On Wednesday a tweet fluttered into our (smow)twitter from @imm_cologne with the information that the Munich based producer ClassiCon had decided to return to IMM Cologne. Which in the wake of the shock we received on our first day here in Köln didn't go unnoticed among the thousands of invites to cocktail parties and sumptuous buffets at some of Cologne's finer addresses we're forced to deal with. Established in 1990 from the dying embers of the 1898 established "Vereinigte Werkstätten für
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According to the advertising information "The leaning lamp stresses the relationship between light and architecture by its generous gesture" That as may be, for us luca lean by maigrau is one of those genially executed design concepts that separate the chaff from the rye. Items leaning against walls is no new concept. Alone Moormann could create a category dedicated to furniture items that are supported by architectural supporting structures. But wheels aint new either...what is new is new
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Richard Lampert promised a celebration of Herbert Hirche's 100th birthday here in Cologne; and in the end could "present" the late Prof. Hirche with an award for "Classic Innovation" in the 2010 Interior Innovation Awards. The jury, featuring amongst others the Milan based British designer James Irvine and the London based Japanese designer Tomoko Azumi, selected Hirche's 1957 "GFK Schalensessel für die Interbau Berlin" ( a fibre glass armchair Hirche created for the 1957 "Interbau"
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Truth be told we'd expected a bit more bravery from our favourite Amsterdam anarcho-artisans. But no, no tree-trunk bench on the droog presence in Cologne. At least there was people - in comparison to their stand at ICFF 2009 in New York where they made do with a shadylace. High-point for us, however, was without doubt the Rag Chair. And especially the woman who sat on it, looked at her companion and said "Hard as stone!!" And Rag Chair is; which is of also why it is comfortable. The
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We're indebted to Dave Report for drawing our attention to the forthcoming Jasper Morrison exhibition in Stockholm. Organised by the Hallwyl Museum in conjunction with Forum, (the magazine for Scandinavian Architecture, Interiors and Design), the exhibition features jugs, jars and pitchers selected by Morrison. Which might not sound like the most fascinating of exhibitions; but just as with "Take a seat!" exhibition at Museum Les Arts décoratifs in Paris the exhibition offers visitors a
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Our preparations for the 2010 IMM in Cologne are advancing apace and one particular highlight looks like being the Richard Lampert stand which will be celebrating the 100th birthday of Herbert Hirche. Born in Görlitz Hirche is in many ways the "forgotten" Bauhaus student; and that despite his considerable contribution to post-war architecture and design in Germany. After completing his carpentry apprenticeship Hirche enrolled in Bauhaus Dessau in 1930 and moved with the school to Berlin
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We don't know how it is with you, but with us there is always- but always - someone who does things effortlessly more successfully than us. Whether its passing exams or negotiating an escalator: they turn up everywhere. And so it came us no real surprise when checking our (smow)flickr account we discovered that the most viewed picture is not one of the many excellent photographic essays lovingly formed by the (smow)blog collective, but a quick snapshot taken by the (smow)boss while on a visit
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The end of January sees the inauguration of the new Design Museum in Holon, Israel. We were planning heading on over, until we read that the "Design Museum Holon's permanent collection ... will be unveiled in five to seven years" So we'll probably wait until the collection is in before booking our flights. But given that the permanent collection is still half a decade away, and that no temporary or travelling exhibitions have been announced.... why the official inauguration? The answer is
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It all started with "boutique" hotels. which, if one is brutally honest, were simply small hotels. Or guest houses as we used to call them. Back in the day. Then slowly, ever so slowly the term "design hotels" emerged and today - whether used to describe a hotel where each room has it's own "identity" or an establishment furnished with designer furniture - design hotels represent an important part of the accommodation repertoire, and tourist marketing concept, of all major cities. As with so
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...and the mistletoe and wine will almost certainly be in abundance - so why not give someone the gift of time this Christmas. Puns, we love 'em One of the true greats of clock design was former Herman Miller design director George Nelson and his classic 1950s clock designs are a gift that one can always give with confidence. A new addition to the range is the three Ceramic Clocks; designed in the early 1950s but which never entered production. On the basis of drawings and other technical
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In the world of designer furniture there are few designers for who "home" and "family" played such a central role as Charles and Ray Eames. From the design of their "Eames House" as a combined living and working space for a young family and on through their many works for and with children, Charles and Ray Eames always presented themselves as "domestic" rather than "industrial" designers. And so it is little wonder that so many of their designs can be so easily recommended as Christmas gifts.
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One of the most exciting moments of our trip to the ICFF, New York was our visit to the droog flagship store in SoHo. For those who don't know droog, firstly forget everything you accept about the separation between art and furniture design. And then having convinced yourself there is no divide imagine your Dutch and design something. OK droog also have some fantastic "normal" designs - but their real strength is pushing the borders of absurd until they become the most obvious thing ever.
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Back in June we started a campaign to encourage election officials to improve the furnishing of their polling stations. We can't claim a great deal of success, or indeed any, but we remain committed to the cause and so will be using Sundays General Election here in Germany to further promote our demand for more stylish and aesthically pleasing polling stations. However, in comparison to the local election where we made use of the practical Eames Elephant from Vitra as our urn, for the more
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It's probably fair the say that Maarten Van Severen isn't a particular favourite of the (smow)IT department. Not that they dislike Van Severen's effortless aesthetic, but rather with his .03, .04, etc... Antwerp's finest artisan of designer furniture is the proverbial fly in the ointent of the new (smow)live search. Developed using technology originating from the NASA Mars Programme, the (smow)live search is amongst the most user friendly and responsive search features ever developed. Simply
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First produced in 1936 by Gebrüder Kaiser & Co. in Neheim-Hüsten, the “town of lights” in the Sauerland region of Germany, the KAISERidell 6631 R Luxus quickly became a by-word for product design, choice of materials and precise engineering. Designed by silversmith and Bauhaus Weimar Meister Christian Dell the 6631 Luxus is characterized by the smooth, asymmetrical design of the lampshade and the attention to detail such as the the swivel joints which enable the lamp to be positioned in
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One of the classic rules of furniture design is the product must look good, must look appealing. What, however, if you can't see the product. If it doesn't have a visual presence. That would make no sense. Which is probably why it took Philippe Starck to come up with the "Ghost" range of chairs and stools for Kartell. Very few other designers could create a range of chairs that regularly vanish in the light. Starck's motivation was of course somewhat different. With his Louis Ghost,
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Franz Schubert's Symphony No. 8 in B minor. The Trial by Franz Kafka. Madonna and Child with St John and Angels by Michelangelo. Although there are always ethical and stylistic questions concerning the completion of unfinished works, in principle it is always a joy to see someone who cares as much as the original artist complete a project. And so hats off to the Vitra Design Museum for it's decision to finally bring George Nelson's Ceramic Clocks onto the market. In 1945 George Nelson
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Eames DSR from Vitra On a recent trip we discovered a genuine Herman Miller Eames fibreglass chair bench at an airport. Being a relatively small airport - in fact so small that the word "airport" appears optimistic in describing it's capabilities - our frenzied photographing of the chairs and the Herman Miller stickers caused quite a lot of amusement. And that among individuals who spend their spare time photographing aircraft!!! Anyway, once we'd calmed down a little we started reflecting a
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Since Saturday the Museum of Modern Art (MoMa) in New York has been showing their new exhibition Ron Arad: No Discipline. Until October 19th visitors have the opportunity to view a varied selection of Arad's work. Or in the organisers words: "...celebrate the designer’s interdisciplinary and “no-disciplinary” spirit. Physical concepts are traced through works in different materials and scales, and objects are grouped in families based on a shared form, material, technique, or structural
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Giorgio by Peter Horn is the chair that almost never was. Having commissioned Horn to create a stackable multi-function chair, the finished design lay for two years in the archive of Stuttgart based designer furniture producer Richard Lampert - in short, although convinced of the quality of the chair, Lampert saw that particular market segment as too crowded. After all how many chair designs does the world need? And so the story would have ended had not one day a request for help not been
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It's Dumfries Show on Saturday. That won't mean much to the most people, but for us it is a sure sign. Winter is coming. We know, we know. Barely have we got use to remembering to take our sunglasses to work, buying ice-creams for lunch or waking up at 5 am because we forgot to shut the curtains - again - than the Dumfries Agricultural Society hold their annual show. And after the Dumfries show the evenings get shorter with increasing rapidity and before you know it the ground will be brown
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As we stood looking at some mighty fine, but horribly over-carved, wooden furniture at the Salone in Milan a female colleague confided in us that all she needs is some leather straps and a few bits of bent metal. Trying not to show our horror at this outburst of candour, we asked if she had a meeting with El Presidente that evening. "No, no" replied our erstwhile colleague, "Bauhaus. That's my idea of good design" Eileen Gray (1878 -1976) We recite this tale here principally to amuse
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Now that it is finally online we did want to write at great lengths about the AC4 by Antonio Citterio for Vitra. But you know what. We're not going to. On the one hand; we already have: Red Dot Winner 2009 54% Recyclede, 91% Recyclable Heirloom Design Net'n'Nest And on the other Vitra have produced such a delightful promo video: We're impressed - especially by the three zone lumbar support and the constant eyeline tipping system - and we genuinely don't say that about all office
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Although the rumour persists that we only travel to trade fairs and exhibitions so that we can impress people in bars with phrases such as "Last week in New York..." or "For me the real beauty of Milan is...", in truth we do do a little work. And the fruits of that work can be seen, for example, in the ever expanding (smow)collection. And punctually to the start of The Ashes season we can now offer the extended Thonet outdoor range; quite possibly the most stylish furniture for sitting in the
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