As tradition demands the Museum für Angewandte Kunst Köln (MAKK) have organised a furniture themed, special exhibition to coincide with the Cologne Furniture Fair. Under the title "Von Aalto bis Zumthor: Architektenmöbel" ("From Aalto to Zumthor: Furniture by Architects") the MAKK is presenting over 120 examples of furniture designed by professional architects. As older readers will have long since accepted, the "Furniture Architect" is a pet subject of ours. Not just because the architects
read more
On Monday January 16th IMM Cologne, Germany's largest furniture trade fair, opens it doors. In the coming days we'll bring you a series of interviews, reports and reviews from the Rhein, but ahead of the show we thought we'd look back at what Cologne 1962 had to offer. On the one hand, because we think it's interesting to look back on what the furniture industry had to offer 50 years ago; but also to help place IMM 2012 in context of its heritage. The International Möbel Messe Köln started
read more
We know that in the past we've been quite harsh on Chemnitz; but like all conscious organisms we're programmed by our experiences. And up until now it's fair to say that we haven't experienced all that much love in Chemnitz. However maybe, just maybe, things are taking a turn for the better in the town on the banks of the River, hmmm, Chemnitz. Not only have they in the Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz one of the most progressive and innovative art galleries in Germany; not only have they in the
read more
Design weeks are part of the daily grind of our profession. For those outwith the industry it all just looks like jaunting off to another exotic sounding location and going to a lot of cocktail parties with unfeasibly gorgeous and entertaining people. For others it may be. For us it's early mornings, heavy rucksacks, lots of polite small talk, little food, lots of walking, lots of avoiding polite small talk, late nights. And we generally have to buy our own beer. Which we typically drink
read moreAlthough officially a company fete at which Moormann wanted to thank their partners, dealers, designers et al for the good cooperation over the previous year; Die Hölle von Aschau was much more a family fest at which one could really feel the warmth that exists between the company and all they work with. And that despite the sleet and wind. This warmth was particularly evident as Nils Holger Moormann himself took to the track and was immediately surrounded by the sort of camera scrum more
read more
There is nothing cheaper and less original in the world of journalism than a look back over the highlights of a year/sports event/concert series/etc. Except possibly "Ten tips for the perfect curry/haircut/crease" However such a review offers the uninspired many advantages. In addition to the chance to fill column space without having to think or research, there is also no risk that the German President will phone you to complain. Unless of course one of your highlights was the time the
read more
On his 2009 album "Waxing Gibbous" Falkirk balladeer Malcolm Middleton included the song "Red Travellin' Socks" a jaunty - if for us touch too obvious - ode to his love/hate relationship with, well his Red Travellin' Socks. Wearing his socks he's reminded of the freedom of the open road that is currently helping him fulfilling his primitive desires - until such time as the romantic myth of the endless highways explodes and he begins to long for home. The red socks symbolising his frustration
read more
After a year that took us from Plagwitz to Cologne and then over Stockholm to Milan, Zurich and beyond - we're taking a couple of days well earned rest over the Christmas period. But preparations are already well advanced for the (smow)blog design year 2012 - and even if we do say so ourselves, first 3 months are looking pretty bombastic! We hope you'll join us for the journey! Merry Christmas!
read more
On December 17th 1961 the New Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche in Berlin was officially consecrated. Designed by Egon Eiermann the new church was and is a very self-confident, modern replacement for the Old Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche; a building that to the regret of many Berlin residents fell victim to an allied bombing raid in 1943. In keeping with all his projects up to that period Egon Eiermann didn't just create the building but also designed the furniture and fittings for the new
read more
Away from the race track a real highlight of "Die Hölle von Aschau" was the Concours d'Élégance. Ahead of the event Moormann sent out miniature Bookinist kits to their clients, partners and chums with the request that they be "pimped" and returned. If we're honest we don't think that they expected to get that many back. And so they were genuinely all the more impressed with not only the response but the very high quality of the responses. From a Gingerbread Bookinist over Popemobiles and
read more
Following on from our interview with Nikolas Kerl - a designer/producer at the very start of his career, we continue our exploration into the current state of the Swiss designer furniture industry with a producer who have "a little more" experience. Born out of a family carpentry and shop fitting business, Röthlsberger Kollektion effectively began producing their own collections in the late 1970s through collaborations with Swiss designers such Trix and Robert Haussmann, Susi and Ueli Berger
read more
As many of you know we don't do trends. Never have. Never will. But others do. And back in 1964 the trend in West Germany was leather furniture. At least according to Der Spiegel. In "Haut und Haare", a delightful article, that admittedly probably shouldn't be read by anyone planning buying a Barcelona Chair for Christmas, the unnamed Spiegel author not only explains just how much of a trend leather had become in the West German living rooms of the day, but exhibits a wonderfully casual
read more
Part of our motivation for visiting Neue Räume Zurich 2011 was to try to gauge and get a feel for the current state of the designer furniture industry in Switzerland. Hidden as it is behind its Alpine shroud, it's all to easy to assume everything is always rosy in Confoederatio Helvetica, and that it's furniture designers and producers have little to do all day but count their cash and try to avoid losing their fillings to chewy, pointy, chocolate. However as the Swiss Franc rose skyward like
read more
After bringing you things you have to be in Paris to see. We bring you something you'll have to be in Stockholm to see. Helpful as we are. We first saw Spiral Shelf by Stockholm based Argue Design at DMY Berlin 2010. And fell in love with it pretty much straight away. We then met up with Matilda Nordgård from Argue Design at Stockholm Furniture Fair 2011, where we conducted a very interesting and entertaining interview with her. An interview we really must get round to writing up sometime
read more
As reported last week we sadly couldn't make it to the opening of Cirkel by Daphna Laurens at Galerie Gosserez in Paris. Because we were at the opening of Kibbutz and Bauhaus in Dessau. However Daphna and Laurens were kind enough to send us a few photos of the works. As older readers will know we are always very wary about judging articles on the strength of photos alone; that said, the Cirkel collection does look very promising. For us the highlight is probably "Leaning Lamp". Resembling
read more
As we all know life isn't fair. But imagine, just for a minute, it was. Over the past 12 months we've found numerous items that in a fair and just world we would find under our tree on Christmas morning..... Endless by Jason Miller for Roll & Hill Spotted at Roll & Hill's Milan debut back in April Endless by Jason Miller is a modular lighting system that can not only be extended and shaped to fit any space... but positively cries out to be allowed to do just that. In the Roll & Hill shop
read more
"...I will never forget how shocked I was the first time I arrived in Degania A, one of the old kwuzoth. It was almost a textbook example of bad planning. The wind hit the dung heaps first, bringing flies and the stench initially to the stables and then to the kitchen, picking up the odours there and then carrying the whole mix to the dining halls and living quarters."1 In his all to vivid description of the conditions at Degania A, Israeli architect Richard Kaufmann beautifully alludes to the
read more
If purple is the second colour of mourning; then citrus colours are unquestionably the second colour(s) of Christmas. Be it the orange of an orange, the lemon of a lemon or the dark lime of a Vitra Panton Chair. Launched by Vitra in July as a special summer 2011 edition the Dark Lime Panton Chair was released as a strictly limited edition piece. And the (smow)warehouse is down to the last few examples...... And just like mince pies - when they're gone. They're gone! Unlike mince pies
read more
Very occasionally we see something that makes us stop in our tracks. At Neue Räume Zurich that something was the Milanese producer Plinio il Giovane. We know we moan a lot about Italy's over-rated position at the top of Mount Design. But just as they seem to have an unending reserve of corrupt politicians, so do they also seem able to produce quality designer furniture producers out of thin air. Handmade from oak the Plinio il Giovane collection not only looks fantastic; but many of the
read more
When is a lounge chair not a lounge chair? When it is a loving eulogy to the noble art of sailing. Designed by Linda Steen and Lena Axelsson and produced in Norway by Hødnebø, the Spinnaker Chair wonderfully mixes the classic form language of the lounge chair with upcycled sail canvas. Held on a powder varnished spring steel frame the canvas is stretched over three carbon ribs to provide maximum support and comfort. Foam and cospoflex cushions is a range of fabrics provide that final touch
read more
One of our favourite projects during Vienna Design Week was the Passionswege project "The Swing" by Warsaw based Beza Projekt at Atelier Telliez. Philippe Telliez is a "tapessier" - a profession that can only be truly described in paragraphs, but essentially is an upholsterer who primarily works with wall hangings, tapestries and the like. Anna Łoskiewicz and Zofia Strumiłło-Sukiennik from Beza Projekt combined this "hanging" aspect with the materials Atelier Telliez's use on a daily basis
read more
Janne Kyttänen never intended to be a light designer. Fate meant that he became known as one. Fortunately Janne Kyttänen understands the art of 3D printing better than most practitioners and in the past decade has created a truly unique collection of illumination objects that grace the permanent collections of all the most important design museums. And with versions for wall, floor or ceiling the Freedom of Creation lighting collection offers a design classic for everyone. Among the many
read more
Launched in 2002 with just one product, Fatboy has grown to become not only one of the most instantly recognizable designer furniture brands on the market; but has expanded to become home to a whole range of objects created with one aim: Making relaxing and unwinding even easier and more enjoyable. And so what could be more desirable gift for the festive season, than an oasis of calm and comfort. Fatboy - The Original As the name implies, "The Original" is the product that started the whole
read more
What would Christmas be without mince pies, sloe gin and repeats of much loved family classics. Such as "Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat..." by (smow)blog. With its impeccable sense of meter and rhythm, the series has captured the imaginations and hearts of generations of (smow)blog readers. To be honest we did consider replacing it this year; but that would be somewhat churlish given the place the feature has captured in the pantheon of design journalism. And because the
read more
