X-Base Chair An xpression; An xpansion; An xposition Whereas the English word 'furniture' has its origins in the middle French verb 'fournir', to furnish, the French 'meuble' and German 'Möbel' have their origins in the Latin 'mobile': capable of being moved. Much as with the so-called Curule Chair, one of the earliest known manufactured seating objects, a seating object so-called because the legs generally 'curuled', a seating object of the distant past that was as much a symbol of power as
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In the exhibtion A Chair and You at the Grassi Museum für Angewandte Kunst, Leipzig, there is more than A Chair and You can look at them, study them, explore them, converse with them. But not sit on them. In the presentation Stühle zum (Be)Sitzen on the first floor landing of the Grassi Museum für Angewandte Kunst, Leipzig, there is more than A Chair and You can look at them, study them, explore them, converse with them. And sit on them. Thirteen chairs which unite more than just thirteen
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"With every new building the first task is to clarify the needs that will arise in context of its use",1 opined Peter Behrens on December 10th 1912 at the official inauguration of the new administrative HQ for the Prussian industrial concern Mannesmannröhren-Werke AG. And while Peter Behrens was certainly not the first to opine such, with the so-called Mannesmann-Haus in Düsseldorf he realised one of the earliest large office buildings designed to evolve and develop as those needs evolved and
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In 1977 Ludwig Glaeser, curator of the Mies van der Rohe Archive at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, opinioned that "it is certainly more than a coincidence that [Mies van der Rohe's] involvement in furniture and exhibition design began in the same year as his personal relationship with Lilly Reich."1 A statement that has in many regards come to define understandings of the furniture designs of both Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich. An understanding that "is certainly more than a
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While Ludwig Mies van der Rohe is arguably best known for the works he realised in the (mid-)west USA, the works he realised in west(ern) Germany are no less relevant or important for understanding the man, his work and his legacy. Summer 2019 saw the western German State of Nordrhein-Westfalen host three Mies van der Rohe exhibitions, one each in, and devoted to Mies's works in, Aachen, Krefeld and Essen. Three exhibitions now united in one in Cologne, and which as a unified trio not only
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How to celebrate the birthday of a man all celebrate? What words can one find to honour the birthday of the German architect, designer and ex-Bauhaus Director Ludwig Mies van der Rohe? When in doubt we invariably turn to the man who has words for every occasion, George Nelson. Following his graduation from Yale University George Nelson won the so-called "Rome Prize", a fellowship awarded by the American Academy in Rome for particularly talented individuals from across a range of disciplines
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A recurrent theme, not only here in the (smow)blog but also in general throughout the (smow) global network is the subject of illegal copies of design classics. Or better put when is a design classic a design classic? At the HGB Leipzig Rundgang in February we were confronted with an unexpected and somewhat unusual interpretation of the question in the form of "Eames Lounge Chair" by George Brückmann. And were immediately hooked. And not only we were impressed by Brückmanns work, In
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Because our article on the new London bus has been delayed by a broken water main at Tooting Bec, we've decided instead to do an impression of a typical London bus user. "Typical, wait ages and then two come along at once! I blame Ken Livingstone!" Ahead of the opening of the Dieter Rams retrospective "Less and More: Das design ethos von Dieter Rams", yesterday saw the opening of a second exhibition dedicated to the life and work of a former Braun designer. The Werkbund Archive Berlin's
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While we are enjoying ourselves at the #VitraHaus preview in Weil am Rhein, the good people of Weimar will be getting their first chance to view the exhibition "In Sand gezeichnet – Entwürfe von Alvar Aalto" (Drawn in Sand - Sketches by Alvar Aalto) at the Bauhaus Universität in Weimar. Featuring over 100 sketches and 18 models of never realised projects, the exhibition promises an interesting insight into the process behind the design of the man who led Scandinavian architecture into
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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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The so called "Barcelona Chair" by German architect and designer Ludwig Mies van der Rohe is without question one of the true classics of 20th century furniture design. And one of the most copied. On the 80th anniversary of its first public appearance during the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929, materials scientist Prof. Friederike Deuerler and Art Historian Prof. Gerda Breuer have curated an exhibition for the Galerie im Kolkmannhaus at the University of Wuppertal. "From prototype to cult
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