The story of Azucena begins in Milan in 1947 when a group of young Milanese architects decided to start producing their own furniture and fittings for their buildings. Working with a mix of industrial and artisan suppliers to create a collection of modern, and at times highly experimental items, Azucena were one of the first "designer furniture" companies to emerge in Italy. And arguably Europe. However, whereas many of those companies who came after them have gone on to achieve global
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Burg Giebichenstein graduates Stephan Schulz and Paul Evermann are presenting a joint show at this years Salone Satellite with each presenting one and a half new products. That's one new product each. And a joint creation. The joint project is called wardrobe bench - and does pretty much what it says on the tin. Its a clothes hanger. And a seat The bench element is made from one piece of plywood, cut by water jet and then the outer element is set a little lower. Through this displacement,
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At the 2011 Milan Furniture Fair Vitra are presenting a range of new products from designers including Konstantin Grcic, Antonio Citterio and Barber & Osgerby. Ahead of the official launch we caught up with Vitra Chief Design Officer Eckart Maise to discuss the new products and the Vitra Home Collection in general. (smow): Herr Maise, before we discuss the new products, and maybe as a little helpful background. How does a company like Vitra develop a collection? Do you go to a designer and
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One of the most famous - and arguably professionally relevant - phases in Verner Panton's life was his journeys through Europe. Following his graduation from Copenhagen Art school Verner Panton gave up his position with Arne Jaobsen, converted his VW bus to a basic mobile studio and set off on a series of tours throughout Europe during which he made contact with numerous designers and producers. While its probably fair to say that this experience alone didn't shape his future work - the
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Vitrastanden på Orgatec 2010 var domineret af især to tegnestuers arbejde: Antonio Citterio og Ronan og Erwan Bouroullec. Udover at præsentere nye variationer af deres Alcove Sofa og Playns 'workstation', løftede Vitra også sløret for Bouroullecs nye 'Communal Cells' - modulære skillevægge/indretningsarkitektur-systemer og deres 'High Meeting Table'. Foruden at diskutere de to brødres kommende yacht-projekt, talte vi også om de nye Vitraprodukter, om hvordan brødrernes eget kontor ser
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Name: Christoffer Martens Born: Bremen, 1975 Alma mater: Product Design, University of Applied Science, Potsdam Internships: Alfredo Häberli, Zürich Products: Siebenschläfer for Nils Holger Moormann, Aschau im Chiemgau Spross for Nils Holger Moormann, Aschau im Chiemgau Obstrutsche for emform, Bockhorn Buchhalter Potbase (smow)blog: How did you arrive at product design? Christoffer Martens: I initially trained as a graphic designer and then worked in a media agency for a few years.
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We don't suppose it will come as any real surprise that we were taken by Axel Bjurström's Dolly Table. Part Gangsta Lean, part Collecteur, part Liesmichl, part inspired genius - we really couldn't not like it. A graduate of Konstfack, Stockholm's renowned design university, Axel Bjurström established his own studio Bjurström Design in 2004. Although much of his work until now has been interior design Axel also creates his own pieces. And that with a wonderfully light yet self-confident
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Name: Erik Wester Born: Oslo, Norway Alma mater: Furniture and product design, Kingston University London Products: Standing Task Light Tartan Modular (smow)blog: Why the decision to become a product designer? Erik Wester: That’s what I like doing! Since I was small I’ve been interested in drawing and building and was searching for what I could use my skills for and arrived at product and furniture design. (smow)blog: And why the decision to study Product and Furniture Design at
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At the risk of repeating ourselves - one of the main reasons to visit a design week is the chance it offers to visit locations that one otherwise probably wouldn't. And we've had some truly wonderful experiences: but only a few that top 20 designers at BIOLOGISKA. Officially Biologiska is a natural history museum. Officially. Based on the form of traditional Norwegian stave churches the quaint if unassuming exterior cannot, simply cannot, prepare the visitor for what is inside. Climbing
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As part of Stockholm Design Week 2011 Kartell presented the magazine rack Front Page by Stockholm design studio Front. Clever word play and all..... Although formally launched at Milan 2010 Front Page is only now making it's way into the shops and as such presented a wonderful excuse for a Front "home gig". Having already worked with producers such as Moroso, Established & Sons or moooi, Front Page is Front's first product for and with Kartell. At the product launch in the Stockholm
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Anyone who understands our biography will appreciate that a German who spent some time studying in Edinburgh and now lives in Helsinki will be of interest to us. But it wasn't Florian Ganter's biography that drew us to him and to his tool-free adjustable shelf system Air. Or at least not directly. Displayed on the Aalto University School of Design stand we initially thought - in a very lazy fashion - there's a nice bit of Finnish design. And then - considering it a little more seriously -
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Guest of Honour at the Stockholm Furniture Fair 2011 is the Israel born / Paris based designer Arik Levy. In addition to being the public face of the the furniture fair, Arik Levy is also responsible for designing the lounge area and will hold an hour long lecture and question/answer session. Ahead of his opening speech we spoke to Arik Levy about his decision to come to Stockholm, Swedish design and the all pervasive secrecy in the design world. (smow)blog: Why have you agreed to be
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The similarities between Vienna and Stockholm are not limited to the architecture per se. But also to the architects who open the Design Weeks. At least for us! For just as at Vienna Design Week, so was our first Stockholm Design Week vernissage Vindobona by Claesson Koivisto Rune. It may not have been in quite so splendorous a setting as the Palais Liechtenstein; however the showrooms of Stockholm art dealer Åmells were a more than fitting location for Claesson Koivisto Rune's entrancing
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I 1962 mødtes Verner Panton og Marianne Pherson Oertenheim under en ferie på Tenerife, og to år senere blev parret gift i Basel. Udover at være Verner Pantons kone, var Marianne Panton også hans de facto-direktør, og hun arbejdede tæt sammen med sin mand i alle aspekter af hans arbejde. Forud for udstillingen på den danske ambassade talte vi med Marianne Panton om Verner Pantons arbejde, og om hvad der i sin tid havde indflydelse på dette - og om hvordan hun blev den første fotomodel for
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The first thing to say about Designers Fair 2011 is that it was smaller than last year. The second point to say is that the location was a lot poorer than last. The first point is in itself no bad thing - the second is. Now you know us. For us one of the genuine joys of a design week is the chance it offers to explore a city and to visit those areas that one otherwise wouldn't see. And the 2011 Designers Fair location in Ehrenfeld was in that sense good as it provided a focal point for our
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Just as Hannibal always loved it when a plan came together - so for us it is always a moment of extreme satisfaction when a product really is as good as we thought it probably would be. We first saw SuperSputnik by Stuttgart based designer Ahmet Sismanoglu a.k.a Sisman at DMY Berlin 2010 However owing to an, as ever, over-filled schedule never got round to more than admiring it from afar. And so at Designers Fair in Cologne we briefly ignored our schedule to grab a few words with Ahmet and
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One of the things that separates the world of independent product designers from the commercial giants is the level of cooperation and community that exists. Whereas one can't really imagine, for example, Vitra and Fritz Hansen jointly presenting Verner Panton re-issues at a trade fair; among young and independent designers there are fewer such hang-ups. And even a few "cooperatives" - for want of a better phrase - who regularly put on collective shows during design weeks and on the fringe
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One of the unfortunate weaknesses of IMM Cologne is the general lack of new products on show - either at the fair itself or out and about at the fringe events. That's not 100% IMM's fault rather the collective failing of a furniture industry that continues to focus, almost paranoid, on the Milan Design Week. Fortunately there are one or two producers who are prepared to use IMM to launch new products - including Augsburg based Müller Möbelfabrikation. Perhaps most eye catching of Müller
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Name: Christian Lessing Alma mater: Kommunikations Design und Illustration, Düsseldorf Products: Balcony 08 Leichtgewicht Nachtflug Window Garden Grip Shelving (smow)blog: How did you arrive at product design? Christian Lessing: After leaving school I initially trained as a carpenter, then after a couple of years overseas I started studying graphic design in Düsseldorf. My specialization at college was Illustration, but I also built 3D objects. After finishing college I then worked
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PANTON in the wonderful Felleshus, Berlin This past Friday the Danish Embassy in Berlin opened an exhibition devoted to the work of Verner Panton - from his early works up to his influence of today's young Danish designers. The first exhibition of Verner Panton's work in Germany for 10 years, PANTON is largely based around the collection of André Barss - a young Berlin Panton collector. A few years ago André was at an exhibition, saw a Panton Chair - and was so irritated by the fact that he
read moreBack in October 2010 the design blog pixelgangster.de ran a competition with a Richard Lampert Egon Eiermann desk - supplied naturally by (smow) - as the first prize. Entrants were asked to say why they deserved the desk. In his winning entry Benjamin asked his friends why he deserved the desk - would your friends be so generous? Ours probably wouldn't. But then we already have an Eiermann Desk! Benjamin's winning video (in German with English
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Although Alexander Girard worked closely with Herman Miller and designers such as George Nelson or Charles and Ray Eames; Alexander Girard's speciality was not furniture but fabrics, folk art and colour. Born in America and raised in Italy Alexander Girard studied architecture in London before a lack of architectural openings saw him spend several years working as an exhibition and interior designer; most notably in Sweden where he worked in the design department of the Nordiska department
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As you all know for us design must not only have a function: everything must have a purpose and reason. And so it follows that cutting down a perfectly healthy tree and letting it stand in the corner of our flat for a couple of weeks before throwing it away, just isn't an option for us. Which is why the (smow) Christmas Tree is made from Algue by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec. Although intended as a room divider, Algue is versatile enough to perform a range of functions - including that of a
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We first saw Becherlicht by Martin Neuhaus at Designers Fair 2010 in Cologne. And are still in awe. Our interview with Martin Neuhaus from Designers' Open will be published soon; but for now a few images.
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