Despoke

Konstantin Grcic Medici Chair

Mark — Tue, 15 May 2012 15:18:13 +0000

Mattiazzi make furniture in wood, using both traditional means of production and the newest digital production technologies. Medici is a low chair with a comfortably reclined posture. Its generous dimensions give it an embracing confidence. It is produced in three different woods: American walnut, Douglas fir, and thermo-treated ash.

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Right from the beginning, I was looking for a distinct grammar for my design, a language that would express the characteristics of wood. I liked the idea of working with planks. They signify the very beginning of the production process — a tree trunk that is cut into slices. I like the way in which a carpenter joins wood. It is immediate and direct. The construction remains visible and easy to read. Structure turns into form.” More images and info at Daily Icon

– Konstantin Grcic

Concorde Chair by Pierre Paulin for Artifort

Mark — Tue, 15 May 2012 15:09:30 +0000

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Originally designed in 1960, the Concorde Chair by the late Pierre Paulin was intended, at the time, to serve as seating in the waiting room of the French Concorde airport. Minimalist in nature, the armless 2012 Artifort lounge chair finds a balance between retro nostalgia and contemporary relevance. Polished metal hardware serves as the foundation for the chairs that are treated in a variety of chromatic hues and mocked up in a durable fabric.
Website:www.northernicon.com/

Guinness’s unique deep-sea bar by Jump Studios

Mark — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:35:02 +0000

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To celebrate Guiness’s 250th anniversary a trip to the depths of the Baltic sea was offered inside a custom-built Guinness-branded submarine as a competition. London-based architecture firm Jump Studios designed the interior of Guinness’s unique deep-sea bar for the brand’s Sea Experience competition.

The 11m2 interior reflects the Guinness brand statement ‘Alive Inside,’ with a fluid concept that captures the feeling of being “immersed in a dynamic, flowing experience.” It was constructed from GRP (glass reinforced plastic), with sculpted nooks for seating, tables and a bar. Rubber bubble-like discs cover the surface, some with LEDs inside and others that serve as receptacles for cans and glasses.

For more images head over to PSFK.com

Website: jump-studios.com/

Richard Hutten: apps sofa for Artifort

Mark — Mon, 14 May 2012 17:01:17 +0000

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Dutch designer Richard Hutten has translated an icon of the digital age into a three-dimentional furniture seat entitled ‘apps’ for Dutch manufacturer Artifort.
Structured on an internal wooden frame, a thick layer of foam is integrated with the use of webbing, ensuring comfort and durability. The textured fabric and two-tone combination adds dimension to the design. Via: DesignBoom

Issey Miyake ‘in-ei’ Lampshades

Mark — Mon, 14 May 2012 16:51:29 +0000

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Check the ‘in-ei’ collection of environmentally-minded, foldable lampshades developed by Issey Miyake for Italian lighting firm Artemide.

Named after the japanese word translatable as ‘shadow’, ‘shade’, and ‘nuance’, the lampshades are constructed with a fibrous fabric derived from recycled bottles, with the geometric designs utilizing two and three dimensional mathematical principals to define shape and degree of shade.

The origami-inspired results possess a spectacular, spectral quality. The project represents a continuation of the 132 5. Issey Miyake 2D/3D folded clothing design research undertaken by Miyake’s reality lab. Via:Slamxhype

AUDI e-bike Worthersee

Mark — Mon, 14 May 2012 15:39:40 +0000

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This is AUDI’s performance electric bike for sports and trick cycling.
The lithium-ion bike features a carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) frame and 26-inch wheels, the latter of which represent the ‘audi ultra blade’ design of broad, flat spokes to increase the transmission of pedal power.

Located at the lowest point on the frame, the electric motor generates a record-breaking maximum output of 2.3kW: a power-to-weight ratio of 9kg (19.8lb) per kilowatt. The rider can choose from among five cycling modes: human-powered only (‘pure’), the electric motor alone (‘egrip’), or pedaling supported by the electric motor (‘pedelec’).

An on-bike touchscreen computer interfaces with smartphone via WLAN, and video can be recorded via the in-helmet camera and uploaded via the mobile device to the web. An online portal lets trick cyclists compete against one another, earning points for successful tricks that have been videotaped and uploaded. See more images and get more information over at DesignBoom.

Herman Miller Pop Up Shop in New York.

Mark — Mon, 14 May 2012 11:42:37 +0000

A Herman Miller Pop Up Shop has opened in New York City’s Soho neighborhood.
The 6,000 square foot space is exhibiting the recently announced Herman Miller Collection which aims to serve both consumer and commercial furniture needs. See more details and images over at PSFK.Com

Marni Creates 100 Chairs with ex Columbian convicts.

Mark — Thu, 10 May 2012 09:02:21 +0000

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Using salvaged materials, colombian craftsmen worked together with milan-based fashion house marni to create ’100 chairs’, an outdoor furniture collection consisting of 80 chairs, 10 deckchairs and 10 tables in 20 colors, 7 models and 21 variations.

Concrete reinforced bars form the frame of each piece while colored PVC plastic pipes are woven for the seats and backrests. the patterns and colours of were all personally picked by marni staff.

The production of the chairs was part of a rehabilitation program set up by Antonio.
Having experienced the harshness of imprisonment himself, Antonio leads a studio where craftsmen as well as former inmates work together to produce the iron and plastic pieces.
Via: designboom

Anthony Hartley to show his Cable Collection

Mark — Wed, 09 May 2012 11:05:07 +0000

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Anthony Hartley will be showing his Cable Collection at FADoffice.com at The Other Art Fair from May 10th – May 13th 2012.

The pieces that make up the Cable Collection are made from clean and simple MDF or ply template shapes, sprayed in Hartley’s trademark strong colour palette. The innovation comes in the joining of the templates, which uses multicolored cable ties to secure them, and which can be easily assembled without tools. Customers can order a matching set, a single base colour with a mix of accents, or a completely custom colorway.

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Like most of my designs, Cable just popped into my head while working on another project. One Sunday afternoon I was drawing plans for a client’s dining table, when I got to wondering how to join components without dowels or screws, or mortise and tenon. By tea-time I had worked out that I could use cable ties and also make them a decorative feature of the furniture. By Tuesday I was sitting down for dinner on the prototype chair at the prototype table

Read more and see more images from Anthony’s Cable collection over at Design Milk.

Website:fadoffice.com/

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Droog For Rent.

Mark — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:51:08 +0000

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In the historical centre of Gent, Droog and Sofie Lachaert have launched Droog for Rent. Upstairs from the Sofie Lachaert Gallery, Droog re-designed a studio and a flat for 2 in which you can find a “restaurant”, “lobby”, “gym” and a “library” all fully equipped with Droog products.

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Droog for Rent offers you a unique opportunity to try and buy not only brand new products but it also gives you the chance to experience Droog’s top design pieces – icons of the 21st Century – as long as you wish for.

Rent includes:
- Free use of the design objects
- Use of wireless internet
- Senseo coffee maker, tea service
- Fan (on request)
- Towels, fine linen designer bed sheets
- All taxes and tourist taxes
- Welcome drinks and Belgian chocolates

Website: www.droogforrent.com