On 6 September 2013, Vitra acquires Artek. Two venerable and like-minded bastions of avant garde modern furniture agree to partner. How like-minded? The logos may say it all.
stool 60 special edition series | tom dixon, comme des garçons, mike meiré, monocle, mads nørgaard, nao tamura | artek | 2013 (based on 1933 original by alvar aalto)
[ artek ] Artek was founded in 1935 by Alvar and Aino Aalto, Maire Gullichsen and Nils-Gustav Hahl. The business idea of the company was “to sell furniture and to promote a modern culture of habitation by exhibitions and other educational means.” That was the beginning of Artek. The Artek collection comprises design furniture and lighting fixtures by the Nordic masters Alvar Aalto, Ilmari Tapiovaara, Tapio Wirkkala and Eero Aarnio. The latest addition to the portfolio consists of products by Yrjö Kukkapuro. The masterpiece of Kukkapuro, the Karuselli chair, will be re-launched on the market in the beginning of the year 2014. In addition to classics, Artek is also launching new generation design products under the Artek Studio brand. Alvar Aalto’s furniture represents an interpretation of Scandinavian modernism articulated primarily in Finnish birch wood. Wood and functionality are both hallmarks of the Artek collection. The Artek portfolio represents the most comprehensive collection of wooden design furniture in the world. Artek has international sales offices in New York, Berlin, Stockholm and Tokyo. The domestic market accounts for 60% of the company’s turnover, with Artek holding a solid position in the Finnish consumer and contract market. Vitra’s design classics have for a number of years been an important part of Artek’s collection for the Finnish market. Artek operates four stores in Finland, as well as a wide retail network.
[ vitra ] Vitra is a furniture company dedicated to developing healthy, intelligent, inspiring and durable solutions for the office, the home and for public spaces. Vitra’s products and concepts are developed in Switzerland by applying a diligent design process that brings together the company’s engineering excellence with the creative genius of leading international designers. It is our goal to create products with a high functional and aesthetic life expectancy. The Vitra Campus architecture, the Vitra Design Museum, workshops, publications, collections and archives are all integral elements of the Vitra Project. They give Vitra the opportunity to gain perspective and depth in all of its creative activities.
april is furniture month in europe. on 26 april phillips de pury auctions designed objects [ details ] a week earlier is the milano furniture fair [ salone del mobile 2012 ]
tugenhat mr 150/3 | mies van der rohe | 1929-31
lamp no 2251 | max ingrand | fontana arte | 1961
auction begins: 26 april 4pm | london
viewing: 19 > 26 april 2012
venue: phillip de pury | howick place, london SW1P 1BB
inquiries: 44 20 7318 40 23 | designlondon at phillipsdepury dot com
In 1993 Steve Jobs talks about his logo designer for Next, Paul Rand. Encounter exposes a common thread between them.
For example, did Jobs talk to other designers? No. Rand was the only designer Jobs approached. And Jobs asks if Rand will show him a few options. Rand says, “No, I will solve your problem for you and you will pay me. You don’t have to use the solution and if you want options go to other people. But I will solve your problem for you the best way that I know how.”
Editor’s note: I chaired a conference on corporate identity for the STA (Society of Typographic Arts) before becoming the American Center for Design and I called Mr. Rand four times asking him if he would speak. Well, it was not going to happen. He said he didn’t go to these things, period. Yes, very curmudgeony. The final speakers were: David Strong (David Strong); Robert Burns (Burns Cooper and Hynes); Phil Seefeld (Landor); John Massey (Container Corporation); Wayne Webb (RVI Corporation); Herb Murrie (Murrie White Drummond Lienhart).
Five years later I co-chaired Trademarks USA2 for the STA. Thinking Mr. Rand needed a more esteemed roster and asked: Saul Bass (Bass Yeager); Ivan Chermayeff (Chermayeff & Geismar); Walter Landor (Landor); Walter Margulies (Lippincott Margulies; John Massey (Container Corporation); Wayne Webb (RVI Corporation). Of interest, first time the Walter’s met face-to-face. Mr. Rand said thanks but it was going to be paralysis due to over analysis. He asked if I put this much time into solving design problems.
can you guess date of realization? left: peter behrens
left: werner max moser
left: sophie taeuber arp
left: rossler porzellen
left: paul burri
many of these objects seem sensible and elegant solutions, in response to human needs. what makes their date of origin a bit tricky to nail down? curious about the designer’s design criteria at the time and wondering how history plays into the solutions. [images from the collections of the museum für gestaltung zurich]
answers: 1) 1900 2) 1900 3) 1902 4) 1905 5) 1909 6) 1918 7) 1918 8) 1923 9) 1928 10) 1930s 11) 1929 12) 1931 13) 1931 14) 1933 15) 1934 16) 1935 17) 1936 18) 1938 19) 1944 20) 1945 21) 1952 22) 1955 23) 1955 24) 1957 25) 1948 26) 2008 27) 2008
classic design is always in style, but have you found yourself wondering which of your bauhaus or mid-century favorites are still in production, and if so, where you can get them? above: frank gehry’s wiggle side chair
above: george nelson’s home desk
above: george nakashima’s straight chair
above: marcel breuer’s wassily lounge chair
The answer to that is Edition20, a searchable database of all the best 20th-century goods that are still being produced under their original license. No links to knock-off manufacturers or reproductions or vintage classics that are no longer made.
The site itself is straightforward, easy to navigate and totally addictive. Even the most lukewarm design interest will be sparked by the labyrinthine path sure to ensue after the first click. George Nelson’s 1958 Home Desk by Vitra leads you to Frank Gehry’s 1972 Wiggle Side Chair, which leads you to his other work for Knoll, which can lead you to anything from George Nakashima’s 1948 Straight Chair to Marcel Breuer’s 1928 Wassily Lounge Chair to any of the famous pieces by Harry Bertoia, Mies van der Rohe or Eero Saarinen. And that’s just the chairs. For serious research or just a midday diversion, Edition20 satisfies.
Officially debuting at NeoCon09. According to Knoll Director of Design Benjamin Pardo, “Our goal is to connect with a new generation seeking the next generation of workplaces.” above: though knoll produces more than chairs this is knoll to me.
I came across an olivetti typewriter for sale on ( surprising to me ) urban outfitters.
The typewriter and company brought back memories of ad campaigns running from the 50s – 70s. It’s where I discovered Italian design, Milton Glazer, Walter Balmer.
above: designed by giovanni pintori for the olivetti saldiermaschinen via ninonbooks above: designed by giovanni pintori for the olivetti studio 44 via ninonbooks
above: designed by ettore sottsass for the olivetti valentine – 1969 ( note various artists commissioned to the valentine, branding 101 ) via ninonbooks
above: designed by milton glaser for the olivetti valentine – 1969 via ninonbooks
above: designed by Egidio Bonfante for the Olivetti Valentine – 1970 via ninonbooks
above: designed by yoshitaro isaka for the olivetti valentine – 1969 via ninonbooks
above: designed by paul rand for the olivetti lettera 22 – 1953 via ninonbooks
above: designed by Walter Ballmer for the Olivetti Lettera 32 – 1964 (christmas) via ninonbooks
above: 1957 Christmas print ad for Olivetti Typewriters. via ninonbooks
above: designed by roberto pieracini for the olivetti exhibition via ninonbooks above: designed by walter ballmer for the olivetti exibition – 1961 via ninonbooks
Editor’s note: this post inspires more research… Some employees of Getronics Italia ( who bought Olivetti ) have asked Beppe Grillo to give visibility to their story. Goodbye computer industry. above: sketch of the famous ‘valentina’ typewriter by ettore sottsass
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panton chair | verner panton | vitra | 1967 | click > enlarge
stool 60 special edition series | tom dixon, comme des garçons, mike meiré, monocle, mads nørgaard, nao tamura | artek | 2013 (based on 1933 original by alvar aalto)
about phil patton
