the japanese brand issey miyake presents a series of interactive installations in which viewers can become conscious of aspects of themselves of which they were unaware. know yourself like never before. designer masahiko sato
this year design miami celebrates 10 years. fittingly, luminaire, a design exemplar in miami presents two events. on monday 1 december, celebrating 30 years in coral gables a newly renovated flagship showroom and a b&b italia miami mono-brand space is unveiled.
and on thursday 4 december, in their design district luminaire lab, continuing a commitment to promoting good design and education curates exhibition DesignJapan featuring three design giants: naoto fukasawa, tokujin yoshioka and nendo,.
[ coral cables ] the award winning, 15,000 sq-ft flagship showroom is inspired by renowned italian architect and designer piero lissoni and the luminaire design team. the new interior continues to be a background to the unparalleled collection in contemporary design and now features b&b italia miami mono-brand space spread across 7,000 sq-ft on the first floor re-affirming the two companies’ 30 years relationship and the alignment of their vision and philosophies.
originally opened in 1984, the kassamali’s built luminaire’s flagship store in coral gables. in the same year, the miami chapter of the aia recognized the showroom with the award of honor in architecture, while the aia’s florida association gave it the award for excellence in architecture.
the building, which was created to showcase the company’s philosophy that good design is a way of life, has continued to earn accolades from the aia, garnering the florida association’s 10-year test of time award in 1996, the 25-year test of time award from the miami chapter in 2008 and again from the florida association, the 25-year test of time merit award of excellence in 2012. and now in 2014, the new luminaire interior, inspired by renowned italian architect and designer piero lissoni.
the interior project, the blend of architectural details and materials, and the interplay of light and shadow, give rise to a setting full of personality, with a strong, original and international image rich of ideas, proposals and solutions that inspire people and create environments that affect peoples lives.
event> coral gables showroom – b&b italia miami
venue> luminaire coral gables | 2331 ponce de leon blvd
opening reception> 1 december 2014 / 7p / rsvp
[ designjapan ] blurring the boundaries between art and design, designjapan exhibits works by three japanese tokujin yoshioka, nendo and naoto fukasawa, who create enduring objects tokujin yoshioka, nendo and naoto fukasawa, who create enduring objects- ambiguous. though each designer has his own unique approach and vocabulary, designjapan invites guests to interact and explore how place, technology and material inform these designers.
harnessing its materials, whether natural or synthetic, japanese design is characterized for capitalizing on the material while at the same time combining respect for tradition with forward thinking experimentation. within the exhibit, the viewer is able to witness each of the three designers’ ability to reduce objects to their most essential elements. though pure in form, materiality adds richness to each product.
from the sculptural forms of yoshioka’s brook ottoman for moroso, designed especially for issey miyake, and the shimmering prism collection for glas italia, to the pureness of expression in nendo’s softer than steel collection for desalto, the zabuton for moroso and the brushstroke consoles for glas italia, to fukasawa’s approachable softness in the common bench system for viccarbe, each designer’s understanding of the world around them is on view.
event> designjapan
venue> luminaire lab | 3901 ne 2nd avenue miami design district
dates> 2 – 6 december 2014
opening reception> 4 december 2014 / 7p / rsvp
Maison & Objet just presented their 2012 Now! Design à Vivre award to Japanese designer Tokujin Yoshioka. A favorite of the luxury world, Yoshioka has worked with Hermès, BW, Cartier and Issey Miyake as well as museums like the Musee d’Orsay and the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum. But aside from delivery luxe goods, Yoshioka is known as a “designer of the senses” and for exploring new “technopoetic ground.”
Just what makes something technopoetic? Yoshioka’s 2007 Pane Chair is a good example. Made from small, lightweight fibers baked in a kiln, it’s an excellent model of how rethinking materials can yield both innovative solutions and exciting new forms. I mean, when was the last time you looked at a bunch of fiber shavings and thought, hey that might make a good chair?
Earlier this year Yoshioka unveiled a new furniture collection for Kartell so minimalist the pieces are almost completely invisible. In fact, that’s what Yoshioka named the collection. “Invisibles” plays with our idea of physical space with benches and chairs that make it appear as if the user is seated in mid air. “In the last few years,” Yoshioka said, “I have been thinking about a design that would include natural phenomena and invisible elements such as sense, wind and light. The presence of the object is eradicated and it will create a scenery of a sitter floating in the air.”
Scenery is the key word there; I imagine a room full of “Invisibles” would be much more effective than just one in a cluster of so-called regular chairs. But aside from the coolness and conceptual factor, just how comfortable would these things be? At least Philippe Starck’s Ghost Chair has a smooth, rounded back and a shaped seat. As I’m not in the market for luxe goods I doubt I’ll be test driving one any time soon, but a word to those on the hunt for injection-molded polycarbonate: bring a cushion.
about perrin drumm
Driven by the desire to simplify the face of a watch without making it unreadable, designer Naoto Fukasawa created the Twelve Watch for Issey Miyake. The face itself exhibits pristine minimalism while the case is asked to indicate the hour with twelve angles.
Various configurations available.
designer: naoto fukasawa
producer: issey miyake
material: mineral crystal, leather, and stainless steel
period: 2007
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