Whilst wandering the aisles at 100% Design we stumbled across an intriguing little hut; a seaside themed wendy house if you will. This playful stand at D96 showcases the talents of the team at Creative Trust, an innovative company based in Kent who provide quirky design solutions to fit any brief.
The Creative Trust team includes graphic & product designers, illustrators, movie makers, photographers and 3D model makers – all of whom are on hand to bring even the most hair-brained of ideas to life.
Their stand at this years 100% design is a cute little house made entirely of cardboard and completely illustrated by hand. The interior is jam packed with a quirky array of cardboard furniture, from cardboard frames and chairs, to a full size working cardboard piano. This enchanting little abode is an undeniably impressive achievement and certainly proves the Creative Trust’s claim; “We like to think there’s nothing we can’t produce or illustrate on.”
In recognition of this feat, the stand was awarded the coveted Blueprint prize for Best Exhibition Design at this year’s show.
Austrian designer Philip Bruni is showcasing his newly launched Billard edition of the Pinocchio vase. These porcelain vessels are inspired by Pinocchio’s long nose and the character’s adventurous nature. Bruni explains; “when [Pinocchio] falls down, he immediately gets up. He is a tumbler….if he gets nudged, he nudges as well.” They certainly make for a cute and colourful edition to the Augarten showcase at this year’s 100% Design.
As part of today’s exploration of European design nations we make Greece our final stop. Design Greece is proudly showcasing a selection of work from the country’s leading manufacturers and designers including Kostantia Manthou and Paul Mitsios. From a quick saunter around the exhibition it quickly becomes clear that Greece is a nation possessing impressive design talent, taking an innovative yet traditional approach to design.
Gregory Trackas of Homad told Despoke that in his opinion everything could be argued to originate from Greek design due to the inherent influence that the ancient Greeks had on every aspect of modern culture. Homad’s designer; Paul Mitsios agreed, and went on to explain; “design in general is influenced by local tradition, each piece has a flavour of it’s own locale.” In recent years however, the very sense of locality has been diluted, taking on a more universal feel due to the globalisation of design, Trakas added that Italian influences are now commonly found in Greek design.
In our exploration of design by nation, let’s now look across the Channel to our neighbours in France to investigate what they have to offer by way of talent at this year’s 100% Design…
The 100% France exhibition cannot fail to catch your eye with its playful primary colours and diverse mix of interesting looking, quirky products. The stand was inspired by French designer Lucien Murat who studied at Central Saint Martins and reflects the vibrancy, innovation and elegance that is frequently associated with French design. Speaking of France as a design nation, French Ambassador to the United Kingdom; Bernard Emié said, “France has a long tradition of excellence in design and creativity, which have come together once again to create a cutting-edge and inspirational pavilion..”
2011 marks the fourth year that 100% France has exhibited at 100% Design. This year the show presents the work of 10 high-calibre French designers, each of whom was carefully selected by Gérard Laizé, curator of the pavilion since 2009. Designers include the likes of Couleurs Privees, Rauch, Sentou, Atelier Polyhedre (pictured below) & Qui est Paul (who generously provided seating for the Despoke Café).
A fascinating debate at the press conference at 100%Design which posed the question of whether design has become “post-national”. The 17th 100%Design festival has 13 international stalls, including new country stands from Chilie, China and Greece, a fact which might suggest an ever stronger sense of national identity through design.
The panel brought together designers and architects, including Ben van Berkel, Kenneth Grange, Paul Kelley and Matthew Butcher as well as leading luminaries from the world of design commentary Graham Jones, Chairman of Design Guild Mark and Vice President of Knoll International, and chaired by award winning design critic Justin McGuirk.
After our foray into South American design yesterday, today let’s bring things a little closer to home and take a look at some of the european design talent on display here at 100% Design. First Up, Norway…
Having won three Blueprint Awards at this year’s exhibition, Norway has once again proved itself to possess a host of cutting edge design talent. This year the 100% Norway exhibition has surpassed itself with what they claim to be their most impressive and inspiring collection yet. The work of six individual designers as well as 6 Norwegian manufacturers is on display, making for a diverse mix of pieces that have been curated with an undeniably seamless elegance.
The work in the collection ranges from modern twists on traditional themes to unique contemporary objects. All of the products are bound by their sustainable and innovative qualities. An expressive use of colour, fine craftsmanship and attention to detail are all qualities typical of Norwegian design, strongly evident in this year’s 100% Norway collection.
After years of successful showcases at 100% Design, having had a presence at the exhibition ever since the show first opened ion 2006, it has been clear that the Norwegian design scene is continually blossoming. Henrietta Thompson has been curator of 100% Norway every year and she notes with pride that Norwegian design continually surpasses her expectations. So what is the secret to Norway’s growing design success? Thompson explains; “Well made beautiful and functional products and furniture are an integral part of daily life in Scandinavia. Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Norway have all developed a reputation for making products and furniture that provide elegance and timeless simplicity while at the same time keeping an eye on the environment.”
So let’s take a look at some of the work on display at this year’s 100% Norway showcase:
Figgjo: Figgjo returns to 100% Norway for the first time since 2008 launching three new ranges all designed by ceramist Olav Joa.
Skogstad / Anderssen & Voll / Homstvedt: ‘Bowling’ (above) is a series of wooden bowls; “The thickness of the material is pushed to the very minimum and grows organically into a soft gripping rim at the top edge.”
Magnus Pettersen: ‘Tint’ is Pettersen’s latest work, a lamp created using materials more commonly associated with architecture; glass and concrete. Yet the design takes the edge off the industrial due to the smooth, tactile lines and unusual colour palette.
As another day at 100% Design draws to a close, let’s take a look at some of the highlights that have caught the attention of Despoke’s roaming camera lense.
Visitors express themselves on the 100% Design blackboard: 'Design Should Not Have Any Boarders' - we quite agree!
Blueprint magazine gave guests the the chance design their own road signs - there was an interesting range from comic, to quirky to down right rude!
[re]design are thinking ahead to Christmas already, encouraging visitors to design their own recycled gifts.
Guests leave Earls Court 2 as the second day of 100% Design draws to a close. There's still a whole weekend ahead though!
Continuing our focus on designers across the globe and the representation of national identity through design, our next stop is Argentina.
On the opposite side of the wall just behind the Chilean display, an exhibition showcasing the work of Argentina’s hottest design talent can be found. The work on display is a combination of submissions from eight designers each of whom was hand selected by the Argentine Embassy for their innovative and traditionally inspired work.
Delores Farias of the Argentine Embassy in London told Despoke that for Argentina to be represented at 100% Design was extremely beneficial for the nation’s reputation which is not typically associated with cutting edge design. “When people think of Argentina” Dolores explained, “they think of wine and steak, but the creative industries actually play a really significant role in the wellbeing of our country’s economy.”
The 100% Argentine Design exhibition displays a quintessential view of Argentina, with each piece representing the show’s manifesto: traditional innovtion. The designers whose work you can see on display include; Arqom, Masekos, Foxy, Adriana Torres, Heidi Jalkh, Buna, Vacavaliente & UAU.
![[re]design wall display](http://www.despoke.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/IMG_4179-1024x682.jpg "[re]design")
