Although, according to our strict definition of "design" the work of Leipzig ceramicist Claudia Biehne must be considered handwork, we're delighted Porcelain Studio Biehne & Passig are taking part in the Designers' Open 2013 Spots. When we dropped by the studio Stefan Passig asked how we first got to know the studio's work, and unlike the romance of a casual meeting under an escalator in a former department store, with Studio Biehne & Passig we really can't recall. Suspect however it was at
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Despite the unnecessary unpleasantness on show at Leipzig Messe, (post to follow, awaiting legal clearance) the 2013 Designers’ Open Spots program provides more than enough reasons to get out and explore Leipzig creativity. One particularly good example is Plagwitz Village based collective diefabrik. Our introduction to diefabrik came via their cardboard furniture collection, including the shelf system “Constructo” and the Lounger “Chair777″, shown at Designers' Open 2009. An introduction
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Vienna's fine, the sun shines most the time The feeling is "laid back" Plane trees grow and Herr Gruber's beer prices are low But you know we keep thinkin' about Making our way back Well we're Leipzig City born and raised But nowadays, We're lost between two shores Vienna's fine, but it ain't home Leipzig's home, But it ain't ours no more......... Which, and with obvious apologies to Niel Diamond, is a somewhat long, involved and frankly unnecessarily depressive way, of saying that the time
read moreFor us the biggest surprise with the announcement that Designers' Open 2013 would be staged in the Glass Hall at Leipzig Messe was the fact that it surprised us. The new organisers are after all Leipzig Messe........ However, somehow it never occurred to us that they would stage it in Schkeuditz. Yet, according to the official press release, having considered "...a multitude of locations...." in Leipzig they decided to host it themselves. A decision we can't pretend to support. For us
read moreFrom 2013 onwards Designers' Open Leipzig will be organised by Leipzig Messe. The current organisers and festival founders Jan Hartmann and Andreas Neubert will continue to assist with the content and conceptual planning; however, all legal and financial control has been taken on by Leipzig Messe. More observant readers will have noticed that we didn't report from Designers' Open 2012. The simple reason is that we saw little reason to visit it. And that despite it being staged about 10
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As we always say one of the joys of visiting design festivals is the chance they offer to explore different parts of the host city. Normally it is the visitors who travel. In Leipzig, it's Designers' Open that travels. The true minstrel under the European design festivals, Designers' Open has been annually packing its kit bag and moving on ever since leaving its, figurative, family home in the Grassi Museum in 2006. Designers Open 2012 will be held from October 25th to 28th in the
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We imagine most of our readers don't understand that much about drums. We certainly don't. Or at least didn't. At Designers' Open we learnt a lot more. And it's a lot more fascinating than you might imagine. Specifically we learnt about the Zoom Bass Drum System from Leipzig based Rockstroh Drums. In essence, in order to change the sound of a bass drum, you have to adjust the tension of the skins. Which involves a lot of work. And takes a lot of time. Rockstroh Drums, working in
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Although it has been quiet around Erik Wester of late, it's fair to say he remains our favourite Norwegian designer. However he now officially has competition. At Designers' Open 2011 a group of 10 Norwegian design students presented examples of their work on a joint stand under the title "Look to Norway" Quite possibly, the first ever Norwegian design to be seen at Designers' Open. For us the most interesting pieces were Le Korpusiør by Jørgen Platou Willumsen - a very simple yet endearing
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Just before we head of to Berlin for DMY Berlin 2011 comes confirmation that our own local design festival, Designers' Open, has a new home for 2011 - the Baumwollspinnerei in our very own Lower East Plagwitz Village. Among the more nomadic design festivals Designers' Open has been staged in numerous wonderful venues throughout Leipzig, but the move to the city's Baumwollspinnerei promises not only a spectacular backdrop to the festival, but also a slight increase in the festival's reputation
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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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At Designers' Open 2009 (smow) first discovered Austrian producer Perludi, who were making their first appearance in Leipzig. Since when their wonderful MAXintheBOX has been part of the (smow) kid's collection. And obviously Designers' Open 2009 was generally a good one for Perludi, because they came back to Leipzig for Designers' Open 2010. On the (smow)blog desk we use a mini MAXintheBOX as a visiting card holder. In real-size MAXintheBOX can be more or less whatever your child wants
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For us Designers' Open 2010 was a wonderful mixture of new discoveries and renewed meetings with old favourites. Such as Collecteur by Christian Lessing. We first saw back Collecteur in January at Designers Fair in Cologne - and are still impressed by the simple genius of the design. In essence Collecteur is a stool/side table that receives its stability from magazines. Perfect for all those of us with large magazine collection we can't bear to part with but which we can't find appropriate
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At the 2010 Marianne Brandt Contest, Halle based designer Caspar Huckfeldt won the (smow)/Vitra Special Prize for his "Damensattel" In essence a removable plastic saddle that attaches to the crossbar, Damensattel allows a bike passenger to carried sitting side saddle. Think of the scene with "I'm singing in the rain" from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and you've got the idea. In selecting Damensattel the Vitra judges praised the design as being "a real charmer" that draws people
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Mannno! If we're honest we didn't expect Orgatec 2010 to be such fun, or to be so sorry to leave. For us Orgatec is one of those "must dos" Not must do as in the sense of, "If you don't go you'll regret it for the rest of your life" but more "your going, stop your bleating and accept it!" But at the end of the day we could have happily spent another couple of days in Cologne. Aside from a range of interesting new products at Vitra and Thonet, we discovered a host of new office
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Its a little known fact, but the printer in (smow)HQ sits atop a "Block" by Frank Gehry. And indeed in general we at (smow)blog are long standing fans of corrugated cardboard furniture; and not only since introducing the world to Stuart Miller during the 2009 Saloni. Shelf 114/115 from Leipzig based diefabrik didn't quite set our hearts ablaze as much as Stuarts nameless chair, but did make us very happy. It is a truly, truly ridiculous concept. Oval cardboard forms with exaggerated teeth
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Our new flash has arrived .... and that just in the nick of time. (As the name tends to imply ;) ) For this coming Friday the 2009 Designers' Open will once again present the finest selection in contemporary design from 150 international designers. And that right here in Leipzig. In addition, a series of lectures, workshops, discussions and "hands on" events will not only wonderfully complement the exhibition, but, hopefully, invigorate, motivate and illuminate both industry professionals and
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Before we start slowing down and head outdoors to enjoy the summer we want to take the opportunity over the next couple of weeks to look back on the smow design spring; namely our trips to Milan, New York, Brühl, Basel and Berlin ... as well as to start looking forward to the forthcoming smow design autumn. And no we won't just be re-visiting old ground, we have saved a few treats from USM Haller, Vitra, ICFF, DMY Berlin and Salone for those long summer evenings on the balcony with a good
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„… a huge compliment for the fresh, and refreshing, yet very professional organization of the DO08” With these words of praise the Swiss design-label Thismade, one of the exhibitors at the Designers’ Open 2008 in Leipzig, summed up the mood among exhibitors and visitors. Now it its fourth year Leipzigs "alternative" design exhibition, attracted circa 150 designers to the, lets say, "unusual" exhibition halls: Abandoned blocks of flats near Leipzig main station. The 2008 Designers Open once
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