above > luminaire lab² / 4100 ne 2nd avenue – suite 104
in addition to its distinguished gallery program presenting 34 design galleries from around the world, design miami/ – 6 > 10 december 2017 – offers an extensive series of collaborations, satellites, events, retail and hospitality offerings as well as site-specific design commissions for visitors to enjoy throughout the fair week.
above > luminaire’s latest design district outpost, lab², comes alive with an illuminating investigation of the future of domestic design. in conjunction with the launch of the monograph, this will be the place, cassina’s recently appointed art director, patricia urquiola will join the book’s editor and pin-up magazine founder and editor felix burrichter along with renowned german industrial designer konstantin grcic to interact with guests and sign copies.
event >cassina: this will be the place venue > luminaire lab² / 4100 ne 2nd avenue – suite 104 date > wednesday 6 december / 6 > 9p [ rsvp ]
above >homage to kuramata by synthesizing the familiar with the avant-garde, japanese designer shiro kuramata created a dynamic and wide-ranging oeuvre that is still celebrated today. on thursday, december 7, luminaire lab opens its latest exhibition with a look at prolific designer featuring a collection of pieces produced by cappellini that highlight his sensitivity to form an abundance of creativity.
event >luminaire to open shiro kuramata exhibition during art basel 2017 venue > luminaire lab / 3901 ne 2nd avenue date > thursday 7 december / 6 > 9p [ rsvp ]
above >luminairex in collaboration with neushop will host creativemornings / miami presenting designer and dj lia figueredo who will share her experience throughout her career in design, marketing, and music through an interactive talk over breakfast. creativemornings has reunited new york’s creative community and engaged the city’s creative talent, connecting like-minded individuals based on a global theme. today, attendees gather in cities around the world to enjoy fresh coffee, friendly people, and an international array of experts on different topics.
DesignApplause spoke to spanish designer patricia urquiola in the andreu world chicago showroom during neocon. we talk about her the nuez seat collection, which obtained a hip award in the category hospitality: seating at neocon. the chair is described as enveloping, suggestive, warm and at the same time technological. made of injected thermoplastic, it offers different options for the shell interior: fully upholstered, with upholstered seat or with padded seat and backrest. the different bases versions – four wooden legs, aluminum star, five casters or cantilever – come with a range of ten distinct colors for the shell and numerous upholstery options for the seat and backrest. a versatile design, capable of integrating into any type of corporate environment and also at home. the chair launched at salone del mobile 2017.
[patricia urquiola] we’re speaking about a new product introduction, nuez, which means ‘nut’ in english, from valencia-based [ andreu world ]. i’m very proud of our relationship, one we’ve kept for years that’s grown into friendships. we now know each other’s approach well enough where words easily translate into feelings and shapes.
why do this chair? they asked for formal and discrete, very gentle, very easy. though the company does incredible work in other materials, they were looking for a new material not in their workspace portfolio. our discussions led to plastic and they know that my injection approach is always striving for little details that are a bit curious and distinctive. what evolved was a shell concept.
we liked the concept of one shell using two elements, because of the way the two elements, like two papers, came together, like in a nut. from the back of the shell the elements created little wings which felt natural and just right. we pleated the plastic shell for aesthetics and textures giving it a materiality, a sense of touch. compared to our prior collection called nub, which was very… crafted, nuez represents a completely dissimilar notion.
[DesignApplause]nuez is crisp yet shapely. very light and does feel good to the touch. what’s her character like?
[PU] both my company and andreu philosophies are similar on many fronts. we’re all concerned, about who we work with and the way we proceed. we work with nature with a high regard for sustainability and social responsibility. we’re efficient, we produce functionality, durability, timelessness and our work, well it looks like our work. and in the end i’m very proud of this project.
[DA] what’s big on your mind right now? what’s important?
[PU] this is a conversation about a process. a company gives you a brief, you give an answer and you work in this kind of duet. it’s a beautiful established way a designer works within an industrial project. now i’m not a young designer, i’m a mature designer who’s been working this way for awhile. lately i’m doing a lot of experimentation with a group at haworth contributing to define a future vision for the group, creating an umbrella over everything. // in 2015, patricia became cassina’s art director tasked with creative management.
in the beginning it was an object and then a collection. but now we also talk about the relations of objects and space, the experiences, the services the company can offer, about everything! i’m working this way with cassina, haworth, mutina. and with andreu world i’m not doing that but i’m a good friend and they’re accustomed to my opinions and conversations. these conversations are important because they always lead to something new.
in this conversational role, the designer operates in this huge space, to re-think things, to ask more questions, it’s so open ended, so many possibilities. really, at this point the only bad decision is not to try something. and we’re just beginning.
<strong>[DA] stay tuned. [ formafantasma ] (andrea trimarchi and simone farresin) while lecturing at the school of the art institute of chicago was asked if designers are important, is design important. simone said this… the designer and the design is not important in and of themselves. formafantasma’s projects are complete once they leave the studio. it’s rare to know if their projects are a success and are rarely asked to improve what they created. their business model does not involve the relationship you’re experiencing right now.
in contrast simone felt the entrepreneur is more likely to be important. there’s a degree of control over a long period of time whereby something important could evolve.
[PU] “design thinking”, for me a label used too much, has become like a big inclusive net over everything in the world of design. i feel one starts as a specialist in design, like an industrial designer. for those who grow into more systemic integrated spaces the space opens up to expand your reach over the project. the more aspects you touch in sense the more important you are.
we can be a kind of catalyst in between society and ideals for living. we’re not only solving problems, we’re also questioning a lot of problems. i like the idea that this is a new attitude for designers: question and not only solving.
united in their guiding principles, luminaire and cassina share a belief that good design has the power to affect people’s lives. the pioneering design forces are joining again as luminaire welcomes cassina back into the family by offering their innovative range of products in the luminaire showrooms and online store. luminaire is pleased to reunite with cassina and looks forward to a future sharing and shaping the concept of good design.
with a collection that includes iconic pieces from the likes of le corbusier and charlotte perriand to new, progressive designs by visionaries including patricia urquiola, konstantin grcic, and ronan & erwan bouroullec, cassina demonstrates a thoughtful appreciation for its history while looking to the future. the prestigious brand was founded in 1927 in meda, italy by brothers cesare and umberto cassina who translated the rich tradition of furniture production and woodworking of the region into an industrialized system for manufacturing that redefined the notion of contemporary italian design. for over 90 years, cassina has remained on the forefront of design thanks to its unwavering commitment to research, experimentation, and design expression.
cassina has distinguished itself by collaborating with a range of outside designers. since the mid ’50s, the company has engaged the talents of architects such as gio ponti, afra and tobia scarpa, mario bellini and vico magistretti for design collaborations. these designers redefined the notion of what it meant to be contemporary with furniture by reinterpreting traditional form, function, and production. cassina has continued this modern union of designer and producer, melding a diverse range of products together with cohesion by imbuing each project with their design philosophy.
with an eye on the future, cassina has introduced new designers into its collection including zaha hadid, philippe starck, and its newly appointed art director, patricia urquiola. urquiola has established refreshing new designs with cassina like the floe insel, a versatile modular sofa inspired by icebergs with pieces working as “floating islands” that can be used together or separately for a combination of options situated in any living space.
luminaire and cassina have shared a long history in the pursuit of propagating good design. this reunion marks a welcome addition to the luminaire catalog that will see the two brands working together to create new ways of living for the future. for clients of luminaire, the addition of cassina provides another facet in creating dynamic environments made for living.
“cassina represents an important legacy of italian design. from their rich history, they continue to look to the future. we are excited for what lies ahead for cassina and their visionary impact on modern design.” said by luminaire ceo nasir kassamali
above> embroidery chair | johan lindsten | cappellini | 2016
the four seasons are the characters of embroidery chair series by johan lindsten. expressing the encounter between the embroidery tradition passed down through generations and next-generation industrial technology, these four chairs with ash wood body and backrests with cross-stitch embroidery on tapestry wool depict painterly landscape scenes drawn from the essence of the four seasons. colors change together with seasons from the ash stained walnut shell of autumn to the white ash of spring, from the black stained ash of winter to the red stained ash of summer.
below> orla plus | jasper morrison | cappellini | 2016
orla plus collection by jasper morrison is the tale of the development and evolution of orla project. the asymmetry theme combined with smooth lines is the leitmotif of this collection that consists of sofas in either two- or three-seater models, an armchair and a swivel chair. fixed cover for the base and removable covers for the cushions are available in all fabrics and leathers of the collection. the pillows are removable and have polyurethane foam padding.
below> utrecht chair | gerrit t. rietveld | 1935 // boxblocks | bertjan pot | cassina | 2016
the artist bertjan pot has designed an exclusive bespoke textile in three jacquard versions for the utrecht armchair giving a contemporary twist to this icon by gerrit t. rietveld. the architecture of the armchair is reflected in the innovative workmanship of the boxblocks fabric which is made up of 8 colored threads mixed 2 at a time to create 19 different colors on a template which outlines the shape of the armchair. carried out with an advanced computer controlled jacquard weaving machine. the result is a unique and perfectly balanced geometric pattern in which the combination of triangles is never repeated. a homage to dutch creativity, each unique boxblocks version fits 90 limited edition pieces like a tailor-made dress, for a total of 270 models, which are progressively numbered to guarantee the cassina mark of authenticity. the utrecht armchair was designed in 1935 and has been exclusively produced by cassina since 1988.
“my concepts are never single lined or step by step but they are always a meeting point of different ideas and feelings.
for the boxblocks textile of the utrecht it was important for me to do something today that was not technically possible at the time of the armchair’s creation.
the pattern is inspired by the modernist ‘block-sculptural’ shape of the chair itself. when talking patterns there are generally two types, one is the pattern that respects the product and enhances its shape (think traditional tartan checks and stripes), the other is the pattern that crosses seams and dazzles its actual shape (think zebra stripes and large organic flower prints)… this one does both.”
bertjan pot.
below> lloyd | jean-marie massaud | poltrona frau | 2016
jean-marie massaud designs lloyd, a system of storage units and bookcases with variable geometries. thin vertical wooden rods create light grilles that run from top to bottom on invisible horizontal rails. each grille can be moved as desired to create sequences that are different each time. a fluctuating score of solids and voids, of light and shade. a sensual game that offers a glimpse of the contents, books and objects, without fully revealing them.
the most advanced technology is combined with traditional materials, wood and saddle leather, to form a solid and minimalist structure. the effect is almost intangible, transparent. the horizontal elements on which the grilles slide are made from hpl, a material which even in very thin layers guarantees stability and strength, with a natural oak veneer. the vertical uprights, in mdf covered with cuoio saddle or cuoio saddle extra leather, are placed at regular intervals to give the piece of furniture rhythm and enhance the liberating effect of the grilles.
each individual grille is a painstaking piece of cabinetwork. the solid oak rods are cut in different thicknesses and then individually glued by hand. given the very reduced surfaces of the rods, the lead-colored dye is also applied by hand in several phases.
there is an infinite number of possible compositions. in the wall version the base is closed by mdf panels covered, like the uprights, with cuoio saddle or cuoio saddle extra leather. in the freestanding version, the mobile grilles run along both sides for an even more vibrant and chiaroscuro effect. in all variants the sides of the structure are closed by fixed grilles.
the lloyd can take the form of large bookcases or open storage units of various sizes. widths range from 225 to 280 cm, heights from 46 to 188 cm and its depth is 42.5 cm. the composition can rest on lead-colored solid oak stands or sit directly on the floor on steel feet with matt gunmetal grey finish.
event> “being original: making the case for authentic design” aia and idcec approved ceu course date> tuesday 22 september 2015 | 12 noon venue> centro | 4727 mcpherson avenue | st. louis MO rsvp> by friday 18 september 2015 | office@centro-inc.com instructor> john james jenkin, ceo, driade
Be Original Americas™ will present their first-ever Continuing Education Unit (CEU) course on the importance of authentic design while delving into the nature of innovation and creativity. The economic, social, legal, and personal costs of supporting knock-offs will be highlighted. This will be held at Centro, St. Louis’ premiere location for the best in design, during St. Louis Design Week. Instructor John James Jenkin, CEO, Driade and a Be Original Americas board member will lead the program for architects and interior designers to earn continuing education (0.1 IDCEC/1 LU AIA) credits for members of American Institute of Architects (AIA) and Interior Design Continuing Education Council (IDCEC). The 2 hour program will include a 1 hour course, networking and lunch.
[ be original americas ]
Be Original Americas, founded in 2012, is committed to educating, informing and influencing designers, businesses, and the greater public on the value of purchasing authentic designs. The goal is to elevate the discussion so that all who appreciate good design also understand the economic, social, and ethical reasons to support the creators and manufacturers of original, authorized design, thereby ensuring its future.
[ centro ]
Cento began in 1988 as a trade showroom representing furniture, lighting, and textiles from around the globe. In 1998, Centro opened its doors to retail clientele in the historic Central West End neighborhood of St. Louis, MO. A showroom expansion in 2003 tripled the size of the showroom. Today, Centro is the exclusive St. Louis retailer for over forty-five of the leading design brands in the world, including B&B Italia, Driade, Zanotta, Tom Dixon, Flos, Cassina, Alessi, Moooi, Cappellini, Artemide, Fritz Hansen, Knoll, and Herman Miller.
[ INTERNI magazine ] is celebrating its 60th anniversary and 60 years of Italian Design with an online charity auction. The anniversary is in collaboration with six renowned Italian brands in the fields of accessories, living and lighting including: Alessi, Cappellini, Cassina, Flos, Kartell, and Poltrona Frau. Each company created a special limited-edition of one of its most iconic products, made with a unique finish, and only available through INTERNI’s online benefit auction to benefit the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation. Auction ends 13 June 2014.
[ alessi ] presents Noè, set of 6 champagne cork pincers made of 18/10 stainless steel and hand gold plating in 24 carat gold designed by Giulio Iacchetti. The champagne cork opener from the “Noè” series shape is inspired by the outline of a bottle. Produced in AISI 630 steel that is cast in a shell with the lost-wax process and then polished, Giulio Iacchetti’s cork opener features cutters on top, allowing you to cut the metal cage that secures the cork. You can then release the cork using the tool to make expulsion easier. The cork opener comes in special packaging developed for the Objets-Bijoux featured in the Alessi catalogue.
[ cappellini ] presents the Embryo Chair, design Marc Newson (1988), padded and covered with a special bi-elastic red fabric. Embryo Chair, armchair with three legs and metal structure is one of Marc Newson’s first design projects and it is proposed in an unusual red fabric. This product is one of the most significant works by the Australian designer. Embryo Chair is part of the permanent collections of Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg (Germany), Museum of Modern Art San Francisco (USA).
[ cassina ] presents 699 Superleggera chairs (set of 2), design Gio Ponti (1957 – 2013 special edition) in matte grey lacquer finish structure and upholstery fabric from the Gio Ponti collection (Rubelli).
Based on the Ligurian tradition of the Chiavari chair, the Superleggera marks a high point in the research of Gio Ponti and of the skill and ability of experimentation and craftsmanship of Cassina and its artisans. Progressive lightening of the structure and alterations to the form of the uprights, with respect to the first version, the Leggera of 1952, led in 1957 to a solution marked by a perfect balance between solidity and lightness. “Creating the Superleggera – Gio Ponti said – I have applied an eternal technical process, that strives to move from weight to lightness. By subtracting – inert matter and weight, finding of the form with the structure, wisely and without virtuoso gestures, respecting utility and the ‘exact solidity.’
[ flos ] presents the set of 2 String Light lamps, design Michael Anastassiades (2014) in a conical version with wallrose, white finish and decoration by American artist Shantell Martin. «Every time I take the train, I sit by the window and watch the series of perfectly parallel strings connecting the pylons, as we move at high speed. I love the way they divide the landscape and how spheres are occasionally beaded through the wires at random intervals. I also love how, in Mediterranean cultures, strings of lights are stretched between posts to mark an outdoor space for an evening party in a village square. And finally, I love how human ingenuity works around problems created by everyday things in the house (like switches and power points) that others have chosen to position where we don’t want them.» This is how Michael Anastassiades, a Cypriot designer based in London and born in 1967, describes the Spring Lights ceiling lamp. A system of tensors gives volume and three-dimensionality to the form outlined by this lightweight cord that plays with space. Light source: 1 LED Array 2700K – 1980 lm total – CRI90 – 25W, dimmer regulation through Bluetooth Android and Apple application.
[ kartell ] presents the Bourgie table lamp, design Ferruccio Laviani (2004), one-off metal finish in tones of gold, silver and copper. Ten years after its debut, the Bourgie table lamp has become a genuine bestseller, a transverse, eclectic object that fits into a wide range of decor styles. In this tenth anniversary year, the lamp has been made with a special one-off metal finish, becoming part of the “Precious Kartell” collection. The three parts of the structure are colored in gold, silver and copper, topped by the large copper-color shade, in one of this season’s hottest hues.
[ poltrona frau ] presents the Juliet armchair and pouf, design Benjamin Hubert (2012) in a special Nest-category leather and crimp stitching in the inner part of the seat and back. Juliet is the armchair that symbolizes Poltrona Frau’s one hundredth anniversary, winner of the design contest held by the company to celebrate this important event between twelve talented designers from all over the world. With an invitation and a challenge: to project the brand values into the future, and to do so now. The structure is created from solid beech and birch plywood. Upholstery is in Pelle Frau leather and further embellished by an innovative crimp stitching in the interior part of the seat and backrest.
what> INTERNI 60th anniversary online auction
when> may 19 > 13 june 2014
where>: auction details
French designer Jean Nouvel tells an intriguing story with his Office for Living Project. 30 years from now if we look back at today’s office we will be stunned to find them — unlivable. In this installation there are several components. One is ‘il maestro’ a tribute to the masters amid a rejection of corporate environments.
standard desk, metropole chair n 308 | jean prouvé | 1943/50
1> 617 johnson wax | frank lloyd wright | cassina | 1936
2> storage unit | ray&charles eames | herman miller | 1949
3> triposto bench | gio ponti | tecno | 1967
4> série Synthesis 45 | ettore sottsass | olivetti | 1968/73
5> t90 executive desk | osvaldo borsani | tecno | 1956
6> chiat day desk | gaetano pésce | 1994
7> standard desk, metropole chair n 308 | jean prouvé | 1943/50
8> bay’s desk | pierre jeannerét | 1952-56
9> carlo mollino | zanotta | 1949
If you live in the Chicago metro area and you appreciate good design and a good thing, listen up. Nasir Kassamali, founder of Luminaire has created something very special. He has converted the second floor of Luminaire to accomodate, many one-of-a-kind (very rare), objects that he has had warehoused. He did it five years ago in Miami. Now until mid-May, or as long as the items last, this temporary concept shop is waiting for you.
Superleggera Chair | Gio Ponti | Cassina | 1957
Inspired by the traditional Chiavari chairs Ponti had seen at the Italian seaside, the design was meant to be so strong and so light that a child could lift it up with one finger. A child can. It’s a remarkably simple design that gains it’s appeal from it razor thin looks, and its ability to go from modest to high fashion when dressed up in color. Very rare, one left.
Puma MY-21Mid Shoe | Yashuhiro Mihara | Puma
Fusing streetwear with surfwear, Japanese designer Yashuhiro Mihara has created a line for Puma which reflects the future of urban chic. Features mesh for breathability and vinyl for an unexpected touch.
Vision | Karel Boonzaaijer and Pierre Mazairac | Pastoe | 1985
Vision (nightstands) was designed from the philosophy that a cabinet composition should be part of the total room architecture. The basis of Vision is a single cube without handles, completely mitred, and in different depths, heights and widths. Fronts close using a push-touch system. A single form yields endless variations of volume, colour and line composition. The possibilities for compositions are unlimited; from a three-dimensional relief to a graphic grid of line and flat planes, from a series of sideboards to an architectonic landscape of volumes, from wall-mounted object to wall component. Very rare, one left.
Love Letter | Castiglioni | Molo
The lamp base is the part removed from the marble base of the Arco Lamp (1962) by Flos. The “letter” itself is a light source, consisting of a bi-directional electroluminescent film that gives off light from both sides and has a surface that you can white on with a dry erase marker (or something more permanent if you are feeling committed!). The quality of light is soft, similar to candle light – just enough to keep you company. Castiglioni utilized many readily available parts to create his designs and that is reflected in this lamp by Molo. Very rare, one left.
the overall quality of creativity and presentations in milan was astounding. for example, there weren’t many companies we visited that did not create a classic icon. cassina interestingly built their 2012 theme around — “authentic by design.” in cassina’s words:
The gesture of the designer, their hand, a sketch, an idea. The authenticity of a project is an ever innovative process of thought, insight and research, which Cassina identifies and values starting from the original creative heart, combining its qualitative excellence with its consolidated workmanship experience.
Cassina deliberately seeks authenticity in every project. This perspective is the starting point for the 2012 collection: a series of projects that express a way of thinking and living authentic design, where each element is always substantive and consistent.
crated icons were in the windows and and key locations on the floor.
close to the showroom entrance the icons are displayed on a planked area.
each inspiring icon holds an inspiring story. if you’re wondering, i didn’t know three of the 11 icons. see how you do, the answers are below.
[ the authentic icons ] [ cassina ] 1) red and blue | gerrit thomas rietveld | 1973 2) maralunga | vico magistrati | 1973 3) LC4 | le corbusier & jeanneret perriand | 1965 4) hillhouse | charles rennie mackintosh | 1973 5) luisa | franco albini | 2008 6) petalo | charlotte periand | 2009 7) barrel | frank lloyd wright | 1986 8] LC2 | le corbusier & jeanneret perriand | 1965/2006 9) feltri | gaetano pesce | 1987 10) superleggera | gio ponti | 1957 11) wink – toshiyuki kita | 1980
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