Maison & Objet 2013 – DesignApplause

Artek abc collection. Maison&objet 2013.

Mar 18, 2013

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We’re stopped by the Artek booth at Maison&Objet 2013 and talked to Simone Vingerhoets-Ziesmann, an executive vice president in New York. Simone tells us that Artek presented the first objects of their new abc Collection at Maison&Objet 2012 last September.

[DesignApplause] Simone what are you showing today?
[Simone Vingerhoets-Ziesmann] We are continuing to present and build on the abc Collection. Important pieces are the reintroduction of the stainless steel TW modular candlestick holder (1970) and the TW serving bowl (1953) designed by Tapio Wirkkala. (This abc Collection is introduced at the January 2013 New York Gift Fair, the first time in the US.)

tw modular candlestick holder and tw serving tray

The Siena fabrics (1954) are designed by Alvar and Elissa AAlto and have been on the European market for a few years and only sold in Artek’s own stores. Blankets, the tea towels, the bags, the trivits, the coasters are all added to the collection. There will also be seasonal additions, such as the red on white, and the white on red in the festive seasons. And more will come, from office to tabletop, from indoor to outdoor products. We will add to this collection twice a year.

This year we are also celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Stool 60. Here’s the Paimio color palette from the original (1932) collection. note: Alvar Aalto designed the Paimio Sanatorium in Finland, the building that made him famous, and the colors were used in the structure: the green from the walls, the yellow is from the floors, turquoise from the handrails and walls, and the orange, black, and white are from the furniture.
[ stool 60 80th anniversary ]

stool 60 | alvar aalto | 1933

We commissioned Mike Meiré to reintroduce the stools for the anniversary.

stool 60 | mike meiré | 2012
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Other treats we find on premise in the booth…
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baby rocket | eero aarnio | 2006 & rocket | eero aarnio | 1995

Alessi spring/summer 2013. Maison&Objet 2013.

Feb 8, 2013

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Alessi’s Spring/Summer 2013 collection again brings out the animal(s) within us. And a great deal of art and form assert without loss of function.

Jasper Morrison presents ‘Mame’ a minimalistic press-filter coffee maker. Coffee bean icon personalizes the piece.

The super star in Spring/Summer 2013 may very well be the kitschy ‘Duck Timer’ designed by Eero Aarnio. When it’s time to turn off the heat the duck quacks.

There’s quite a bit of kitchen objects including cookware, cutlery, china, oil-vinegar cruets and the duck timer among other items.

Last year’s Fall Winter 2012 collection introduced ‘Dressed” by Marcel Wonders, an effort to reposition perceived low-end aluminum cookware: Mission accomplished. In 2013 the designer introduces 18/10 stainless steel with magnetic bases to the family of cookware. Applying an exclusive deep-cut pattern to the handles and covers provides what’s needed to transition from kitchen to table.

Yet another animal is ‘Kastor’ a shiny beaver which gnaws pencils. The sharpener also functions as a paperweight.

PZ06 and PZ07. Pepper and spice caster. Peter Zumthor designer.

3> Duck Timer. Designer Eero Aarnio
4> Mame. Jasper Morrison
5> Acquerello. Colorful decoration added to last year’s bone white china. Guido Venturini
6> Dressed. Marcel Wanders
7> PCHO5/24. A set of 18/10 stainless steel fruit holders. Pierre Charpin
8> Joy n.1. A 18/10 stainless centerpiece. Claudia Raimondo
9> Tower. 5-set measuring devices inspired by balance weights. Monica Förster
10> ecco!. Fruit holder in 18/10 stainless or colored epoxy resin. Massimo Mariani
11> MU. Cutlery set. Unique hexagonal handle section “MU in Japanese. Toyo Ito
12> youSpoon. Your own personal accessory teaspoon. Marta Sansoni and LPWK
13> Kastor. Rodrigo Torres
14> CrissCross. Anodized aluminum multi-purpose basket. Eero Aarnio
15> Pick-Up. A new Alessi typology, a side-table magazine stand. Jakob Wagner
16> Mantel clock. A new edition (1988) maple-veneered clock. Michael Graves
17> PZ04 > 08. Complete set of oil.vinegar cruets, castors. Glass and 18/10. Peter Zumthor
18> A Lotus Leaf. Centerpiece in new steel colored epoxy resin added to 2012 edition. Chang Yung Ho
[ alessi ]

Le grand portail. Maison & objet 2013.

Jan 18, 2013

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Unusual because it’s a BBC (low-consumption building) launched by the mayor of Nanterre so that families who rent housing in that city can become first-time homeowners through lower real estate pricing. With one evening meeting a month for 18 months to learn the ins and outs of construction. The 15 families worked with architects to design their living space. The space includes a workshop, laundry, and a multi-common room. This business model is flourishing in Germany, notably Freiburg, and a first in France. These families rent on average 3,000 euros/month.

architects: pascal chombart lauwe and fabien brissaud
program: 15 units
start of construction: june 2011
delivery: 2nd quarter of 2013