27, 2015

We talk to Philippe Chomat, Maison & Objet directeur de la communication.
[DesignApplause] Philippe, can you share with us what’s new since we last talked one year ago?
[Philippe Chomat] This session is the 20th anniversary of Maison & Objet. It’s a key moment because a lot has changed in 20 years. The market, the information, distribution networks, the projects and the way people see design today. 20 years ago there was no design in our offerings. The design aspect was introduced in 2000 and the designers of that era are now stars. Today everyone wants a designer’s signature on the product to add value to that product. And now at this time we launch inspiration in another way. Then it was more decoration and now, it’s really everything, more than form and function, there’s the materials, the environmental and the brand or narrative elements.

We have a new inspirational term which is ‘Make’ because it’s very important to say to the market and to say to everybody that today you have the internet, social media and the mobile way of life which is to say an non-material way of life. And the heart of Maison Objet represents the material way of life where products are made of wood, metal and other materials.

An important design statement is made within this ‘Make’ envelope if you will and our special design exhibit is named ‘Tendencies’ which comprises three inspirational elements: Natural Made, Human Made and Tecno Made. Natural-made is about designers, creators, using natural materials, natural compositions as found in nature. Human-made is the heart of Maison Objet, designers using wood, metal, handmade items. And techno-made is the new generation of product using technology to create the products.

( more about ‘make’ following Philippe’s comments )

We also have selected a designer of the year for the Paris show, Japanese designer Oki Sato of Nendo. He has created a homage to chocolate and the best way to explain it is to visit his installation. [ Oki talks to DA about installation ] We also award Talents à la carte, six emerging designers. (Christian Vivanco, Liliana Ovalle, Cooperativa Panorámica, Paul Roco, Studio davidpompa and FOAM & Perla Valtierra)

[DA] It’s safe to say we’re in an era of design. Cities are creating design events – design weeks because design is the magnet for addressing and solving a broad spectrum of urban, manufacturing, retail and people needs. Maison Objet is a perfect example. Can you tell us about the inspiration and aspirations of the upcoming Maison & Objet Americas?
[PC] It’s very simple. Today, if you’re not international, you’re dead. For us, Paris is an international city and we, after 20 years, attract a worldwide exhibitor and visitor. The world marketplace is dynamic and each region experiences ebb and growth cycles. Right now retail in France, Europe is down and other countries such as the Middle East, China and South America, retail is up. And you have a lot of new projects coming into these countries because they are in a growth mode.

We feel for us in Paris, we have a successful business model. But we feel we can do more. We now have to propose to our clients, our customers, to go directly to these growth countries because it’s in everyone’s best interest. As you know we ventured into Asia last year. We thought about such cities as Hong Kong and Shanghai and eventually felt that there were many reasons to select Singapore. For example this is Singapore’s 50th anniversary and we’re hosting conferences in March 2015 to also celebrate 50 years of friendship with France.

With Maison Objet Asia we discovered that 30 percent of the participants never visited Paris and they came to us to exhibit because they couldn’t find any show like us in Asia and they never thought to come to Paris. In Singapore we had 272 exhibitors and 13,000 visitors. We felt we discovered something good here.

So now we feel we can find something good in Maison Objet Americas and held in Miami. For one thing there is no show in the Americas like us offering the variety and quality of objects and styles, from the classical to modern design. And why Miami. Because Miami is the gateway and link of the Americas. It was important for us not only to focus on the U.S. but both continents.

Here we find a lot of new projects going up in Mexico City and Brazil is a very important city in terms of decoration and design, the Campana brothers for example and the architecture in San Paulo. So we propose to our customers to reach out to a large base of architects, interior designers and retailers. We are opening in May with 250+ exhibitors and hope to attract 10,000 visitors and we think we are going to do that.

[DA] Along with Maison Objet’s anniversary Design Miami also just celebrated it’s 10th anniversary. I interviewed eight founders of the original 15 design galleries last December and all agreed the fair exceeded their expectations. An important factor was exhibiting during Art Basel Miami, the synergy is great for both. Plus ’80’ and sunny in December. I’m wondering what May will offer you weather-wise, though Paris in January has certainly not deterred Maison’s success(!), and if you’ll find an unknown element that offers a synergistic advantage.
[PC] You raise interesting questions that have already been raised. Everyone’s calendar and logistics pointed to May or June. We will be there 12-15 May. Regarding a synergistic element, we ‘know’ the Art Basel folks. We have mutual aspirations for us to succeed. It’s not a same-day synergy but it makes Miami Beach more and more desirable. We both know, Art Basel and Design Miami helped change the image of Miami regarding art and design. There’s now a spirited design district. People are now used to coming to and finding a very worthwhile destination. We feel we discovered something good in Miami.

[ 2015/16 inspiration ‘make’ ] The M&O future-casting department, Maison & Objet Observatory, has organized emerging trends with the inspirational theme ‘Make’ and spelled out in three categories Nature Made, Human Made and Techno Made. Reminding us of the design magazine Domus 2012 exhibition ‘The Future in The Making: Open Design Archipelago‘ the 2015/16 message presents a trifecta of science, craftsmanship and maybe unforeseen, that of technology placing control of production processes in the hands of designers and consumers.

above / below> new families of objects use organic properties and compose with time, to satisfy our need for contemplation / yoho stool from brabbu

above> / below> the art of making by hand, the new luxury, creating unique shapes and typologies / the tools of the trade, agustina bottoni and simon hasan work with the medieval leather-working technique of cuir bouilli

above> / below> technology increasingly drives solutions and inspires/challenges imaginations / 3D printed chair 71 was designed in 2006 by françois brument and ammar eloueini

[ maison & objet paris ] is

[ maison & objet paris ] 20 years old this is, well, big. The event fills eight exhibition pavilions, each dedicated to a certain interior design category for a total of over 3,000 exhibitors from all over the world. The format not only showcases but facilitates a dialog between experts, professinals and the devotee.

[ 2014 january] 138,440 trade visitors
49% of international visitors 144 countries represented 3,245 exhibitors
40% of international exhibitors

>visitor profile
36% specifiers divided among the following functions:
37% – Interior designer/decorator
18% – Designer
10 % – Agency – hotel director
9% – Certified architects
6% – Restaurant’s chef
5% – Stylist – trend setter
4% – Art director
4% – Property developer
3% – Consultant/merchandiser
1% – Archivist
1% – Landscaper

64 % buyers divided among the following metiers:
48% – Retailers
15% – manufacturers / designers
10% – wholesales / importers
9% – department stores / buying groups
8% – specialized points of sale
6% – e-commerce
4% – other visitors

130,000 sqm net stand space 54% sqm of international exhibition space

emphemerā by mischer’traxler for perrier-jouët. design miami 2014.

Dec 5, 2014

our favorite collaboration / installation at design miami 2014 is between katharina mischer and thomas traxler of vienna based mischer’traxler and perrier-jouët.

emphemerā is the master work and starting point of small discoveries by mischer’traxler, an extended collaboration project between the designers and the perrier-jouët house that will run throughout the next year. the aim of the small discoveries collection is to tell the story of the magical dialogue between nature and mankind, and to stimulate curiosity of the individual through several design pieces. with small discoveries, katharina and thomas explore the moments between the unknown and known, being and not being.

emphemerā plays with the audience, inviting participation, discussion and questioning. objects are set in a plain room, suggesting a deceptively simple installation. this ostensibly legible set-up acts as a scene for a delicate game of hide-and-seek, played out through a mechanical and magical ornamental garden. the audience find themselves drawn into an enjoyable, charming conversation with the work, and also with each other.

coming soon- an in-depth interview with katharina and thomas.

#perrierjouet
#smalldiscoveries

zoë ryan: the future is not what it used to be. 2014 istanbul design biennial.

Oct 15, 2014

zoë ryan | courtesy the art institute of chicago/ portrait by cynthia lynn

Zoë Ryan is the John H. Bryan Curator of Architecture and Design and Chair of the Department of Architecture and Design at the Art Institute of Chicago. I’ve been trying to catch her for almost four months to talk about the curator appointment of the 2nd Istanbul Design Biennial coming up in October 2014. We talk following her break-out session with formlessfinder at Design Miami: [ff] won this year’s commission to build the entrance to the Design Miami pavilion.

[DesignApplause] Zoë, have you had a chance to get around Design Miami?
[Zoë Ryan] I’ve only had a small window before this talk, then I’ll head back out and start walking around.

[DA] This is my fifth year coming to Design Miami. I am sort of yearning for something more experimental.
[ZR] I mean, I would say, it’s difficult in this environment, but if you go back to Galerie kreo, they have one or two pieces from Hella Jongerius and one or two pieces from Wieki Somers which came from really experimental exhibitions. They’re kind of one or two from a big collection that they had produced that was shown in Paris. They were really fantastic. I thought that especially the Wieki Somers, um, these hybrids, furniture-lighting- not even sure what they are pieces- they were very exciting for me to see.

I also really enjoyed Volume Gallery and their show with only featuring Jonathan Muecke. I thought it’s quite daring to do a solo show. But in this environment, it really works well. It’s very legible, you get to see a great breadth of work. I think they’ve taken a lot of time. Their collection is very rigorous. It shows the breadth and depth of work, and for me, that’s what I’m looking for. Of course, this is a very specific environment to see this work in but I’m also very interested in.

I want to go see the Charlotte Perriand house on the beach that’s at the Raleigh Hotel, which is going to be hopefully a fantastic piece to see. I’ve never walked through the Herzog & de Meuron parking facility and check out the ‘Art Drive-Thru’ (Colette & Alchemist) installation. I’m curious about the new piece (Phare No. 1-9) by Simon Heijdens, who, you know, we’ve worked with in the past, who seems to know no bounds of his own dexterity as a designer. So I’m excited about that.

In terms of new experimentation, and also I think that’s where- for me- Miami excels is in these types of projects. Projects like formlessfinder’s and the Perrier-Jouët sponsored Simon’s project, are brilliant, where really those are the types of designers that are going to take this opportunity and really do something terrific with it. And something that really relates to their practice and helps them move their practice further, not only something that’s really rigorous and makes a lot of sense for them, and they get as much out of it as they give to the sponsor who’s sponsoring them. And I think more of that kind of sophistication is really needed. What have you seen?

[DA] You’ve given me new glasses to look through. The Swarovski Crystal Palace collaboration with Guilherme Torres creates ‘Mangue Groove’, an insightful installation inspired by mangrove trees to remind us of aquatic conservation efforts surrounding mangrove ecosystems in Brazil. Carpenters Workshop Gallery instilled the concept of time with two creatively fun video/grandfather clocks by Maarten Baas and rAndom created ‘Study of Time’ a mezmerizing illuminated digital wall hanging. Off-site there’s the ‘Untitled’ tent, the venue ‘finally’ on the beach and in Windwood there’s great graffiti art everywhere.

You mentioned Galerie kreo. They’re debuting a Poltrona di Proust armchair, first created by Alessandro Mendini in 1978; this version is in gold Bisazza mosaics. I’m not crazy about gold glitter. kreo director Joanna Frydman said, “It fits entirely with the luxurious mood of the fair.”

Can we talk about Istanbul? – Did this commission come out of nowhere for you?

[ZR] (Laughing) Yes, this came out of nowhere. So, in about- I don’t know- May of this year, I got an email from them asking if they could speak with me about the Biennial. I thought they were calling to ask about different projects and designers to work with, so I was all geared up for that. And then the next day they call again and asked me to curate their event and I was a bit, I was absolutely flabbergasted, but of course really excited.

It took me a minute to think on my good days, am I going to be able to do this project justice? And also will my boss, the Art Institute, allow me to do this? The museum is very committed to find work from other parts of the world and becoming more international, and definitely getting into parts of the world that have been, you know, largely ignored or overlooked.

One of the reasons why I was so excited to do the project was to work in Istanbul, a place that I’ve been to many times before, but never worked there, but somewhere I’ve always been a big fan of. And also to find that there really is a very thriving community of architects and designers there, which have a lot to give to the rest of the world and are really not known to the rest of the world. So that was really fantastic.

[DA] The theme ‘Manifesto’, was it given to you?
[ZR] No, absolutely not. When they came to me I asked for a few months to work on the title and the theme, and I was given complete carte blanche. I sort of floated some concepts past them last month- November. But I also went to Istanbul with my associate curator, Meredith Carruthers, who I hired, and we set out a number of different roundtable discussions with many, many architects and designers in the city, to get to know them and for them to get to know us and to start to throw ideas around. I already had in my mind what I wanted to- I love the history of manifestos, but I really wanted to rethink: what does it mean to have a manifesto today?

below> SIBLING reinstalls its video ‘The Encounterculture’, a manifesto of sevens ways to participate. The film, made in collaboration with Nicole Rose, is re-configured with eight tear-away propaganda posters that see the manifesto travel from the gallery wall out into the streets.

And the title of the Biennial is actually ‘the Future is Not What It Used to Be.” And it’s a way for us, I think we’re in this really critical moment, where we should take stock of where we are, where we’ve come from, and where we want to go. And we were using the manifesto really as a platform where we’re inviting architects and designers to rethink and revisit the history of manifestos, but propose ‘what is a conceptual design manifesto?’ You know, manifestos, towards the end of the 20th Century, seemed really outdated. They seemed naive, at best. And they were often very violent and destructive, they didn’t care about consequences. And so how can we use that talk and perhaps turn it around and reclaim it for our time?

Because I felt we’re in a moment where we do want both big and small ideas, but designers and architects really need to show that they can help us identify issues, work through issues and, at best, overcome issues. For example, how can the manifesto be something that deals with everyday realities, talk about the negative and positive consequences, look at the present yet potentially propose ideas for the future? A key- the manifesto does not need to be a text. It could be a project, it could be a provocation, it could be a service, it could be a publication. I mean, we’re looking for all kinds of projects that will make up the Biennial.

[DA] What’s your timeline?
[ZR] We’ve just launched the call for ideas, that’s gone online. And there’s a two-part call for ideas. The first part is the short statement and it’s about what your manifesto is, a few images, and what kind of platform or medium you want it to be in. And the deadline for that is February 1. And then we will circle back after that and start working individually with studios.

[DA] What are the expectations and criteria for the role of the curator? What’s the schedule for you going to be? How are you going to communicate with everyone to pull it together?
[ZR] Well, there are no hard and fast rules. I’ve been to Istanbul three times already, and I have my associate curator. There’s a team in Istanbul, there’s a foundation team that runs the Biennial. I’m building an international advisory. We have an informal advisory now in Istanbul. And we’re going to continue the idea sessions. We’ll be meeting at least once a month.

[DA] Zoë, is there anything you want to say that we didn’t talk about?
[ZR] Designers, we need you!

[ at-a-glance ]

below> Defne Koz, Marco Susani presents ‘Justaddwater’, their vision for the future of the food experience, where smart appliances meet creative gastronomy.

courtesy koz susani design

below> Turkey has had its share of earthquakes and there are earthquake kits available. In response to this need designers Jessica Charlesworth and Tim Parsons, who are looking at everyday surivivalism for different scenarios create a project called ‘New Survivalism: Alternative Bug-Out Bags’.

courtesy parsons & charles- worth

below> ‘Becoming Istanbul’ by Superpool and Project Projects, explores contemporary Istanbul through an interactive database of over 400 artists’ videos, photography series, documentaries, news reports, cartoons and architectural projects.

courtesy superpool & project projects

below> architect/designer Elena Manferdini serves up ‘Still Life to Living Pictures’ using digital rendering at the scale of architecture to create a space of aesthetic reflection, asking the viewer to be both critical and complicit in this transformed environment, to suspend disbelief and enter the imaginative space of the backdrop, but also to “break the fourth wall” and inspect the surface of her illusion.

updated / just in from istanbul sent by iphone | courtesy elena manferdini

[ participating designers and projects announced – updated ]

 ’The Future Is Not What It Used To Be’ hosts 53 projects that ask: “What is the future now?”  By rethinking the manifesto as a platform to frame pertinent questions, the projects question the role of design, its relationship to society, and its ability to be an active agent for change.

The exhibition at the Galata Greek Primary School, the hub of the 2nd Istanbul Design Biennial, will spread over all five floors of the school, an area of approximately 2,300 square meters.  The projects imagine new possibilities that can transform the present and invite new potential futures. Arranged in five departments— Personal, Norms and Standards, Resource, Civic Relations, and Broadcast — the projects question the manifesto as a platform for situating ideas and pointing to new directions.

[ personal department ] The Moonwalk Machine—Selena’s Step, Sputniko!
Consider Beauty, Studio Frith & Thirteen Ways
Still Life to Living Pictures, Atelier Manferdini: Elena Manferdini
Jardin d’hiver, Dice Kayek: Ayşe Ege and Ece Ege
In The Future, Everyone Will Be Heroic for 1.5 Minutes, Sarraf Galeyan Mekanik: Memduh Can Tanyeli, Erhun Erdoğan and Emine Seda Kayım
BIRDY 2214, Meriç Canatan and Fatosh Erhuy
Ownership of the Face, Kristina Cranfeld
Manifesting the Look of Love, Haelo Design: Helen Maria Nugent and Ron Kirkpatrick
Poly, giffin’termeer: Jess Giffin and Jim TerMeer
Mapmaker Manifesto, Stamen Design: Beth Schechter and Eric Rodenbeck
New Survivalism, Jessica Charlesworth and Tim Parsons

[ norms and standards department ] N°41 Workoutcomputer, BLESS: Desiree Heiss and Ines Kaag
Dyslexie Typeface, Christian Boer
Nap Gap, J. Mayer H. und Partner, Architekten: Jürgen Mayer H. with Wilko Hoffmann and Julien Sarale
smart design (. . .) smart life, Jacob de Baan, Giorgio Caione and Rianne Koens
Justaddwater, Koz Susani Design: Defne Koz, Marco Susani
LEPSIS: The Art of Growing Grasshoppers, Mansour Ourasanah
Designing for the Sixth Extinction, Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg
New Energy Landscapes, Sean Lally
Incomplete Manifesto for The Night, Clio Capeille
Towards a Universal Mundane Manifesto, Emmet Byrne and Alex DeArmond

[ resources department ] A Reading Room, Future Anecdotes Istanbul: Can Altay and Aslı Altay
Open Manifesto, FormaFantasma: Simone Farresin and Andrea Trimarchi
Palamut Timeline, Didem Şenol of Lokanta Maya and Gram, with Elif Esmez, Esra Aca
Rebuild the Electronic and Digital Tools, Coralie Gourguechon
NASALO Dictionary of Smell, Sissel Tolaas
This sea of sugar knows no bounds, AVM Curiosities: Tasha Marks
Hacking the Modern Kitchen, Gastronomika
Diario, Moisés Hernández
knowledge-tools-memory, Studio mischer’traxler: Katharina Mischer and Thomas Traxler
Crafted in Istanbul, Seda Erdural, Barış Gümüştaş and Bilal Yilmaz
Repair Society, Gabriele Oropallo, Joanna van der Zanden, and Cynthia Hathaway
Cultures of Assembly, Studio Miessen
Imagining Our Shared Future, Atatürk Library, Alexis Şanal and Ali Taptık

[ civic relations department ] Public Drawing, Atelier Bow-Wow: Yoshiharu Tsukamoto and Momoyo Kaijima
Use of Shores, a Micro-Manifesto on Micro-Urbanisms, İyiofis: Elif Ensari and Can Sucuoğlu
The Moment for the Generic is Now, fala atelier: Filipe Magalhães and Ana Luisa Soares
#occupygezi architecture, Architecture for All (Herkes için Mimarlık)
The Encounterculture or, Seven Ways to Participate, SIBLING: Amelia Borg, Nicholas Braun, Jonathan Brener, Jessica Brent, Jane Caught, Qianyi Lim, Timothy Moore, and Alan Ting
Retreat, dpr-barcelona: Ethel Baraona, Studio-X; GSAPP: Marina Otero and FAST, The New Institute, Rotterdam: Malkit Shoshan
Design Activism: A Contemporary Design Manifest, Manufakturist: Mia Bogovac, Matea Bronić, Maša Milovac, and Kristina Volf; GOTWOB: Begüm Çelik and Berk Şimşek
TWTRATE, Cansu Cürgen, Eren Tekin, Yelta Köm, Barış Gümüştaş, Avşar Gürpınar, Yağız Söylev and Arzu Erdem
Who Builds Your Architecture?, WBYA?: Kadambari Baxi, Jordan Carver, Laura Diamond Dixit, Tiffany Rattray, Beth Stryker, Mabel O. Wilson
How To Do Too Kadıköy, 72 Hour Urban Action: Kerem Halbrecht and Gilly Karjevsky; with Tasarım Atölyesi Kadıköy (TAK): Onur Atay, Omer Kanıpak, Sıla Akalp
Retroactive Manifesto, Rural Urban Framework: Joshua Bolchover and John Lin
UMK: Lives and Landscapes, Dunne & Raby: Anthony Dunne and Fiona Raby
Phoenix Declaration, Arctic Perspective Initiative (API): Matthew Biederman and Marko Peljhan
The Cultural Sauna, Åbäke
ABC Manifesto Corporation Writers and Consultants, disturbATI collective

[ broadcast department ] Kontraakt, H. Cenk Dereli, Hayrettin Günç, and Yelta Köm
Growing Manifesto, Something & Son: Andrew Merritt and Paul Smyth
Unfacebook, Vibok Works: Paula Alvarez
140journos: Data Concretization, Institute of Creative Minds: Cem Aydoğdu, Engin Önder, Hilal Koyuncu, İgal Nassima, Meriç Şeker

The biennial’s exhibition space, catalogue, and visual identity are designed by Istanbul based Superpool and Project Projects, New York.

[ the opening week program | 30 october > 2 november  ]

>press and professional preview | 30>31 october 2014
>press conference | 10am 30 october at galata greek primary school, followed by an exclusive tour of the exhibition with the curator zoë ryan, associate curator meredith carruthers and the director of the istanbul design biennial deniz ova.

The opening week will provide special opportunities to hear from a number of the participating designers as well as key experts from a variety of fields and occupations. Kicking off the biennial, Curator Zoë Ryan is joined by curators, designers and thinkers in an informal discussion on the Future of Manifestos with Aric Chen, Alison Clarke, and Fiona Raby, exploring the key themes of the biennial on Friday, 31 October between 2>4pm.

Related panels explore the Future of Exhibitions with Paola Antonelli, Jan Boelen, Vasıf Kortun, and Prem Krishnamurthy with curator Zoë Ryan on Saturday, 1 November between 4.30-6pm; and the Future of Publishing with associate curator Meredith Carruthers and Can and Aslı Altay (Future Anecdotes Istanbul) Simon Johnson (THAT Magazine), Adam Michaels (Project Projects) and TWTRATE, on Sunday, 2 November between 4.30>6pm.

Also included in the opening week’s programme will be personal dialogues by designers from all around the world. Designers in Dialogue moderated by Denise Marie Bennett will include Jessica Charlesworth & Tim Parsons – Coralie Gourguechon; Mansour Ourasanah – Marco Susani & Defne Koz; Joshua Bolchover and John Lin – Kadambari Baxi and Mabel Wilson; Natasha Marks – Katharina Mischer Thomas Traxler on Saturday, 1 November between 2-4pm; disturbATI collective – Clio Capeille; GOTWOB – Manufakturist; Arctic Perspective – Cenk Derelli & Yelta Köm; Beth Schechter – Helen Maria Nugent on Sunday, 2 November between 2>4pm.

[ 2nd istanbul design biennial events ]

In addition to the exhibition, the biennial hub at the Galata Greek Primary School will host different events for design enthusiasts daily for six weeks: the Kontraakt team’s broadcast programming will be held on Tuesdays and throughout the week, Q&A’s and panels on Wednesdays, film screenings on Thursdays, and Children and Youth program every day.

Design Walks, comprised of visits to design studios, stores, manufacturers, and noted buildings in 6 neighborhoods and 6 thematic walks on Istanbul’s Asian and European sides to examine the textures of the city and observe traditional crafts are organised throughout the biennial.

The Academy Programme featuring 72 projects including workshops, exhibitions and panels organized by over 33 universities from Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Europe and the United States to reveal different aspects of the biennial theme can be viewed at university campuses and at Antrepo no.7.

event> [ 2014 Istanbul Design Biennial ] @tasarimbienali #tasarimmanifestosu #designbiennial
date> 1 > 14 november 2014 | tuesday > sunday 10a > 7p | free admission
venue> galata greek primary school | istanbul

<a href="about ron kovach

we list our best of neocon 2014.

Jun 19, 2014

above> vessel | todd bracher | 3M architectural markets

It’s very difficult to catch everything in this show whether in person or online. Our focus on 2014 new offerings surely limited discovery. What we did find in this year’s show provides a myriad of options for everyone’s needs as seen on our list below. We highlight several unique, innovative solutions.

[ vessel ] Designer Todd Bracher and 3M Architectural Markets engineering produce a solid quartz body that precisely controls light distribution from a single LED. Vessel comes in three lengths, six color options and two color temperatures.

zinta | lievore altherr molina | arper

[ zinta ] A bench makes it to prime time. Thanks to the exceptionally harmonious blend of wooden seat shell with softly rounded edges with partial upholstery on a light-looking frame, the bench is elegant and leisurely in appearance. It can serve as simple, single sofa or large-scale organizing principle in an open space. With a range of cushion options with diverse materials and fillings, it can serve a range of environments from residential to restaurant, lounge to office with equal ease.

avant collection | mark hiron | élan decca / photo courtesy decca

[ avant ] Designer Mark Hirons Avant’s concept of openness include the Lounge Chair, a simple, tailored Sofa and ultimately, to the inviting expanse of a 145-degree Sofa angled to support face-to-face conversation. Defined by a striking angularity, the pieces appear to expand and fan out. Avant seating is available fully upholstered or with wood veneer back that accentuates its crisp profile and sculptural presence.

lakendo | angelo pinaffo | diemmebi / photo courtesy diemmbi

[ lakendo ] LaKendo, designed by Angelo Pinaffo, is a family of chairs available with tip-up or fixed seat. Its multifunctional uses enable several easy configurations: with polypropylene, padded and upholstered seat and back or back in mesh. The metal frame has a peculiar section’s profile which makes the seat more resistant and supports others specific features such as a set for arms, tip-up seat, wheels and supports sled and bench versions. Among the accessories is available the tablet for both arms.

social chair | yves behar | herman miller / photo courtesy hm

[ social chair ] The Social Chair is the core component of the Public system, bringing new ergonomics, functionality and durability to soft seating while accommodating a range of people and postures. Public is the first office system to support casual work and provide comfort, at the desk, in circulation space, and in group areas—all within a consistent design vocabulary. Designed by Yves Behar and fuseproject.

ballo | don chadwick | humanscale

[ ballo ] Created by Don Chadwick, designer of the Aeron Chair, Ballo is a multipurpose stool that encourages users to engage in short-term, active sitting. The identical air-filled domes serve as the base and seat and pressure can be varied just like a Swiss exercise ball. Ballo helps to reduce the risks associated with sedentary behavior and improve metabolism, calorie burn and core strength. There’s also an adjustable height option.

lo and syz | eoos | keilhauer

[ lo and syz ] the syz table is one continuous table structure with a seamless flow between the cast legs and aluminum extrusions It comes in heights of 29 and 26 inches as well as a very cool and casual 15 inches. Lo is a charming seat cushion. Research has shown that sitting with the hips above the knees restores gravitational equilibrium and provides longer comfort.

berlage | richard hutten | ki

[ berlage ] The Berlage Chair was originally designed in 2004 by Richard Hutten tributing H.P. Berlage, the architect who designed the Municipal Museum of Modern Art in The Hague for the museum’s restaurant. KI reintroduces Berlage in 2014 via their Blu Sky Collection, an initiative of finding intuitive products with unique stories. The strung seat, which is done by hand means each chair by all accounts is unique.

bounce by knoll | knoll

[ bounce by knoll ] In an effort to reduce a level of uncertainty with planning an office space Knoll debuted software developed in partnership with Estimote, a tech start-up building a digital platform to bring content and context to people’s current location. Bounce by Knoll monitors, measures and analyzes space utilization and the work patterns of the office, and offers a digital user engagement platform. Using the Estimote iBeacon platform, Knoll planted seven iBeacons in their showroom that would give attendees a chance to look at occupancy levels at different stations.

antenna round big table | antenna | knoll

[ antenna round big table ] Masamichi Udagawa and Sigi Moeslinger of Antenna create a clever adaptation of their adjustable height Telescope Desk platform. We’d also like to see a Ballo-like chair pair up with it.

grip | randers + radius / troels grum-schwensen | nienkämper / photo courtesy nienkämper

[ grip ] GRIP is a universal table suitable for all purposes. A new design inspired by tightrope walkers, the top balances on a narrow beam supported by cast aluminum legs. Grip™ gets more stable the more weighted it becomes. Bases are die cast aluminum and are available in one size. Finish offered in glass bead blasted (textured) and a selection of powder coat finishes in black, white, red and silver. A variety of top shapes and sizes are offered in all standard Nienkämper veneers and plastic laminates, as well as black linoleum.

quiet spaces by susan cain | steelcase / photo courtesy steelcase

[ susan cain quiet spaces ] Susan Cain Quiet Spaces by Steelcase offer five diverse ways to empower introverts at work. Each space supports specific postures, work modes, and expectations for quiet and privacy supported by a carefully chosen range of architecture, furniture, materials and technology. Every quiet space is designed with V.I.A. which provides superior acoustic performance and offers an atmosphere where introverts can work their best.

lite wall | jeffrey bernett and nicholas dodziuk | teknion / photo courtesy teknion

[ lite wall ] Lite Wall is a series of lightweight screens that respond to varying needs of the open office. Using magnets, Lite Wall easily reconfigures without tools or any visible connections. Varying screen heights accommodate standing, sitting, lounge and other critical datum lines in the system/office landscape. Designed by Jeffrey Bernett and Nicholas Dodziuk.

millions of colors | grethe sørensen | wolf-gordon / photo courtesy wolf-gordon

[ millions of colors ] Earlier in the year for Wolf-Gordon, Danish textile designer and artist Grethe Sørensen introduced a ground-breaking technique of translating pixels to threads. Cooper-Hewitt plans to acquire her work once its new building opens in late 2014.

[ 1968 > 2013 ]
Who’s watching ‘the sixties’ on CNN? Here’s a little ‘office’ perspective… HM’s Public Office Landscape – 45 years – light years away from HM’s Action Office, the original systems furniture designed in 1968 by Robert Propst that started the modern open plan revolution, etc., etc.

public | yves behar – fuseproject | herman miller 2013 / image courtesy hm

action | robert propst | herman miller 1968 / image courtesy hm

note: (*) we also interviewed 12 designers so stay tuned for more details on these and other great objects. [ best of neocon 2014 winners ]

talking to coalesse new design director john hamilton. milan 2014.

Jun 7, 2014

above> john hamilton design director coalesse

<5_MY Chair | michael young | aka carbon fiber chair || click > enlarge

We met with new Coalesse Design Director John Hamilton in Milan. We talked about the impact of recent management changes at Coalesse and their relationship with parent, Steelcase. We also were introduced to a new and amazing carbon fiber chair created by Michael Young.

[DESIGNAPPLAUSE] John, what’s different at Coalesse after the new restructuring?
[JOHN HAMILTON] I think a lot has changed and not much has changed. What’s changed would not be apparent to most people unless you knew us from the inside. Management has changed but our strategy and philosophy has not. Our problem solving has not changed. When you think what we’re trying to focus on, maybe the ways we’re going to tell the story or ways that we market you would say feels a little different. But if you go back, if you knew the original intent of what we’re trying to do, it’s still the same. We still think there’s a huge opportunity for the direction that was previously set and in that mindset, not that much has changed.

[DA] What is the strategy?
[JH] The world of work is changed in the way we’re all working. For a while we were trying to talk about that change, but now it’s so commonplace that if we mention it, people just nod their head and say ‘I do that’. That also means because of new technologies we all have, we’re now able to choose where we want to work and how we want to work. And now we have a greater variety of where to choose to work than in the past. Because of all multiple devices to choose from we have even more freedom to decide whether to work at the office or somewhere else. Today we’re seeing people choosing not to go to the workplace. And we are probing the reasons for that decision, why are they choosing alternative places. If we can understand why and leverage those insights we might bring people back to the workplace.

What maybe different is our partnership with Steelcase. We’re (Coalesse) part of a very large eco system or organization that’s looking at work, and workers and the workplace and things that are affecting you the whole day, and not just at one location. And we complement them really well and we’re going to find ways to demonstrate that differently or better than we did in the past.

I’ve talked to some people and they say, ‘you’re about home office or about retail, right?’ But we’re are really about the office and trying to bring a different sensibility to that space. And there’s a desire to get people back into the office to restore group synergy, that synergy that fosters greater creativity and collaboration. The office will be more comfortable, healthier, all the wellness things that we as individuals are concerned with.

[DA] John, you mention Steelcase. How do you interface with them?
[[JH] I’m a part of James Ludwig’s Global Design Group. We’re directly connected with them on a daily basis. In short, we’re partners with them. And because of Steelcase, our facilities in Michigan is amazing. I’m in San Francisco now and I’m a little sorry I left Michigan because after I left they implemented an entirely new space. It’s world class. We know it’s world class because we’re global. I’m a good example, I’ve spent time in Asia and that experience is felt in our design.

One of the things we talk about is ‘unfair advantage’ at Steelcase. Which means we at Coalesse leverage Steelcase’s resources. I have a researcher in San Francisco and get to partner with other researchers across the globe. My issues in San Francisco are slightly different because of nuances that we’re working on, but they’re the same issues globally because it’s about people. We’re always globally comparing traditional workspaces against alternative workspaces that we’re working on. If you talk to my direct competitors and ask them if they would like to have 30 researchers situated around the world working for you everyday that you get to leverage and 150 engineers and a model shop and a test lab, anyone would say, absolutely.

[DA] What is the Global Design Group?
[JH] We have several disciplines (design and engineering) at Steelcase which we think about as global. We have a design studio headquartered in Grand Rapids Michigan. There’s one in Salzburg France and Rosenheim Germany, in Hong Kong and San Francisco. And we work together to get an international perspective. It’s not surprising the challenges that I have in San Francisco are slightly different than those in Hong Kong. And when you study all our network locations you begin to see a pattern, where people might be struggling. We have the advantage of using our global perspective to respond. Our reach and scale gives us an unfair advantage.

[DA] Are your products tailored to different parts of the world?
[JH] I think sometimes products get applied differently. Or scaled regionally. We’re starting to find there’s a more international consistency than inconsistency. The opportunity to do something that can be globally executed, we’re seeing greater and greater possibilities of doing that. The nuances are more regional. In Hong Kong, space is a greater concern. So things are tighter, closer together there. But globally we are seeing that people are responding to pillows and lounging chairs where there are more options to sit, stretch, and they are more comfortable and also more productive. And that’s what Coalesse is about, looking at alternative aspects of the workplace, adding new settings, new postures and possibilities.

[DA] I talked to Toan Nguyen and Jean-Marie Massaud last year at Neocon and would like to know how their solutions are being received.
[JH] I was going to ask you the same thing. We are just shipping them and we have a lot of orders to fulfill at this time.

[DA] The designers and experts that I’ve talked to, everyone loves the concepts, the design and execution. The solutions are both unique.
[JH] That’s another example of who we are, we’re striving to be unique. We have a new chair that is very unique, our carbon fibre chair. We partnered with designer Michael Young.

[DA] The chair is beautiful.
[JH] You have to touch it, move it, lift it.

[DA] It’s light as a feather.
[JH] Michael’s office is in Hong Kong. We were talking to him about carbon fiber and our interest in exploring the material and how you could push it and come up with a product that when you looked at it you knew it could only be done in that material. We wanted to do it in a way that really optimized the reason why you would use that material which is about lightness and strength. And it’s expensive for what it is. You want to only use as much as you need. So the Steelcase seating engineers worked with our carbon fiber manufacturer and Michael and FEA modeling to optimize exactly how much you need as you go through the visualization and the testing. We wanted it to stack four-high and weigh less than five pounds. The chair is 4.8 pounds /2.2 kilos. A box of four is under 25 pounds so shipping is inexpensive but this chair, it’s not the most expensive chair in the marketplace.

What’s interesting and the way I look at it, this is about a new product. We’ve always talked about craft and materiality as being very important to Coalesse. When you think about the time when they were exploring wood for example, they were pushing wood technology. They were steam-bending it. They were taking paper and twisting it into a rope, taking materials at that moment and seeing what they could do with it in new ways that literally push the boundaries of manufacturing at that time. Look at Eames, working with plywood and fibreglass. I believe if the Eames’s were around today they’d be playing with carbon fiber.

And there’s a real craft to shape it, join parts together, polish, paint it and then finish coat. Our manufacturing partner is an expert at finishing. If you ask Michael what he thought when he saw the possibilities, he was all eyes and ears. (DesignApplause will be talking to Michael at NeoCon 2014.) Look at the finishing, look at the transition of color, from a 2% to 8% grey. There’s a metallic one over there. We sent them a copper wire and the manufacturer matched it exactly. Another unique by-product on this chair, we’re going to enable the designer to specify what areas they want and which way. Just send a PMS chip or a sample. We can duplicate it. You get to participate. The only limitation with the process is seemingly ‘real-time’.

[DA] Is this powder coated process?
[JH] No, it’s a handpainted process. It’s a craft. Everyone is going to be slightly different, unique. And yet there is the consistency that you expect. And don’t they make carbon fiber bikes and boats and those things are outdoors all day long. This chair is both indoor and outdoor. And they’re so light I can stack four of these and carry them out with one arm.

[DA] John, please hold one in the air. With one hand.

Note: The carbon fiber chair has a new name:<5_MY Chair And keep a look out for our Michael Young’s take on his new chair following NeoCon 14. [ michael young ][ coalesse ] [steelcase ]