leading british furniture maker benchmark presents a new collection of furniture by award-winning american architect david rockwell at 100% design from 18 – 21 september, during the london design festival.
the sage collection is designed for office and commercial/hospitality environments as well as the home, with a specific focus on human health and well-being within the built environment and meets the standards required for well certified buildings.
18-21 september 2019
wed 10am-5pm, thurs 10am-9pm, fri – sat 10am-5pm
olympia london
hammersmith road
kensington
W14 8UX
to celebrate its 25th anniversary, surface magazine is teaming up with david rockwell to explore american design now by reinterpreting a u.s. icon. aptly called the diner, the experience will take place during salone del mobile and offer a place where strangers become a community, where causal yet intimate encounters occur, and where cultural differences are celebrated. david rockwell and the lab at rockwell group are designing four distinct environments—the roadside diner, the east coast luncheonette, the midwest diner, and the west coast diner.
to round out the diner, surface is tapping additional emerging and established american designers and firms, including the renowned design studio 2×4, which is creating the project’s visual identity.
during the day, the immersive eatery and lounge will offer a contemporary take on quintessentially american food and drink, and feature a conversation series and other programming; at night, the space will transform into a nightclub featuring performances and parties.
public art, japanese shadow play and an american twist / exhibitors: stephan hürlemann with horgenglarus, surface magazine in collaboration with david rockwell and 2×4, baars & bloemhoff, editamateria with antonio aricò, nitto, agc asahi glass, a project by fabrica with pierre frey, denis guidone and tomoko fuse, franco mazzucchelli, and eileen fisher presents designwork, curated by lidewij edelkoort. surface + rockwell group + 2×4’s the diner.
please note: registration for ventura centrale and ventura future. ventura centrale and ventura future are freely accessible events during the milan design week. however, we do ask visitors to register online and acquire online tickets that will be scanned at the entrances – that way, we can ensure safe entrance for everyone. you can immediately save the pdf on your phone and use it to access our locations!
above> a concept sketch for rockwell unscripted / image courtesy knoll
neocon 2016 has provided an opportunity to become better acquainted with start-up and design resource kontor. mia lewin is a founder and ceo, bill hanley is the vice president content / editorial director
[DesignApplause] mia, why don’t you give everyone a little bit of background on the concept of kontor? [mia lewin] kontor is an inspiration and workflow tool for professional designers and their clients. you can think about it as a combination of houzz and pinterest for commercial interiors. we bring together designers and their clients, product manufacturers, and distributers, all on one image-based platform, allowing them to work together to design better offices. the company was founded by me, our cto, andy parsons, tom melcher, and kevin ryan — kevin is a serial entrepreneur here in new york behind gilt groupe, business insider, and many other successful companies. my background is really in the commerce and lifestyle industries. i’ve always been passionate about design and fashion. back in 2009 i saw home design, moving online and going much more global in its aesthetic. people wanted to mix and match styles and products, and we started kontor because we saw those same trends happening on the commercial interior side, especially in the tech industry, in silicon valley where i was based for about for 10 years. i really wanted to build this platform that was an inspiration. everybody can collect and create mood boards as well as collaborate together with their teams and their clients, all in one place, to come to design decisions better and faster.
[da] and how’s it going? what’s the past year been like? [ml] the past year’s been great! about a year ago, at neocon we launched our private beta version of kontor. we had about 30 early partner design firms on the platform. and a year later, as we’re going into neocon again, we now have 850 of the leading design and architecture firms on the platform, representing more than 60 different countries. we launched the product publicly last november, and we’ve become the go-to platform to the designers and architects within these 850 firms. we’ve seen tremendous growth and excitement. in addition to the design firms, we also have around 200 of the who’s-who of design brands, contextually integrated into the site. these range from knoll, herman miller, steelcase, to trendsetters…like moooi, tom dixon, muuto, secto (who are, like me, from finland), among others.
[da] what is your criteria on how you select partners? [bill hanley] we show work by design firms of all sizes and shapes, from hok and perkins + will to knoll and herman miller, down to solo practitioners doing tight-budget products. we want to reflect all sorts of different budgets, all sorts of different styles, and the range of interesting work that’s being designed out there. and then we curate what to showcase from large, big budget projects to creative small solutions.
[da] your growth is one thing…the way you started by just connecting people, has that changed? i’m not talking about where you’re thinking of going in the future but it started out very simple, just connecting people. all the articles, a little over six or seven months old, called you the pinterest in this field and it seems much bigger than that. but maybe that’s how you started? are you doing more than just giving people ideas? visual ideas? [ml] yes, absolutely. our vision is really to enable the workflow for both the designer and their clients. and it’s really being able to provide a sense of what is going on in the industry and then provide the audience with the workflow tools to help throughout the project. starting with from the inspirational stage of looking at examples and ideas for a new interior, to collaborating on the overall aesthetic, to presenting and exchanging ideas and having discussions, all the way to making product decisions by facilitating conversations between the designers, the clients and the brands — everyone involved with purchasing decisions about what goes into an interior.
[da] what you’re saying is you’re now functioning as a part of the team? is that right? [bh] it’s really a collaboration tool. we enable discussions that you have with your team, presenting mood boards, saying “i love this i hate that and what about this?” you know those have been very analogue historically. and what we’re doing is digitizing that conversation and also giving you information about products in a way that didn’t exist before. you can actually make one-to-one comparisons within those mood boards and start narrowing down decisions on what you’d want to include in a project. we’re not actively, as a company, participating in the design so much as providing a tool that enables people to communicate in a fast digital way.
[da] what’s the best way to utilize kontor’s resources? [ml] we’ve built the largest database for office interiors in the world. on top of the database we built the industry’s first design-specific specific search and discovery tool. you can collect information on kontor but you can also collect from any website and manage all of your digital content, information on products, all in one place. then we provide those collaboration tools for you to make product and design decisions in a much more digital way. it’s all about searching and browsing for inspiration, seeing trends, collecting, collaborating and finally making those design choices.
[da] let’s come up with a case example. we have a design office and they have a client. now using your new digital tool, how does this whole process start and unfold? [bh] designers come back to kontor to take a look at what’s new in workplace design. they know they can see new and interesting products every day on our site. when they eventually enter the workflow process, KONTOR seamlessly becomes a part of that process, either initiated by the designers or their clients.
users will also curate collections of images that they find interesting. they will also add other imagery that supplements it. for example, if a designer is working on a kitchen space. they can quickly collect a multitude of different kitchen spaces on kontor and then invite a colleague and/or client to collaborate on that collection. everyone is easily exposed to who’s doing what in the entire workplace design field. in the end, designers can educate client to make better decisions.
KONTOR also has the ability to gather images and keep a record of the process, a real timesaver. for example, let’s say they’re reading DesignApplause and grab a few images on your site—which unlike doing a random google search, always retains a link to where those images are found. once the mood board is created, using kontor’s comments feature, the team easily discuss what they have collected there. reference copies of all of the images in the collection can also be downloaded (with a prominent watermark attributing the photo) if there’s a need for a traditional physical pin-up presentation. you can also use those boards to collect, say, three different pendant lights with different price points then using the commenting function, conversations regarding selection come about. Kontor provides an easy-to-manage digital process from the ideation phase through the execution.
[da] are all these happenings confined to the desktop? do you have any mobile capabilities? [ml] the site is completely responsive, which means it’s mobile- and tablet- enabled so you can use it as a web experience. we’ll be launching an actual mobile app later on.
[da] you mentioned a couple of events. what events are you attending? [bh] we’ll be in your neighborhood for neocon coming up shortly. we’re giving out tote bags and also sponsoring the coffee bar in the vip lounge with bow truss coffee which i’m super excited about. they have amazing coffee! we make our rounds to all of the regular events. the latest was icff in new york. did you attend also?
[da] i was. i was really happy to see, this is my third year in a row, a remarkable growth of offerings. javits remained solid but offsite offerings grew. felt more like a european design week. [bh] yes, also with me. one thing that was really surprising and fun was the expanded site unseen offsite. i think they did a really good job of keeping a really tightly curated and exciting group of the new makers.
[da] we just mentioned a few of the established companies doing new things, which is very exciting. i’m wondering to what extent the emerging talents are now inspiring the established, a topsy turvy process. let’s talk a little bit about your collaboration with knoll at neocon this year. [ml] great, yes. we are collaborating with knoll to launch their new office collection by david rockwell and we’ll also be hosting a joint event at the knoll showroom. the new rockwell collection, unscripted, is a really unique and fun collection with a strong design aesthetic but that is also very adaptable to all kinds of offices and uses.
above> rockwell unscripted includes bleachers which can wrap around corners and come in a variety of customizable finishes / image courtesy knoll an overview of the entire collection / image courtesy knoll
[da] when is the event? [bh] monday the 13th at 4:30p at the knoll showroom. ron, you probably already have one but i’ll send you an invite.
[da] thank you! how did knoll and kontor partner up? [ml] we’ve had a longstanding relationship with them. knoll was our very first design brand partner. and we launched our private beta to the industry last year, together with knoll, at neocon in their showroom. and since then we’ve partnered with 200 leading design brands but knoll really was the first. and as part of the partnership we do a lot of co-promotional activities to really tell the story of their product and ours in a new, fresh way.
[da] i’m now very curious what your working space is like? is it the same as startup? [ml] ha! the cobbler’s children have no shoes. so we’re a typical startup in the way that we’ve been super busy building the team and building the product. we are still subleasing with our sister company, zola, which is a wedding registry and another portfolio company of kevin ryan. we are in a very fun industrial-style space in tribecca in manhattan. as for our next own, real office we are starting the process very soon. we’ll probably have a design competition with our design partners and brands to create an office space that reflects the mixing and matching of different styles, a global aesthetic combining flexibility, technology and design. naturally we’ll be collaborating on kontor to make that come true.
[da] right answer kontor is free to utilize now. how do you expect to monetize in the future? [ml] the platform is free for everyone, for the designers, architects and their clients who are using us as their workflow tool. the offering for the design brands and dealers, will soon become a paid service as of july 1, 2016. it’s a contextual marketing tool for brands and their distributors to reach the key decision makers in the industry using the kontor platform. there will be a monthly subscription fee based on the bundle of services they opt into.
[da] can you give us an example of the insight the past year has presented to you? [bh] in terms of macro-trends the influence of residential design and hospitality on office design has continued to grow. as everyone becomes able to work anywhere and everywhere. the kind of domestic comfort and sense of space more akin to a hotel lobby is becoming more prominent in the office space. we also do quarterly trend forecasts. we’ll have another one coming out at the end of the month.
because of the volume of projects and images that designers post on kontor every day, we’re also able to see micro-trends early. we start to see similarities among spaces emerging well before a lot other people. we’ve been tipping off our users with our findings. that’s everything from particular configurations of conference rooms to things like the return of the chesterfield sofa. who knew? it’s really interesting what you can see when you use our search to look at our database.
[da] the chesterfield, for example, is the trend spontaneous across different sectors or are people using, maybe the internet, and being influenced? [bh] i think it’s a little bit of both. some of the trends are people wanting the same lighting fixtures they discovered in the media. on the other hand, there are ideas emerging independently that are responding to the way people work now. certain ways of treating lounge spaces and certain ways of treating workspaces. the actual use of the office space may have more influence on a trend than just businesses wanting their space to look like a prominent project.
[da] is there anything that you want to talk about that we haven’t talked about yet? [ml] we’ve covered a lot today, thank you. any questions that you may have?
[da] kontor is a very interesting product with a lot of promise and the best of luck to you. thank you for reaching out to DesignApplause and of course, we’ll see you at knoll! [ml & bh] see you at knoll!
above> introducing montara650 collection by the coalesse design group and lievore altherr molina
coalesse® engages a&d as participants at neocon 2016 / #1032 – a&d community invited to take part in the design process
coalesse, recognized for forward-looking, design-driven products that foster social connection, creative collaboration, and focus and rejuvenation, is inviting the a&d community to participate in the design process through a range of new products and custom capabilities at neocon 2016.
its showroom #1032, will feature expressions of custom capabilities that can be applied through the newly launched potrero415™ tables, massaud conference seating, and the montara650™ collection, among other products, giving a&d professionals the opportunity to discover new ways of personalizing through color and pattern, materials and features, and shape and size to make it their own and enhance emotional engagement at the workplace.
showroom visitors are also invited to participate in the design process through coalesse’s new customizer web app, which demonstrates ways of applying custom color and pattern to the groundbreaking lessthanfive™ chair. the web app and degree of product offerings make customization highly-attainable, empowering clients to be curators of a more meaningful design experience.
below> vitra & artek / #1192 // north american introductions / vitra customized applications
at neocon, vitra will present a series of projects that demonstrate how it has optimized collaboration with client project teams. this provides clients a direct dialogue and unprecedented access to vitra’s top design talent, allowing for the custom-development of new product applications for large scale projects.
below> mohawk group / #377 & 3-121
elevate contemporary spaces to inspired floorscapes through mohawk’s latest production collections. inspired by nature and designed to merge fashion with function.
below> mohawk group / moving floors collection / diagonal relief, fade relief, plane high, plane low, 656 green 24by24
designed to be dynamically moving base on the user’s point of view, moving floors was inspired by the multi-layered beauty of our cultural landscape. empowers designers to create kinetic floorscapes through limitless combinations.
below> haberdasher textiles / by laura guido-clark for herman miller / 3-321
haberdasher is an array of palettes and patterns, inspired by traditional sewing materials—and tailored for projects of various sizes and budgets. giving solids and patterns license to commingle or stand alone, haberdasher gives you license to play. mix. match. curate. collaborate. differentiate. and indulge.
above> there are 5 families each with their own identity. pins and needles: a simple pattern of pins strewn about a canvas becomes iconic in a highly graphic way. / string plaid: the crosshatch pattern creates a colorful, dynamic, and graphic twist on traditional plaid. / well suited: allows vibrant and deep colors to collaborate in a small scale, two-color nailhead pattern. / fish net: the quilted hand offers dimension and explores a large line of intense, warm, and cool colors. / tailored: the tightly woven grid texture creates a subtle surface that reflects light and contours form.
below> hbf & hbf textiles / 387
hbf has returned to its roots, teaming with esteemed designer and longtime partner michael vanderbyl to create introduce conexus, a work/lounge chair designed to function across any contract setting — offices, lobbies, hospitality environments…
designer michael vanderbyl notes, “i strive for timelessness. conexus plays with the shape of a classic lounge chair and transforms it into a more organic form that showcases the exceptional craftsmanship in the woodwork and the upholstery. the wood merges with the upholstery in such a seamless way that the piece takes on a sculptural quality, an engineering feat that hbf executed masterfully.”
below> hbf textiles highlights color, texture, yarn, and hue in spring 2016 collection
known for their artful and authentic approach to design, hbf textiles is going back to the classics for its spring 2016 collection. hbf textiles vice president of design mary jo miller started with le corbusier’s infamous lc palette of colors from the 1920s, and used these fresh shades as a catalyst for the collection.
below> tek pier / teknion / 1048
tek pier “is the first product of its kind to successfully merge wall-mounted monitors with height-adjustable worksurfaces,” said paul kruger, teknion’s director of design, architectural products. tek pier takes advantage of teknion’s altos demountable wall cable routing, structure and acoustic performance. the innovative origami mount allows for fluid positioning to share a large format monitor, maintain viewing privacy, or engage in touchscreen applications.
below> designtex / moquette / 1032a
moquette is a textile mash-up that blends a classic velvet weaving technique with the creative possibilities offered by digital printing technology. the woven structure employs a “moquette” construction produced on a modern wire loom, allowing some areas to be woven as flat bands while elsewhere selected yarns are lifted and then cut to create a short, dense pile. beginning with a simple pattern of alternating horizontal stripes of varying widths, the moquette technique adds complexity by introducing a sense of dimensionality, which is enhanced by the luxurious combination of lustrous and matte yarns. finally, the raised, plush surfaces of the woven fabric are printed digitally with a non-repeating and random color pattern.
the result is an intricate layering of textures and colors that evokes natural landscapes, reflecting biologist e.o. wilson’s concept of biophilia—the theory that human beings are instinctively drawn to the natural world, and thus that design following this principle provides a heightened sensation of comfort and repose. below> parentesit freestanding / by lievore altherr molina for arper / 339
arper extends the functionality of parentesit to include freestanding models for increased privacy and comfort. architectural in scale, these modules carve out a three-dimensional space for concentration or quiet conversation in shared workspaces or collaborative environments.
parentesit was created with a dual inspiration of minimalist art and classic japanese interiors. to shift this approach to an architectural scale, the screen is capable of dividing a room in half, or partitioning off a space for quiet, independent thought.
below> wolf-gordon / & 10 – 161
following dazzling installations of sculptures and interactive digital displays in past years of neocon, wolf-gordon has again transformed the market space in a new way. office_excavate re-envisions the cubicle-enclosed office by creating a colorful, open seating space that can be easily rearranged for meetings, coffee breaks, and recharging of phones and humans alike. the furniture, which can be used alternately as seating, desks, tables, or stools, will be upholstered in over 100 different wolf-gordon textiles. office_excavate is a collaboration of karlssonwilker inc., new motor, graham kelman and wolf-gordon creative direction. below> humanscale / 351
they’re not only previewing a brand new line of diffrient occasional chairs they’re unveiling never-before-seen niels diffrient designs. take a journey through human-centered design innovation and chat with founder and ceo bob king, visionary designer todd bracher and the rest of the humanscale team.
below> carnegie / 10 – 112
reflectacoustic is a groundbreaking design that controls sound and delivers heat and glare reduction through yarn, weaving and metalized backing technology. the textile absorbs and reflects back a great deal of light; all validated through 3rd party testing.
below node with sharesurface / sharesurface was designed by steelcase design studio / steelcase / 300
steelcase health research reveals exam rooms not designed for the modern healthcare experience . findings uncover five ways exam space is failing physicians, patients and family members; informs new design framework and product, node® with sharesurface
node with sharesurface features a rotating sharesurface that provides dynamic access to information, a central part of the exam experience. physicians using mobile technology are able to chart while maintaining eye contact, pivot the surface to share their screen with the patient and family for education and shared decision making, all while having mobility in the room. the chair’s back and arms allow doctors to have more conversational postures during consultation and the rotating surface arm moves out of the way for examination activities.
below> northern parallel / cf stinson / 10-1150
[ collection summary ]
• 7 new textiles, 72 colorways.
• a collection of coordinating textiles that explores the connections between michigan (where stinson is headquartered) and maine (where stinson houses their design studio).
• shared michigan/maine discoveries:
• similar geographic latitudes
• rigorous climate with diverse seasons
• inhabitants with an appreciation for nature and willingness to embrace the seasons
• michigan/maine ideals include work hard, build with integrity and if you are going to be unique – be honest. shared mindset explored through textiles that are hard working, unique, honest and full of integrity.
• made in america, small carbon footprint.
below> the doni collection / designed by giancarlo piretti for ki / 1181
if you can dream it, doni can express it. create with a fresh palette of energizing brights and sophisticated neutrals. imagine the possibilities with two-tone colors and unlimited custom color possibilities. the collection offers guest, task, tandem and stackable configurations.
rooted in david rockwell’s innovative approach to hospitality environments and public space, and inspired by his award-winning design for theater and entertainment, rockwell unscripted is a comprehensive collection of furniture elements that adapt to the spontaneous choreography of the work day.
“our interest is in getting people to look at their work environments as a stage on which movable furniture can be arranged in endless configurations. you can craft the scene around what it is you’re doing that day,” said rockwell group founder and president david rockwell.
below> lievore altherr molina’s arcel for bernhardt design / 399
glass gradients by scholten & baijings add dimensionality to a space by establishing a dialogue between the simplicity of the patterns with their signature color palette.
below> suri pouf / designed by sezgin aksu and silvia suardi for kolekiyon / 11 – 113a
inspired by headgear from the ottoman empire
below> elemental wall systems / 3form / 10 – 142
time + weather = beauty
inspired by the rustic look—created from clean materials
the perfect combination of sitting and standing – a new style of work posture
it is no secret that changing our posture throughout the day is essential to our well-being in the office. what’s more, adapting a posture that is appropriate for the task at hand helps relieve stress placed upon the body. okamura recommends five postures for increased office productivity and efficiency. among them is the perching posture, a perfect combination of standing and sitting.
speckle is a durable and easy to maintain textile ideal for any environment.
speckle comes in four color ways and in each the warp yarn subtly contrasts with the soft pearlescent silver speckles in the weft direction.
chilewich has experimented laying speckle tiles quarter turned and found that the natural color shift between warp and weft adds a richness and level of interest to this quiet weave. speckle is ideal for spaces in which the floor is a foundation for bolder interior design elements. a sustainable solution of bold and neutral patterns.
below> wilkhahn / 7-3082c
wilkhahn’s dynamic office seating utilizes patented 3d technology to encourage health, creativity, and productivity in the workplace.
by special request of the a&d community, will show for the first time at neocon, a white, through-dyed seat shell and backrest frame.
below> arborite high pressure laminates / 7-1018
recognizing the increasingly blurred aesthetic line between contract and residential design, arborite has curated a selection of residential products with crossover appeal to create commercial stones.
above left > cityscape loft’s modern, wet cement look is ideal for urbanites in search of a low-maintenance, industrial-inspired surface. right> industrial loft evokes the glazed look of oxidized metal, combining light and dark shades with a matte texture for a chic, modern effect.
below> amble / by stephan copeland for lightcorp / 7-8062
why is amble different? amble is a light with no moving joints or articulation – in fact, the only moving part is a gravity-powered “eye.” minimalist design meets elite performance in a battery operated dimmagle led task light. created by renowned lighting designer stephan copeland, amble is highly adjustable yet has no moving joints or articulation. amble’s lean, single-form construction enables excellent adjustability and mobility through the intelligence of its shape.
below> nima / by giancarlo piretti for american seating / 10-148
aimed for the higher education market and various contract environments, nima is an inspiring multipurpose collection of chairs, providing exceptional comfort through a sophisticated minimalist aesthetic.
below> stir kinetic desk m1 / 1067a
the new m1 is a height-adjustable desk driven by software that senses your presence, learns your preferences, enables you to set goals and actively reminds you to change positions throughout the day.
DesignApplause will continue to add to this post as well as social shout it during neocon.
1/
cangaço/
the campana brothers, 2015/
firma casa/ sao paulo
“the campana brothers’ cangaço chair offers a vibrant mix of materiality, color and pattern that feels effortless and natural. this piece would make any good interior great.”
– martin brudnizki (martin brudnizki design studio)
2/
cavallina argento/
alberto biagetti, laura baldassari, 2015/
secondome/ rome
“i am incredibly fascinated by cavallina argento by alberto biagetti and laura baldassari, how it takes a generic object outside the world of high design and transforms it into the sublime. the delicate and precious palette of materials is beautifully composed to evoke sensuality and desire.”
– chad oppenheim (oppenheim)
3/
happiness/
wendell castle, 2015/
friedman benda/ new york
“his work always makes me smile with its humanity. he has the courage to reconsider what he has done in the past and explore new directions.”
– tom kundig (olson kundig)
4/
design miami 2015/
pavillion/
in collaboration with the harvard university graduate school of design
“although it looks as if i will be needing a cherry picker to get really close, i am looking forward to seeing the gsd pavilion, with its forest of pink representations of designs for pavilions designed by students faculty and alumni. under mohsen mostafavi’s leadership – who previously made his mark at the architectural association in london, and then at cornell, harvard has been making waves again.”
– deyan sudjic (design museum)
5/
off-railing series/
arandalasch 2015/
gallery all/ beijing & los angeles
“i love the idea of an infinite line that can be used to define furniture and architecture and thus reduce the late 20th century barrier between these two disciplines. also this pieces speaks as much about the new york subway as the los angeles freeway network.”
“as a designer, i’ve always been fascinated by things that were built with a cantilever effect. i admire this chair because it broke the paradigm for conventional furniture.”
– george yabu (yabupushelberg)
7/
pouf vague, wave bench/
maria pergay, 1968/
demisch danant/ new york
“this bench by one of my favorite designers of all time, maria pergay, is graceful, elegant and chic and in 1968, when it was made, most likely a revelation for her use of materials and the fact that it was designed by a woman. a very chic woman at that!”
– robert stilin (interior designer)
8/
wall light #7417/
serge mouille, ca. 1960/
1950 gallery/ new york
“this classic piece is as much a work of art as it is functional. i have used it in my home and many projects as it is iconic, faultless and its timeless beauty will never tire for me.”
– kelly hoppen (interior designer)
9/
4×4 demountable house/
jean prouvé, 1935/
galerie patrick seguin/ paris
“prouvé is always an inspiration in how the functional, in this case a prefab military shelter, can still have elements of beauty and proportion. the general concept of well proportioned prefab modularity by modernist masters like prouve influenced our neuehouse studio design”.
– david rockwell (architect)
10/
long chair/
george nakashima, 1952/
moderne gallery/ philadelphia
“i love the interesting balance and clear comfort of this piece. it is such a clever design – both tough and organic, disproportionate, yet softened beautifully by the welcoming webbing, and the warmth of the cherrywood. excellent design which stands the test of time.”
Marc Thorpe (Marc Thorpe Design), 36 New York City “The design of this carafe is directly inspired by the architecture of the original 1915 bottle. The frosted glass vessel appears to be suspended in space above a high polished darkened steel base. On the base is the laser-engraved logo of Coca-Cola. I wanted to produce a form that not only reflects the historical references of the past, but also symbolizes movement toward the future. The carafe’s inspired details include the exaggerated curvature of the 1915 glass body, frosted pale green glass, vertical top to bottom fluting, and a polished steel cap.”
David Rockwell, 58 New York City “We based our design for a new Coke bottle on the classic 1915 contour bottle. We love it because it’s a beautiful object, but the real virtue was that it was refilled over and over again at local Coca-Cola bottling plants. Each city had its own bottling plant, which was often family-owned. Through reuse, the bottle developed this beautiful beach glass patina. Our new bottle wants to retain the iconic form with those same virtues of being local and recycled. A double-walled stainless steel container can be refilled at vending machines at home and around the world. Stickers dispensed from different vending machines would customize the bottle and track its journey, like travel stickers on vintage luggage.”
Leon Ransmeier, 35 New York City “In response to the ever-increasing concern about packaging waste and resource-intensive logistics, we chose to eliminate the bottle altogether. Rather than create another plastic or glass container for what is predominantly water, we’ve designed a super-concentrated carbonated lozenge. Simply drop the Coca-Cola Tablet into 16 ounces of cold water and it effervesces to create a refreshing glass of Coca-Cola in less than a minute. Roughly the same diameter as a traditional bottle cap, the Coca-Cola Tablet simultaneously references both candy and medicine, raising interesting questions about health and soft-drink consumption.”
coke15-thorpe1
Marc Thorpe (Marc Thorpe Design), 36 New York City “The design of this carafe is directly inspired by the architecture of the original 1915 bottle. The frosted glass vessel appears to be suspended in space above a high polished darkened steel base. On the base is the laser-engraved logo of Coca-Cola. I wanted to produce a form that not only reflects the historical references of the past, but also symbolizes movement toward the future. The carafe’s inspired details include the exaggerated curvature of the 1915 glass body, frosted pale green glass, vertical top to bottom fluting, and a polished steel cap.”coke15-rockwell1
David Rockwell, 58 New York City “We based our design for a new Coke bottle on the classic 1915 contour bottle. We love it because it’s a beautiful object, but the real virtue was that it was refilled over and over again at local Coca-Cola bottling plants. Each city had its own bottling plant, which was often family-owned. Through reuse, the bottle developed this beautiful beach glass patina. Our new bottle wants to retain the iconic form with those same virtues of being local and recycled. A double-walled stainless steel container can be refilled at vending machines at home and around the world. Stickers dispensed from different vending machines would customize the bottle and track its journey, like travel stickers on vintage luggage.”coke15-ransmeier1
Leon Ransmeier, 35 New York City “In response to the ever-increasing concern about packaging waste and resource-intensive logistics, we chose to eliminate the bottle altogether. Rather than create another plastic or glass container for what is predominantly water, we’ve designed a super-concentrated carbonated lozenge. Simply drop the Coca-Cola Tablet into 16 ounces of cold water and it effervesces to create a refreshing glass of Coca-Cola in less than a minute. Roughly the same diameter as a traditional bottle cap, the Coca-Cola Tablet simultaneously references both candy and medicine, raising interesting questions about health and soft-drink consumption.”
2015 is a big year for Coca-Cola for it’s bottle is 100 year’s old. The brand is the source of brilliant iconic eye candy that evokes emotion and inspires creativity, be it art, graphic design, advertising, and product design that is the genesis of their vision- the centenary bottle.
To shout out the 100 years the company launched a host of concepts: starting with #MashupCoke, a crowdsourced invitation to reimagine vintage Coca-Cola bottle imagery and iconography using only three colors (more than 130 artists from 15 countries respond); Coke Red, black and white; a slideshow of Vintage Coca-Cola Bottle Print Ads; a worldwide Coca-Cola Bottle Art Tour.
Who else got inspired over the coke bottle? The High Museum of Art in Atlanta launched The Coca-Cola Bottle: An American Icon at 100, showing thru 4 October 2015. Most recently, our friends at Surface Magazine asked 12 USA designers (wish we thought of that) to conceive an object inspired from the original Coca-Cola bottle design that somehow dispenses the beverage. The results shown here were published in a June/July issue. We were pleased to see several designers we are close to included in this leading group: Liz Daily, Felicia Ferrone and Jonathan Nesci.
[ prologue ]
In 1915, Coca-Cola invited 10 glass companies to design a new bottle.The winner,Coca-Cola contour bottle is patented in 1915 by the Root Glass Company of Terre Haute, Indiana. The creative brief given to Root called for a bottle that could be recognized when broken on the ground or by touch in the dark. (This brief is inspiring in itself.)
The designers drew inspiration from what they believed to be the product’s ingredients, and incorporated the ribbed, bulbous shape of the cocoa pod into the original bottle design. It is generally considered that Earl Dean, the machinist, is largely responsible for the original design.
The contour bottle is also known as the “hobble-skirt” or “Mae West” bottle for its hourglass curves,
The proprietary standardized light green color also known as German green, later to called Georgia green in homage to the company’s home state.
Chapman Root’s 1916 contract with Coca-Cola outlined that he was to receive 5 cents for every 144 bottles made. He died in 1945 as one of Indiana’s richest men. In 1982, when the Root family sold its 57.5 percent stock interest in the Associated Coca-Cola Bottling Company its value was over 417 million dollars.
coke15-thorpe1
Marc Thorpe (Marc Thorpe Design), 36 New York City “The design of this carafe is directly inspired by the architecture of the original 1915 bottle. The frosted glass vessel appears to be suspended in space above a high polished darkened steel base. On the base is the laser-engraved logo of Coca-Cola. I wanted to produce a form that not only reflects the historical references of the past, but also symbolizes movement toward the future. The carafe’s inspired details include the exaggerated curvature of the 1915 glass body, frosted pale green glass, vertical top to bottom fluting, and a polished steel cap.”coke15-rockwell1
David Rockwell, 58 New York City “We based our design for a new Coke bottle on the classic 1915 contour bottle. We love it because it’s a beautiful object, but the real virtue was that it was refilled over and over again at local Coca-Cola bottling plants. Each city had its own bottling plant, which was often family-owned. Through reuse, the bottle developed this beautiful beach glass patina. Our new bottle wants to retain the iconic form with those same virtues of being local and recycled. A double-walled stainless steel container can be refilled at vending machines at home and around the world. Stickers dispensed from different vending machines would customize the bottle and track its journey, like travel stickers on vintage luggage.”coke15-ransmeier1
Leon Ransmeier, 35 New York City “In response to the ever-increasing concern about packaging waste and resource-intensive logistics, we chose to eliminate the bottle altogether. Rather than create another plastic or glass container for what is predominantly water, we’ve designed a super-concentrated carbonated lozenge. Simply drop the Coca-Cola Tablet into 16 ounces of cold water and it effervesces to create a refreshing glass of Coca-Cola in less than a minute. Roughly the same diameter as a traditional bottle cap, the Coca-Cola Tablet simultaneously references both candy and medicine, raising interesting questions about health and soft-drink consumption.”
above> image gallery | click > view | 12 images
2015 is a big year for Coca-Cola for it’s bottle is 100 year’s old. The brand is the source of brilliant iconic eye candy that evokes emotion and inspires creativity, be it art, graphic design, advertising, and product design that is the genesis of their vision- the centenary bottle.
To shout out the 100 years the company launched a host of concepts: starting with #MashupCoke, a crowdsourced invitation to reimagine vintage Coca-Cola bottle imagery and iconography using only three colors (more than 130 artists from 15 countries respond); Coke Red, black and white; a slideshow of Vintage Coca-Cola Bottle Print Ads; a worldwide Coca-Cola Bottle Art Tour.
Who else got inspired over the coke bottle? The High Museum of Art in Atlanta launched The Coca-Cola Bottle: An American Icon at 100, showing thru 4 October 2015. Most recently, our friends at Surface Magazine asked 12 USA designers (wish we thought of that) to conceive an object inspired from the original Coca-Cola bottle design that somehow dispenses the beverage. The results shown here were published in a June/July issue. We were pleased to see several designers we are close to included in this leading group: Liz Daily, Felicia Ferrone and Jonathan Nesci.
[ prologue ]
In 1915, Coca-Cola invited 10 glass companies to design a new bottle.The winner,Coca-Cola contour bottle is patented in 1915 by the Root Glass Company of Terre Haute, Indiana. The creative brief given to Root called for a bottle that could be recognized when broken on the ground or by touch in the dark. (This brief is inspiring in itself.)
The designers drew inspiration from what they believed to be the product’s ingredients, and incorporated the ribbed, bulbous shape of the cocoa pod into the original bottle design. It is generally considered that Earl Dean, the machinist, is largely responsible for the original design.
The contour bottle is also known as the “hobble-skirt” or “Mae West” bottle for its hourglass curves,
The proprietary standardized light green color also known as German green, later to called Georgia green in homage to the company’s home state.
Chapman Root’s 1916 contract with Coca-Cola outlined that he was to receive 5 cents for every 144 bottles made. He died in 1945 as one of Indiana’s richest men. In 1982, when the Root family sold its 57.5 percent stock interest in the Associated Coca-Cola Bottling Company its value was over 417 million dollars.
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