This year we are finally going to make it to Design Basel. In the past something else always seemed to get in the way; be it illness, other appointments or a feeling deep in our stomachs that it was all just a touch too elitist and too far removed from the world of the normal designer furniture customer to justify the trip. But this year we're healthy, free and a little older and wiser. It in its 6th year Design Basel features exhibitions from 43 international design galleries showing an
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For the last in our series of EuroDesignExhibition previews we travel to the spiritual home of Europe. Belgium. Aside from quite possibly Luxembourg, which only Luxembourgians would be cheeky enough to contend even counts, there can no country that has become more identified with the founding ideals of the European community than Belgium. But has it lost its culture identity? Or is a cultural stronger than politics? The question of creating a piece that represents your country wasn't that
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During this years Leipzig Book Fair (smow) hosted an evening of readings by three Swiss authors under the title "Neue Stimmen from Switzerland" and hosted by SWIPS – Swiss Independent Publishers. Ahead of the readings we spoke with one of the organisations founding members, and former President, Liliane Studer from Dörlemann Verlag about the organisation and its work. (smow) You've been associated with SWIPS since the very beginning, just quickly as background what was the reason for forming
read moreNext week the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 begins in Düsseldorf - and we can't remember the last time we saw Lena? Curious. But before the singing starts, Düsseldorf will play host to an equally important attempt at European understanding: EuroDesignExhibition - Sit down please” 40 Stools from 40 Countries" Featuring the work of young designers from across Europe the EuroDesignExhibition is a unique attempt to see if one can define cultures through furniture. Apparently design is an
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Billed as being an "... experimental, collaborative journalism project that aims to lift the lid on the design world to coincide with next week’s Milan furniture fair." #milanuncut appears to have come down to an article in the Guardian by Justin McGuirk and a side discussion about unpaid interns. Sadly. Because there is without question an urgent need for a more open discussion about the "design" industry. However what #milanuncut does beautifully prove is that before the discussion can
read moreWe can all describe and define a country in terms of food, music or footballing ability. But can designers define their country through a stool? The exhibition “Sit down please” 40 Stools from 40 Countries" in Düsseldorf will attempt to answer the question? Austria will be represented by Alexander Gufler. How will Alexander handle the challenge? Habsburg excess? Art deco aesthetic? Michael Thonet minimalism? When I received the invitation from Anonym Gestalter I started by thinking about
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As you know we're no huge fans of Milan. Love the city. Don't love the size and cost of their furniture fair and design week. A couple of months ago we spoke to Giulio Cappellini, one of those who have been part of "Design Legend Milan" since the earliest moments, and he told us that, in his opinion, Milan had to be careful that it didn't all become too big. For us a design festival where it is physically impossible to see everything is pretty close to our definition of "too big."
read moreOn May 6th the inaugural, and quite possibly concluding, EuroDesignExhibition opens in Düsseldorf. Under the title "“Sit down please” 40 Stools from 40 Countries" an array of young international designers have been challenged with describing their country in a stool. Ahead of the opening we spoke to Denmark's representative Monique Engelund about her entry: When I got the brief for the exhibition and read "How do you sit in your country?", "Make a stool that tells a story about your country",
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Among the more interesting co-operations we saw in Milan was the first product from Konstantin Grcic for Azucena. Entre-Deux is a very simple, reserved screen/divider/barricade - but as we say, the interesting point is the cooperation. And so to find out more about how it arose and how it could develop in the future we spoke briefly with Konstantin Grcic. (smow)blog: Starting with the obvious first question, how did the cooperation between yourself and Azucena come about? Konstantin
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In addition to his Kids Only Collection, Richard Lampert presented two new products in Milan: Stijl by Alexander Seifried and Stak by Patrick Frey. Just as developing a kid's range was long a wish of Richard Lampert, so too was the rehabilitation of the much-maligned kitchen corner bench, once so popular in alpine homes. We know people who are of the opinion that there is no need to rehabilitate the unparalleled genius that is the corner seat bench. Why have your kitchen chairs standing in
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As you know we are big fans of Brooklyn designer Jason Miller. And of the from Jason Miller established lighting company Roll and Hill. Launched in January 2010 as a high end manufacturer of contemporary lighting, Roll and Hill currently features the work of 6 design studios and aims to bring an "American perspective" to the international lighting market. In Milan Roll and Hill presented their second collection, or at least the first part of the second collection. A further two pieces will
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Sometimes its hard to remember that Milan isn't just about showing off how clever you are. Its also about furniture. Consequently an interesting barometer for us is what catches the attention and fancy of the (smow)team. What do they want to see in the (smow)collection. What do they find good. What do they find interesting. They are often wrong. But it's still good to know. And yes, we know design is also subjective. On Facebook we have posted a gallery of some of their Fuorisalone Milan
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Back in snowy Stockholm we met up with Arik Levy and amongst other topics discussed his residency as Stockholm Furniture Fair Guest of Honour. In sunny Milan we briefly caught up with Arik Levy again; principally to follow up on how Stockholm had been for him but also to gather his opinions on the importance of Milan. (smow)blog: Is Milan Design Week still important, is it still relevant? Arik Levy: Milan Design Week isn't the expression I would choose. The fair is very important, what
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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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The Triennale Design Museum Milan opened their exhibition "Dream Factories: People, ideas and paradoxes of Italian design" a week before Fuorisalone Sadly they didn't use the week to test drive it - and then reduce the volume. Intended to explore those producers who have contributed to the rise of Italian design since the end of the Second World War "Dream Factories: People, ideas and paradoxes of Italian design" is simply too much input in too small a space. As Everything Everything so
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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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Last month we posed the question "Is Milan design Week still relevant?" And Antje was kind enough to join our debate. Thank you! We assume everyone else found the question so obviously correct that you didn't feel the need to answer. And yes, of course we are going this year. As our old nan used to say - "It's like an away match in Zwickau on a fine November evening. Not going is not an option!" In addition to perusing the newest products, ideas and concepts we have a top series of
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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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Last summer we spent our annual holiday weekend in a small museum in the north of England discussing the life of a man who had hung himself 30 years previous. And folk say we don't know how to relax. The town was Macclesfield and the subject was Joy Division singer Ian Curtis. Unquestionably one of the truly iconic figures in music history, the cult around Curtis is based to a large extent on a combination of his early death and the photos of the band. One of the speakers at the conference
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Despite the fact the everyone knows that the Eurovision Song Contest hasn't been any good since Bucks Fizz got all pseudo-erotic in Dublin in 1981: the carcass of the dream is still flogged remorselessly every spring. Last year Germany won and so on May 14th Dusseldorf will host European broadcasting's biggest gannet fest. Perhaps the saddest aspect of the whole tawdry spectacle is that amid the drive to appeal to the lowest common denominator of European taste, the identity and
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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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In a past life we earned our living from grapes - we grew them and others turned them into wine. Back then our year had a comforting cadence and seasons that meant something. Then came our wild period in the international designer furniture world - days and months merging, senselessly, into one another. Thankfully, older and wiser our year once again follows the peaceful, pastoral, pattern of old. January IMM Cologne February Stockholm Design Week March Leipzig Buchmesse etc etc etc
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We're fairly certain we posed this question last year - but proudly do so again. Is Milan Design Week still relevant - or is it just a big waste of time, money and resources? The question raises its head because we are currently sitting here planning firstly if we're going to go and secondly if so in what sort of numbers and with what aims. Last year we collected a few opinions on the purpose and function of Milan Design Week and Salone Milano- and among other comments Ronan Bouroullec mused
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