pioneering ergonomics company honors the legacy of designer niels diffrient & the first ever self-adjusting chair with activations around the world and throughout the year.
this year marks the twentieth anniversary of niels diffrient’s freedom chair. launched by humanscale, the freedom chair revolutionized the seating industry as the first ever self-adjusting chair. it is revered for its elegant simplicity, functionality and timeless design. to mark the occasion, humanscale is launching a year long initiative that will include various events and activations around the world.
“niels shared our belief that form flows from function, and therefore, created something that is honest, timeless and as relevant in new york as it is in helsinki and singapore,” says humanscale ceo and founder robert king.
introduced in 1999, the freedom was the first chair to remove the traditional manual knobs and levers and replace them with the sitter’s body weight and the laws of physics. this resulting self-adjusting mechanism allows users to move freely from posture to posture without thinking about it. diffrient effectively reinvented the modern task chair and changed the way people sit.
shortly after its launch, the freedom was praised by the new york times for ‘setting the gold standard’ in seating. today sales total over 2 million pieces. freedom has also won 10 international awards and been featured in close to 50 tv shows and films.
“perhaps more interesting is that the self-adjusting mechanism is increasingly relevant in today’s work environment. in fact, now, twenty years later, the large furniture companies have finally launched self-adjusting chairs claiming it’s the future of seating. that’s just another testament to niels’ foresight,” adds king.
the iconic chair is set to begin an official world tour throughout 2019, making monthly appearances in cities and important events around the globe, including milan (salone del mobile), london (clerkenwell design week), new york (icff) and chicago (neocon) and more. as the first chair to adapt to real people and real movement, these activations will give trade and consumers the opportunity to personally experience and celebrate freedom’s intuitive ergonomic design and the legacy of niels diffrient.
[ humanscale ]
humanscale leverages new technology and functional design to transform traditional offices into active, intelligent workspaces. as the leading designer and manufacturer of high-performance ergonomic products, humanscale improves the health and comfort of work life. committed to making a net-positive impact on the earth as well as our customers, humanscale offers award-winning products designed with a focus on function, simplicity and longevity.
join [ gaspare asaro-italian modern ] for an italian aperitivo to celebrate [ nycxdesign ] sip a prosecco and enjoy this treasure trove of gorgeous furniture and lighting, with pieces from vintage mid-century designers as well as their own custom gaspare asaro studio collection.
[ NYCxDESIGN ]
NYCxDESIGN, New York City’s official citywide celebration of design takes place each May. Spanning all disciplines of design, NYCxDESIGN creates a collaborative platform for cultural and commercial opportunities, elevates established and emerging design practices and increases awareness of and appreciation for design by all audiences.
Hosted in New York City, NYCxDESIGN brings together all the disciplines of design, commerce, culture, education, and entertainment with a full, varied program, including exhibitions, installations, trade shows, talks, launches and open studios. 2016, the fourth year of the celebration, featured over 500 events across the 5 Boroughs of New York City and included topics from graphic design to architecture, technology and urban design to fashion and product design, interiors to landscape, furniture to design thinking, and more. Click here to view a recap of NYCxDESIGN 2016.
For an overview of NYCxDESIGN 2017 and inspiration for events that you could put on this year, click [ here ]
also check out happenings at [ icff 2017 ] between 21 > 24 may 2017
whether at moooi’snew showroom and brand store in fitzroviaor at the foyer of the london design fair, moooi will participate in the 2016 edition of the london design festival by welcoming and inspiring the public with new, iconic designs!
moooi london
moooi’s collection makes itself at home at its newly opened showroom & brand store. the characteristic interior represents a celebration of moooi’s signature designs and lifestyle ideas in the context of the brand’s evolution. inventive and pragmatic, playful and elegant, the new space perfectly reflect the brand’s philosophy that people are intrinsically drawn to beauty and are on the lookout for original ideas.
moooi london showroom & brand store 23, great titchfield street, london w1w 7pa.
opening times during ldf: monday 19 september to saturday 24 september 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
compression sofa
a mere three months after the launch of moooi’s showroom and brand store in london, moooi is proud to showcasepaul cocksedge’scompression sofa (foam version) for its uk debut. guests will be welcomed to revel in the sofa’s warm embrace and capture the special moment on social media.
moooi london showroom & brand store
23, great titchfield street, london w1w 7pa.
kit miles & moooi carpets
moooi also brings its contribution to the interior of the london design fair, in honor of its 10th anniversary edition. award winning surface designer kit miles created a 150 square meters carpet made specifically for the entrance of the fair using moooi carpet’s revolutionary your own design technique. a colorful, dynamic pattern of geometrical shapes will entertain the public with its three-dimensional sense of motion and depth, permeated with the raw graphite, urban feeling of london.
old truman brewery, 26 hanbury street, london e1 6qr.
opening times: thursday 22 september 10:00 am – 7:00 pm (trade only) friday 23 september 10:00 am – 8:00 pm (consumer and trade) saturday 24 september 10:00 am – 8:00 pm (consumer and trade) sunday 25 september 11:00 am – 6:00 pm (consumer and trade)
This writer is a designer living in Chicago. The month of May signals many things but if you’re a bargain hunter in Chicago it signals ‘floor sample sale’ as showrooms prepare for Neocon. Two days left to find something neat at Luminaire. Luminaire’s not the only place btw, but… Just sayin. [ details ]
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
amazingly similar and not by design. however, visually complementary so to speak.
Partnerships within the contract furniture industry may be commonplace. Here are two new “design-driven” big ones thus far in 2011.
Herman Miller | Magis
Beginning September 2011, Herman Miller will become the exclusive distributor of products in the U.S. and Canada for Magis, a leading Italian furniture designer.
Addition is a key theme in the partnership. Magis means “more than” or “to a greater extent” in Latin. For all who appreciate modern design, Magis means more choices for community spaces within workplace, education, and healthcare environments with its wide array of lightweight café seating, stools, tables, and outdoor products.
“Creating great design demands a delicate balance between craft and industrial production,” notes Ben Watson, Herman Miller Executive Creative Director. “Magis, like Herman Miller, understands this intuitively.” The meaning of Magis—”more than”—also captures the company’s approach to design and manufacturing. Magis employs innovative processes that maximize performance, while minimizing volume of material, energy use, and environmental impact.
“We add to Herman Miller because we are complementare, complementary,” explains Alberto Perazza, Co-Managing Director of Magis.” Like Herman Miller, Magis believes in authored design. They have produced many iconic products, such as the Bombo Stool by Stefano Giovannoni, Jasper Morrison’s Air Chair, and Konstantin Grcic’s Chair_One. [ herman miller ] [ magis ]
Haworth | Capellini | Cassina | Castelli | Poltrona Frau
In May 2011, Haworth introduced the Haworth Collection at the 2011 International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) which includes Haworth in partnership with Castelli; in June at Neocon 2011 select brands within the Poltrona Frau Group. In all, Haworth inherits a heritage of design that goes back to 1877 with Cesare Castelli, 1912 with Poltrona Frau, 1927 with Cassina, and 1946 with Cappellini. Haworth roots begin with Gerrard Wendell (G.W.) Haworth in 1948. The new carefully curated collection of furniture and lighting represents some of the best work by leading architects, industrial designers and artists.
I’ve long been a fan of the idea of the so-called Cabinet of Wonder, a magical, other-worldly surprise kept inside an ordinary piece of furniture. Imagine a Joseph Cornell diorama but with a lid on it; Peer inside and who knows what kind of curiosities you’ll find. This Accordion Cabinet, designed by Elisa Strozyk in collaboration with artist Sebastian Neeb, immediately calls to mind that idea – maybe because it opens from the middle like you’re unwrapping a gift.
The accordion part is combination of mixed wood and fabric that peels back like a skin to reveal shelves inside. The only flaw I can find in what I think is a really unique object is the legs. They seem so arbitrary and out of place on this piece, as if the designers thought, well we’re making a cabinet so it has to have legs. I would do away with them entirely and continue the accordion shape to the floor, making a taller cabinet that stands on its own. Then it would really be an object of wonder in itself, no Cornell-esque inspired contents necessary.
designed for cappellini by ny design studio dror, the felt peacock chair is porn for furniture lovers.
I know it makes the blood rush to my face whenever I look at it, which is often. Though it may look elaborate, the Peacock Chair is made from only three single sheets of thick wool felt and a simple metal frame. It’s a breathtaking combination of material and form, and if I had one I don’t think I’d ever do anything but sit in it all day long. Available in four bright colors, it’s both an investment piece and a steal at $6,400 (on sale at Unica Home) and Luminaire.
The wave of über-hip, W Hotel-esque modern (and modular) design that has swept the globe in recent years is finally, it seems, beginning to subside.
above: a quilt and bed from shimna
above: from parsons student show — can you guess what these are for?
above: textile design from dana barnes
While that school of thought was certainly not lacking in representation at this year’s ICFF, it was clearly giving way to the growing trend towards natural and handmade artisanal goods that made itself known in every category at the convention.
I’m not just talking about sustainable design, though this craft-based movement happens to be that too. If you took a step back from the booths at the show and watched what people gravitated towards, nine times out of ten it’s to something they can touch and feel. That plastic injection molded lounge seating may have been the new, slick thing not too long ago, but it doesn’t appeal to the human touch the way a handmade chair of aged Moravian Oak does.
The judges felt it too, just take a look at the ICFF Editor’s Awards to people like textile designer Dana Barnes, who sculpts fibers into beautiful, totally unique, curl-your-toes-into floor and wall coverings. Or the award to MICA (Maryland Institute College of Art) for best Design School for their exhibit “Material Inspired Concepts and Artifacts” that showed off work from an environmental design class that examined traditional, natural materials and invented modern uses for them.
Elements of the handmade popped up in surprising places, like the Oshibe light sculpture, a woven nest with light-up eggs or at Shimna, a Mennonite furniture company and in the work displayed in Metropolitan Magazine’s Airstream. Stay tuned for highlights from the show.
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