Design

Soapso by Florian Bremer is three soaps, designed as palpable objects, as a playful way to protect yourself. The goal is to give soap a more narrative quality. Although soap is a very old product, its appearance is often very rudimentary and monotonous. Soapso is therefore the ultra-tactile version of a classic that is more important than ever in pandemic times. For children in particular, this product offers a playful way to protect yourself by washing your hands.

Up to the challenge

imm cologne’s Pure Talents design contest has reduced more than 500 entrants to 20 finalists Visit: www.imm-cologne.com

Apio by Felix Landwehr is a modular, node-based connecting system for furniture. With just one Apio connecting element and conventional round bars, the user can create three-dimensional structures without using tools. The elements can be positioned anywhere on the bar to permit maximum multi-axial flexibility. The use of mono-materials ensures simple separability, allowing the elements to be returned to the recycling loop. Babybo by Charlotta Åman is a portable nest that offers a safe environment for babies up to six months. Many baby sleep products contain toxins that may affect babies’ health or fail to take into account their short-term usefulness. Babybo is made entirely of non-toxic, organic materials such as hypoallergenic mycelium foam and banana fibre fabric, which are completely bio-degradable. The compact design converts from sleeping pod to changing pad to playmat.

Powerplace by Philipp Hainke is a flexible charging station for the smart home. It combines an extension cord, portable battery, storage space and multiple charging interfaces in one organised object. It meets the daily need for electricity in our living space and permits the simple electrification of existing interiors by providing charging interfaces.

Ludo by Teresa Egger is a hybrid of side table and play furniture. Adaptable in one easy move, every 90deg turn opens up a new possibility for interaction: rocker, reading bench, table. The furniture is intended to counter the tendency towards the strict separation of children’s and adult areas of the home by providing functions and an aesthetic that appeal to the entire family. Ludo consists of an outer and scaled inner shell made of moulded plywood, produced in a single pressing.

Helia by Stéfanie Kay provides the user with the right light throughout the day. On average, we use artificial light for 90% of our day which, unlike the sun, does not change its colour or intensity, altering the user’s productivity, concentration or quality of sleep or mood. Helia follows the user’s experience throughout the day – from waking up to falling asleep –by varying its intensity and colour. Its modular head enables it to create either a direct light beam or an ambient lamp. Clap by François Lafortune is a stackable chair with a storage system, for the office and study environment. It emerged from a reflection on the evolution of the office from the perspective of school, where desks and chairs belong to everyone. Clap keeps your belongings safe while you take a break, thanks to a lock, while ensuring an ergonomic work posture.

Dream View Lamp by Lise Vester is a sensory textile lamp that mimics the changing light of the sky. The Dream View Lamp works as a substitute for when we don’t have a view of the outdoors. A rotating textile replicates the transitional colours of the sky throughout the day, giving us an opportunity to synchronise with the time and space we live in. The sensory light aims to improve our mental wellbeing by making space for peaceful and mindful moments where we pause and wonder.

Model L by Tobias Schenk and Nandan Wolfer is a mobile sideboard that invites interaction. Every time something is placed on it, the shelving responds by bending and changing shape according to the object’s weight. The material properties of the sheet metal permit a high degree of elastic deformation, guaranteeing that the shelves retain their bounce even after being loaded for a long period of time. The down-to-earth colouring contrasts with the agile appearance. 

Trunk by Aleksander Luczak is a system for constructing and connecting individual pieces of furniture. The core element, an aluminium profile, doesn’t just connect individual components to construct a piece of furniture, it can be used to create rows of chairs and tables as well. Trunk is a sustainable system that permits individual combinations. The individual parts can be made of wood or recycled plastic. In the event of damage, the simple construction means that the parts can be conveniently exchanged without having to replace the entire piece of furniture.

Trojan Vacuum by Tobias Bihlmeyer and Ivo Erichsen combines the functionality of a vacuum cleaner with the aesthetic and useful qualities of minimalist furniture design, underscoring the ‘home’ in ‘home appliance’. The focus is on repairability and the use of sustainable materials, resulting in a long-lasting product that recognises it is only in use for 16 minutes per week. The Folded wall light by Alexandre Fontaine flips and switches on with one intuitive push, as the switch is integrated into the lamp. Its minimalist look emphasises the switching experience to encourage spontaneous interaction. Simply push towards the centre to turn it on and to the extremities to flip it off. The spring effect is achieved through the flexibility of the frame. Embossing Wood by Hemmo Honkonen is an exploration of a new surface-texturing method for wood. The method is based on the thermohydro-mechanical properties of the natural material and allows easy and cost-efficient texturing of wooden surfaces. Textures that would be too slow and expensive to produce with conventional methods become feasible.

Navel by Claudia Otte gives crown glass a new platform. The foundation and inspiration for the Navel tray is a disc of crown glass, which belongs to an old tradition of glassmaking and has a distinctive, navel-like mark at the centre. The frame consists of three curved wooden elements that surround the disc and direct your gaze to the centre. Light can penetrate the surface, creating a playful effect that invites closer contemplation. Neozoon by Lukas Heintschel and Kilian Klepper is a portable lamp with suction power made of recyclable material. Thanks to its large suction cup, Neozoon can be attached to virtually any surface in seconds and removed again just as quickly without leaving a trace. Because of the integrated rechargeable battery, it is incredibly mobile and perfect for adventures on the move – or for creative lighting accents at home. 

Pillar Box by Rasmus Palmgren is a wooden, stackable and playful storage box in two sizes. Inspired by wooden fruit boxes, Pillar Box has a simple construction and can be used in multiple spaces. The round, almost pillar-like corners create a strong design language and framework for the boxes. Each corner has a lens-shaped finish – concave or convex – that makes the stacking easy, elegant and stable. The Pillar Boxes comes in two sizes and in playful colours.

Pur by Sebastian Kommer is a series of furniture and objects based on a system and openness. At the same time, it symbolically addresses the coexistence of nature and industry. The interaction between the solid wood elements and aluminium profiles permits a particularly individual design. The goal is to generate a direct and unique aesthetic via the radical portrayal of the materials, as well as their production and machining processes.

Pura by Carolien Janssens is a series of small kitchen appliances powered and controlled via the induction hob, which serves as both energy supply and control system. Integrated temperature, touch and motion sensors permit the tactile, intuitive operation of the smart home objects. The cordless design, completely outsourced interface and a design language borrowed from architecture turn the appliances into aesthetic objects. Pebble hangers by Rania Elkalla are made out of Shell Homage, a biomaterial of egg and nut shells. Pebbles are a decorative hanger set for everyday belongings with a secret storage space on the back and sides. It creates a flexible and playful system for organising little things, and you can create the look according to your need and mood. The Pebbles hangers are extruded on different levels and can be partially overlapped to offer a wide range of order. The design is a perfect solution for the hallway, bedroom or office.

Slot by Marie Luise Stein is an adjustable table frame that meets the demands of a constantly changing working and living environment. The additional fifth table leg serves as a central axis that the other four legs are fitted onto, allowing them to be fanned out a full 360deg into any position required. This allows the creation of base frames for tabletops of different sizes, enabling living spaces to be used and created in new ways.