Milan 2016 | The Viaduct Review by Viaduct Furniture

Milan 2016 | The Viaduct Review

Milan 2016 The Viaduct Review As ever the Salone Del Mobile was an immense event, that now goes far beyond furniture.

Yes, it’s that time of year again. We sent a nine strong team out to Milan this year with a divide and conquer approach. Whilst we may not have seen everything the week had to offer we came pretty close. Salone is now far more than a furniture industry event. It was an opportunity not just to see new releases, but also to reflect on the wider questions facing Design and it’s impact. Across the board we found much to love at student shows, the fair and at events across the city. We’ve pulled our highlights together here for you, including an interview with Sam Hecht of Industrial Facility, our curated selection of new products and an in depth look at some of our favourite stories from the week. As always its been a labour of love and we hope you enjoy reading it. All our best, The Viaduct Team. x

Upholstery & Pattern

At e15 we saw the launch of Kerman, a modular sofa with infinite options. Its sculpted silhouette works to punctuate spaces, making it a good option for hotels and reception areas. There is also a new woven patterned fabric called ‘Alice’, its bold colours and warmth contrast brilliantly with the clean modernist lines of the sofa.

Modularity, small footprints and pattern were the key upholstery trends to be found this year

Their combination of pale woods with brass detailing on their stand, was echoed in their Butler Stand for Wallpaper* Handmade, designed in collaboration with David Chipperfield Architects. Montis were at ‘Masterly’ a show for Dutch producers, showcasing launches from Cologne, including Back Me Up. Awkwardly named but incredibly comfortable. Its small footprint making it a great upholstered option for tight spaces. There were two small sofas that caught our eye, Linea by Nikari and Tacchini’s Santiago Sofa “plays with unusual proportions to create a unique visual presence.”

Previous Page: Kerman Sofa by Farah Ebrahimi and Philipp Mainzer for e15. This page, clockwise from top left: 1. Linea Sofa by Jenni Roininen for Nikari. 2. Kerman Sofa and Pouf by Farah Ebrahimi and Philipp Mainzer for e15. 3. Gold / pale wood doorway spotted in Lambrate. 4. Detail from Spring In Outer Space from 1963 by Kiki Kogelnik. 5. Santiago Sofa by Claesson Koivisto Rune for Tacchini. 6. e15 stand collaboration with Koenig Galerie. 7. Alice Fabric by Farah Ebrahimi for e15. 8. Door at Lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;eclettico. 9. Butler Stand by E15 and David Chipperfield Architects at Wallpaper* Handmade. 10. Stand Detail - e15. 11. Iza Rug by Farah Ebrahimi for e15. 12/13. Back Me Up by Arian Brekveld for Montis

One Man’s Trash ... Projects involving e15 and Bloc Studios showed us how to make the most of offcuts

from industrially salvaged carrara marble and is hand made in Italy. Incorporating accessories but also smaller furniture items such as side tables, the collection is decidedly contemporary, fulfilling the designers wish to create objects that are ‘sincere to modern form and function.’

E15 have long been fans of reusing offcuts, their iconic Backenzahn is made using the leftover wood from the manufacture of their Bigfoot tables. In this spirit, they collaborated with students from ECAL this year, on a special project where students were given the opportunity to work with the same materials and create new objects.

This year Bloc Studios collaborated with Apartamento magazine to create ‘Blocks’, a modern version of classic children’s wooden building blocks, also created from salvaged carrara marble. These sculptural objects highlight marble’s inherent natural beauty.

Over at Bloc Studios, they have a similar approach to reusing surplus materials. Founded in 2014 by Sara Ferron Cima & Massimo Ciu, The company was born out of the desire to transform ‘natural stone into thoughtful everyday objects.’ The result was their 2015 ‘Marmo Domestico’ collection which had its debut at Salone last year.

Back at ECAL x E15, their installation in e15’s Tortona showroom brought together the highlights of the students work. Half by Nicolas de Vismes is a mirror incorporating a singular slab of e15’s signature European oak, designed with a

hanging system that allows the mirror to be hung in three ways. Herz by Hugo Chafotte is a fruit bowl, taking the construction of the Backenzahn as its reference point, the object is CNC milled to create curvature. The way the wood is cut exposes the growth rings of the tree demonstrating the materials past life. The Yuragi rocking stool by Hiroyuki Morita illustrates the weight of the substantial oak by creating a gentle rocking motion. Adrien Cugulliere designed the Mitsogo shelf and Bakula console. He said the pieces were inspired by “museum stand typology, especially that used to display African masks”. As the old adage says ‘One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.’ And what both of these projects share is a desire to make the most of these natural

resources, appreciating their value and beauty. The skill and craft in creating desirable objects from leftovers rests in the designer’s ability to exploit the materials natural qualities. What is most notable however is that by making creative use of what is left behind in the conventional manufacturing process, it offers an alternative environmental and also economically savvy approach to design and manufacture than can be easily adopted by other companies.

Intro page: Italian marble quarry as shot by Bloc Studios. Previous page clockwise from top left: 1. Half by Nicolas Vismes. 2. Herz by Hugo Chafotte. 3. Yuragi rocking stool by Hiroyuki Morita. 4. Mitsugo shelf by Adrien Cugulliere. 5. Marble Quarry, Italy. 6. Massimo by Virgile Thévoz & Josephine Choquet for Bloc Studios. 7. Giancarlo Stool by Virgile Thévoz & Josephine Choquet for Bloc Studios. 8. Marble quarry, Italy. This page L-R: 1. Detail, european oak used by e15 and ECAL. 2. Detail, carrara marble used by Bloc Studios. 3. Blocks by Bloc Studios and Apartamento magazine. 4. Marble quarry, Italy.

Refined Details

At MDF Italia there were new brass, stone and wood finishes for the Tense Table. They also enlisted Rudolfo Dordoni to create Heron. A new storage system that can be configured with doors, drawers, glass side profiles and open perforated panels.

Whether in tweaks or new products, detail oriented design was everywhere

Pedrali also used slim metal profiles, this time tubular steel to update their Osaka collection. Over at Vitra there was a new wooden finish too for the Bouroullecsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Metal Side Tables. At Mattiazzi, we loved Facile by LHM which took the dovetail joint as its starting point creating a table to complement their existing chair collection. Claesson Koivisto Rune worked with Nikari on the Marfa Stool, one of eight pieces they created for the Inde/Jacobs gallery in Marfa Texas, where they were also the appointed architects. Marfa is perhaps best known as the town where Donald Judd bought several buildings and turned them into permanent art installations.

Previous Page: Detail from Wooden Side Table by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec for Vitra. Clockwise from top left: 1. Detail from Facile by LHM for Mattiazzi. 2 & 3.Detail, Heron by Rudolfo Dordoni for MDF Italia. 4.Marfa Stool by Claesson, Koivisto, Rune for Nikari. 5. Concrete Wall, Lisbon. 6. Donald Judd installation, Marfa Texas. 7. Tense Material by Piergiorgio & Michele Cazzaniga for MDF Italia. 8. Metal by Michele Cazzaniga, Simone Mandelli & Antonio Pagliarulo for Pedrali. 9. Wooden Side Tables by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec for Vitra. 10. Heron by Rudolfo Dordoni for MDF Italia. 11. Inde/Jacobs Gallery, Marfa Texas. 12. Facile by LHM for Mattiazzi.

Blurring Boundaries

The relationship between art and design loomed larger than ever over Salone this year. First there were artistic collaborations; e15’s stand was adorned with artworks from König Galerie and Karimoku New Standard offset new releases including Scholten & Baijing’s Colour Wood Chair with the striking geometric paintings by Korean artist Chung Eun Mo. With the Colour Wood chairs small laths of oak are joined in a single shell without any apparent joint, the result is a form ‘that appears like a graphical composition, oscillating between simplicity and complexity.’

Painterly marks and expressive touches brought art into design

Secondly, the influence was felt in products themselves. Designers were making use of more expressive, painterly techniques as seen on Max Lamb’s splattered update on his stool for Hem. The stool is hand-painted with enamel and then fired at 800C to seal it. There were also hand painted splatters at Magis where Jerszy Seymour’s high consoles and stools win a prize not just for the longest, most philsophical name, but also for their inventive 18

approach, the designer cites their purpose as ‘meant to act as a limitless view to possible futures’ no small task! At Rossana Orlandi were Karakter who presented several new pieces, amongst which was Tri Angle, originally designed in 1996 by Aldo Bakker, a designer well known for his conceptual approach. Tri Angle consists of 12 triangular oak elements – cut to fit together like the perfect puzzle. The final puzzle reveals a square-ish stool or side table with a distinguished and very precise look. Claesson, Koivisto, Rune designed Palladio, a table series for Artifort that took inspiration from classic principles of architecture by the Venetian master of renaissance architecture Andrea Palladio and also the minimalistic sculptures by American artist Donald Judd. Muller Van Severen also had several new pieces on display at Palazzo Litta for new label Valerie Objects. The duo are both artists in their own right and this clearly influences their approach. The Aluminium collection encompasses two chairs, one of which is stackable, a round cafe table and side tables. The collection is distinguished by the use of hammer blow finishing paint, conventionally seen applied on mechanical equipment, machines or laboratory equipment. It’s textured (as if hammered) and therefore ideal to cover up bumps in metal. It’s UV-resistant and water-repellent so all the pieces can be used outside. 20

Previous page: Herringbone by Raw Edges. This page, clockwise from top left: Bureau for the Study of Vivid Blue Every-Colour Inhabitations of the Planet, the Transformation of Reality, and a Multitude of Happy Endings by Jerszy Seymour for Magis. 2. Door in Lambrate. 3. Tri Angle by Aldo Bakker, Karakter. 4. Detail, Palladio by Claesson, Koivisto Rune, Artifort. 5. Colour Wood armchair by Scholten & Baijings, Karimoku New Standard. 6. Stacking Chair by Muller Van Severen, Valerie Objects. 7. Last Stool Splatter by Max Lamb, Hem. 8. Detail, Herringbone by Raw Edges. 9. Palladio Table. 10. Alu Square tables by Muller Van Severen, Valerie Objects. 11. Alu Chair and Round Table S by Muller Van Severen, Valerie Objects. 11. Painting by Chung Eun Mo.

Stained Glass

Glass is back, and in ways that play with light, reminding us of artists like Larry Bell or James Turrell. Layers by Nendo has become a production piece at Glas Italia, Available in cold or warm hues, the glass panels move to reveal or obscure contents. There were also new additions to Patricia Urquiola’s Shimmer range. The low tables have been complemented by a Dining table and a new pearlised finish.

Glass makes a return in bright hues, and with iridescent finishes

Also at Glas was the Bouroullec designed Nesting coffee table. Its thick glass top is made by pouring the glass around the legs sealing them in to accentuate depth. Another highlight was Germans Ermičs Shaping Colours series at Rossana Orlandi. Ermičs says: “I started from colour, wondering about what would it look like if I stretch, turn or fold the colour as if it was a three-dimensional shape.” We liked his low table which works both flat and upright.

Previous page: Detail, Shimmer Dining Table by Patricia Urquiola for Glas Italia. This page, clockwise from top left: 1. Shimmer Dining Table by Patricia Urquiola for Glas Italia. 2. Detail, Turner Prize installation by Karla Black, 2011. 3. Shimmer Side Tables by Patricia Urquiola for Glas Italia. 4 & 5. Shaping Colour Low Table by German Ermiﾄ行. 6 & 7. Nesting by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec for Glas Italia. 8 & 9. Detail, Wedgework III installation by James Turrell. 10 & 11. Layers by Nendo for Glas Italia. 12. Minimal Myth by Larry Stuart Bell.

Konstantin Grcic

Grcic. was. everywhere. At Magis, there was ‘Brut’. A table collection that uses glass and wood to refine and balance heavy cast iron bases, referencing the typologies of industrial tooling and structural details. He also used cast iron for Ettore, Magis’ new mule mascot.

“The beauty of his products stems not from their looks, but from the warmth you feel towards them” - Alice Rawsthorne

There were additions to his Clerici collection for Mattiazzi, a solid wood table and new outdoor finishes. Also new pieces for David Chipperfield led Driade. Mingx takes inspiration from Ming Dynasty era China. Traditionally made from wood, this style can be seen in other chairs by the likes of Fritz Hansen and PP Mobler, but what distinguishes Grcic’s is the use of metal. He used tubular steel, a nod to his recently relaunched Zig Zag shelving system. We like the ‘serated’ edge detail on the stool’s footrest. Lastly, his Props collection for Cassina is a user defined set of sculptural elements machined from laser cut steel that can be used to define space as well as more conventionally as furniture. 26

Previous page: Props by Konstantin Grcic for Cassina. This page, clockwise from top left: 1. Anchor photographed at Arsenale, Venice. 2. Ettore by Konstantin Grcic for Magis. 3. Detail, lookbook image, Mattiazzi. 4 & 5. Clerici Table, Bench and Chairs all by Konstantin Grcic for Mattiazzi. 7. Turn Up by Anthony Caro, 2010. 8. Brut by Konstantin Grcic for Magis. 9. Mingx Stool by Konstantin Grcic for Driade. 10. Installation view, Richard Serra at Gagosian Gallery, 2015. 11. Clerici Table by Konstantin Grcic for Mattiazzi

Reflective Modernism

Artek’s stand was one of the most instagrammed of the week but interestingly did not have many new pieces on display. Instead they souped up Ilmari Tapiovaara’s Kiki sofa with a Raf Simons fabric for Kvadrat, alongside celebrating 70 years of his Domus Chair. Both designs were recipients of a Milan Triennale award in 1960 and 1951 respectively. However, there were new additions to the Aalto inspired Kaari collection by the Bouroullecs, smaller shelves and tables as well as a coat hook.

Design’s revisiting of modernism is still in full flow

Karakter were at Rossana Orlandi, showcasing their newest additions. The company have already have already built a reputation for producing classic pieces, and now they have acquired the license to produce some of Achille Castiglioni’s designs, the first company outside Italy ever to do so. The first is Comodo designed by Castiglioni in collaboration with Giancarlo Pozzi; a multipurpose unit that can be used as a bedside table, a tray, a coffee table or simply as a storage box. 30

Supposedly Castiglioni, being a big fan of sweets, used his own Comodo to store candy. His Wire Bookcase, designed with his brother Pier Giacomo also makes a return. A testimony to the designers obsession wth removing the superfluous, this bookcase cosists of three shelves and two cords held at a single point in the wall. Astonishingly, when fixed to a solid wall it can hold a load up to 90kg. Michael Anastassiades created an interesting departure for both himself and Herman Miller with his Spot Stools and Stasis Table. The designer is more known for his minimalist lighting designs than furniture, but leapt at the chance to work with Herman Miller on products that would return the company back to its more residential, modernist roots. The De Chirico inspired installation was pure Anastassiades, demonstrating how designers and companies with a common goal can create products that are true to both the designer’s and manufacturer’s vision. Carl Hansen reintroduced Poul Kjærholm’s thoughtfully crafted PK52 desk, designed for the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in 1955. Zanotta offered up the June Chair by Frank Rettenbacher, new design, modernist look. They also reintroduced the Fenice Table by Piero Bottoni, designed in 1936, it was the only object left standing in Villa Muggia after a WWII bombing raid. 32

Previous page: Michael Anastassiades’ installation for Herman Miller featuring his Spot Stools and Stasis Tables. This page, clockwise from top left: 1. Kaari sketch by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec. 2. Detail from ‘The Double Dream of Spring’ by Giorgio de Chirico. 3. Comodo by Achille Castiglioni & Giancarlo Pozzi made by Karakter. 4. Kaari coat hooks by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec for Artek. 5. Wire Bookcase by Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, made by Karakter. 6. Domus Chair by Ilmari Tapiovaara for Artek. 7. PK52 Desk by Paul Kjærholm for Carl Hansen. 8. Kiki Sofa by Ilmari Tapiovaara for Artek. 9. Fenice Table by Piero Bottoni and June Chair by Frank Rettenbacher both for Zanotta.

Supernormal

“The super normal object is the result of a long tradition of evolutionary advancement in the shape of everyday things, not attempting to break with the history of form but rather trying to summarise it, knowing is the artificial replacement for normal, which with time and understanding may become grafted to everyday life.” - Jasper Morrison

The Morrison coined term is not new, but it does continue to influence and inform

Amongst the sea of ‘newness’ and ‘special’ that can typify the Fiera, a piece of ‘supernormal’ design becomes almost inversed from its philosophy; standing out a country mile against its very opposite, the headline grabbing counterparts. For us nowhere is this seen more clearly than on Maruni’s stand. The stand itself, pure white, no accessorising, just product itself in clear view. The clean look of stands such as Maruni, and also others such as Emeco or Mattiazzi are not cost saving exercises, nor are pure minimalism for its own sake, if a product is good there is no need to dress it up or hide behind gimmicks. 34

So, onto the products themselves. At Maruni, you had a practical, stackable steel base addition to Naoto Fukasawa’s Hiroshima family. They also introduced new pieces by Morrison; the O-Stool and T-Chair. Both are made from maple wood, utilise 3D machining technolgy and have small details that define them. For example the sprung steel backrest of the T-Chair to add comfort, or the o-shaped hole in the seat of the stool used for carrying. Over at Vitra, Morrison again made use of clever details, this time in APC, which stands for All Plastic Chair, using clever moulding and hidden trickery this chair is once again normal and familiar in appearance but clever none the less. A rigid high strength polypropylene frame, is complemented by use of softer, moulded polyprop for seat and backrest. This is supported also by “a backrest [that is] is connected to the frame by means of axial shafts with rubber buffers that enable the construction to gently flex in response to the sitter’s movements.” Vitra have also produced his answer to the low slung modular sofa, the Soft Modular Sofa. At Molteni, Morrison presented Ink, his stripped back interpretation of a Bureau. Conceived with the belief that ‘A desk is more of a place than an object’ It has three drawers, LED lighting and a compartment fitted with sockets for connecting all kinds of electronic devices. 36

Previous page: Detail, T Chair by Jasper Morrison for Maruni. This page, clockwise from top left: 1. Ink by Jasper Morrison for Molteni. 2 & 3. T Chair by Jasper Morrison for Maruni. 4 & 5. O Stool by Jasper Morrison for Maruni. 6. Cover of ‘Supernormal’ the book accompanying Naoto Fukasawa and Morrison’s show of the same name. 7 & 8. APC Chair by Jasper Morrison for Vitra. 9. T Stool by Jasper Morrison for Maruni. 10. Soft Modular Sofa by Jasper Morrison for Vitra. 11 & 12. Hiroshima Steel by Naoto Fukasawa for Maruni.

Interview: Sam Hecht Industrial Facility’s new products were among our Salone highlights this year. We talk to one half of the duo...

notable for being a solid wood chair that stacks in large multiples. The duo were inspired by the classic 40/4 Stacking Chair by David Rowland, where Rowland strove to reduce the structure to its barest elements, keeping it light and functional. When interviewed by Disegno recently, Hecht said of the piece “Our idea was that we wanted something humble that could last for a century.”

Industrial Facility were founded in 2002 by Kim Colin and Sam Hecht, since then the duo have created countless products across all spheres of design. Their clients are a broad church ranging from Established & Sons to Muji and electronics brands such as LaCie. They have even designed a piano for Yamaha. But crucially, any Industrial Facility product has certain qualities that make it identifiable as their work. There is their finely distilled aesthetic of course, but more importantly it’s the ethos underpinning their practice. What they call ‘a duty to ensure the project has not just commercial credibility but also usefulness, appropriateness and longevity.’

We spoke with Sam about their other two releases, the Run Collection for Emeco and also their work with Oral B under the umbrella of Future Facility. So tell us about Run, the new collection for Emeco, where did your inspiration come from? Was it a strict brief from Emeco or did you come to them with an idea of what you wanted to do?

At this year’s Salone the designers had three new pieces on show, the first Tronco for Mattiazzi is

SH: As with a lot of our projects, they are often 38

more about potential rather than problem solving. Emeco is a strong and agile company with an interesting history and not many problems. It means that they can focus on potential. They asked us to simply consider what Emeco furniture might be that is relevant to them and to customers. They already have many chairs - each of which is a character in and of itself. So the conversation naturally led to what a table might be. From there it grew to a bench and a shelf.

and we designed a toothbrush - something everyday - that is improved by just a couple of useful interventions. I think this is when Design can be measured most effectively. As well as being an RCA graduate yourself, you have a long standing relationship with the school in a teaching capacity, currently as visiting professor. Does this role influence your own practice at all? And where do you feel the focus and future for design products students lies currently?

Emeco are an interesting company in terms of how they source materials and operate as manufacturers. What was your design process for the project and how did you find the experience of collaborating with them?

SH: I enjoy teaching very much. Kim, my partner and I have taught for the last twenty years in different capacities. And in that time we have always had a student work with us every three months. It’s a short time but it gives them a flavour for the thought we put into our projects and the commitment it takes. On the flip side, we get to understand the nuances of a young mind and what interests them. I would say the future is a different place (obviously) and I can’t say what it is. But what I can say is that most students have almost no capacity to understand design history that is not on the internet. It’s an eye opener for them to see a very concise library we have on design, in that they see an endless repetition of design form and experimentation. Whether its Archigram or Californian modernism - most of these movements have already dealt with many of the struggles we have today in design, yet young people are unaware.

SH: Certainly they are unlike a traditional manufacturer - they are much more agile. This allows us to consider alternative processes but still to retain their essence of recycled or sustainable materials. They were willing to expand their network and this meant that we could experiment not just with archetypes but also production methods. We also spotted your project with Oral B at Wallpapers’ Handmade show, can you you tell us a little more about how this came about and what you wanted to achieve with this? SH: We had started a new company ‘Future Facility’ that specifically deals with designing products that involve the internet. I think its a scary concept for any company that produces a product with a button on it - as at some point it will be connected to the internet. Because we are genuinely interested in products as much as furniture, we feel its a duty to cut through much of the silliness that is occuring where products are becoming more complicated when they could become even simpler when they are networked. It doesn’t always have to be an opportunity to gather data, for instance. At the same time as starting this company, Wallpaper asked if we would like to work with Braun/Oral B on a project

What were your personal highlights from Milan this year? Their were two highlights - unfortunately not Salone related. The first was the exhibition at the Triennale on design curated by Kenya Hara and Andrea Branzi. I thought it was superb and refreshing, with a very calculated point of view. The other was a small book produced on the photographs of Sottsass for Poltronova that I discovered. Very impressive.

Previous page: Run Collection by Industrial Facility for Emeco. This page from top left: 1. Tronco by Industrial Facility for Mattiazzi. 2. Toothbrush designed by Future Facilty for Oral B, part of Wallpaper* Handmade. 3. 40/4 Stacking Chair by David Rowland for Howe. 4. Detail, Tronco by Industrial Facility for Mattiazzi. 5. Image from Andrea Branzi and Kenya Hara’s Neo-Prehistory exhibition at Triennale Di Milano.

Celebrate The Raw

The interest in natural materials, conventional or otherwise can be seen clearly at student level in the focus of schools at both DAE and RCA. Explorative projects celebrating this have also been prevalent in recent years, the work of FormaFanstasma and Max Lamb in particular spring to mind.

Making the most of natural attributes was a recurring theme at the Fiera

Companies have always striven to make the most of the materials they use. The honesty of using raw aniline leather, natural woods or reconstituted stone was a recurring theme throughout the Fiera and beyond. Porro presented the Voyage Chair and Collector Desk by GamFratesi, making the most of wood grains and aniline leathers. Leather was also showcased well by Studioilseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Perch for Artifort and on the updated version of December XL by Morrison for Nikari (now with arms). MDF Italiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new Stone finish for Tense and the Link bench was hardy, yet warm and tactile. Zeus used a new ecological treatment, hand spatulated simil-concrete treatment on their new Meteorite collection, that has a wonderful soft, mottled grey. 43

Previous Page: Voyage chair by GamFratesi for Porro. This page, clockwise from top left: 1 & 2. Atrium Meteorite by Roberto Tognon for Zeus. 3. Tommaso Meteorite table and bench by M. & D. Fuksas for Zeus. 4. Perch by Studioilse for Artifort. 5 & 6. Voyage chair by GamFratesi for Porro. 7. Collector desk by GamFratesi for Porro. 8 & 11. December XL Armchair by Jasper Morrison for Nikari. 9. Cannonball, Belem Tower, Lisbon. 10. Link Bench by Bruno Fattorini for MDF Italia. 12. Stonework, Lisbon. 13. Tumble vase by Falke Svatun, Norwegian Structures exhibition in Lambrate.

Breaking With Convention

We found several interesting approaches to materials and process. Many of which were designed with sustainability in mind. At Wallpaper Handmade was Julie Richoz’s stunning Screen/ Bookshelf that looked like Jade but was bioglass, a material made from recycled wine bottles.

We found strong alternative approaches to materials and process across the city

At Rossana Orlandi, Jorge Penades’ Structural Skin tables are made from leather offcuts bound in eco resin. Studio Jeroan Wand used offcut wood veneers to create chairs and shelves. We also liked his Membrane cabinet using layers of paper pressed in a vacuum. Also at RO, Jan & Henry took inspiration from heavy industry for their Zinc Cabinets made from, yep, yellow zinc for finishing and ribbed sheet metal. Mieke Meiers created her lightweight yet stable Airframe cabinet using techniques from aviation and lightweight triplex material. At DAE’s show Erez Nevi Pana showed the ‘Soilid’ stool, using a new material made from combining soil, fungi and other natural materials like sugar. Studiopepe used the photographic cyanotype process to create their sculptural objects. 46

Previous page: Work in progress from Studiopepe’s ‘Out of the Blue’ cyanotype project. This page, clockwise from top left: 1. Object from ‘Out of the Blue’ by Studiopepe. 2. Sarantino by Studio Jeroan Wand. 3. Soilid Stool by Erez Nevi Pana. 4. Membrane by Studio Jeroan Wand. 5. Zinc Cabinets by Jan & Henry. 6 & 7. Structural Skin by Jorge Penades. 8 & 9. Salmon leather upholstered bench Nani, by Joa Herrenknecht. 10. Airframe by Mieke Meiers. 11. Screen/Shelf by Julie Richoz. 12. Vintage cyanotype.

Hay & Wrong London The Danish brand went big, taking over La Pelota with a multi level installation

diverse and all the more interesting for it.

At Hay there were no half measures - the brand created a huge multi level installation, in the famous La Pelota, a spacious former sports arena that has housed some of the biggest events of Salone’s past.

They don’t eschew big names altogether though, they have a long-standing relationship with Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec for example who have brought them the Copenhague range, and now Copenhague Deux, an extended range of tables and a bench. But the big news here was the launch of Can, the Bouroullecs new sofa. Tasked with a brief for a sofa that would be easy to ship and assemble, lightweight and affordable the Bouroullecs went off and came back with one of our favourite pieces of the week.

They created room-sets that showcased not only novelties but the existing collection too. It was the first Milanese outing for Wrong London too, their sister company that focuses on lighting, who had their own dedicated space as well as lights nestled amongst the displays. Where Hay impress most is their boundless enthusiasm for working with emerging talent. In a world where many companies stick to the relative safety of the same, few, ‘superstar’ designers it makes them somewhat of a rarity, and it also means their collection tends to be more eclectic,

Can is a fully flat-pack, dis-mountable sofa that has several clever details like the webbed back, and almost mattress-like cushion make it super versatile and fits in with a smaller space, more nomadic way of living. 50

They have refined the details on Stefan Diezâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kitt chair and it is now almost ready for production. Flatpack and easily assembled, the chair typifies Diezâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s analytical and practical approach to design. There is a new colour palette for the About A Chair range, muted natural tones, pastels and several greys. They bring the look of their best seller right up to date. It was part of a wider effort by the brand to look at gaps in their collection and... well... fill them. Another great example of this is their Terrazzo table range, designed by Daniel Enoksson. These tables are designed for heavy use, cafĂŠs, restaurants and hotels. It has an electro-galvanised steel top, powder coated for outdoor use. This serious top is counterbalanced by a terrazzo base. At Wrong London, the approach was similar. Sebastian Wrong is a great talent spotter, whether it is emerging talent or rediscovering established names such as Nathalie Du Pasquier. Formerly Wrong for Hay, the name has changed and so has the focus. Wrong London work exclusively on producing lighting. Their big launch was the PC task lamp. Designed by Pierre Charpin, it is a precisely engineered task lamp with character. It is made from extruded aluminium and a polycarbonate head. The design conceals gas springs that enable the arms and head to hold their position wherever they are 52

Previous Page: Hayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s La Pelota Installation. This page, clockwise from top left: 1-4. Can Sofa by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec for Hay. 5 & 6. Kitt Chair by Stefan Diez for Hay. 7. New shades for the About a Chair. 8. Terrazzo Tables by Daniel Enoksson for Hay.

moved to. Because these details are concealed the light retains a friendly character. We also liked their simple marble pendants that hide the use of exceptionally energy efficient GX53 bulbs. Following up on their previous success with textiles by Bernhard Willhelm and Nathalie Du Pasquier, Wrong London are now working exclusively with Wax Hollandaise fabric company Vlisco. These bright patterns adorn their Drum and Accordion shades. The shades are designed to suit Cast, a heavyweight, cast iron/steel floor and table lamp design that allows for the application of different types of shades.

Page 56: Accordion Shade, textiles by Vlisco, designed by Wrong London Studio. Page 57, clockwise from top left: 1. Installation view, 30 Degree Pendant by Johan van Hengel for Wrong London. 2, 3 & 4. Marble Pendants designed by Wrong London Studio. 5, 6 & 7. PC by Pierre Charpin for Wrong London. 8. Drum and Accordion Shades on Cast Lamp bases. 9. 30 Degree Pendant by Johan Van Engel for Wrong London. 10. Cast Lamp base designed by Wrong London Studio.

Lighting

Not being a Euroluce year, it was a bit quiet on the lighting front. Outside of the big lighting brands however there were some interesting new addition and installations.

Sculptural forms taking engineering, nature and architecture as their starting point

E15 had new finishes for North in polished brass & steel. Giopato & Coombes presented a new floor version of Bolle. Muuto’s Control light by TAF architects references their bestselling e27 pendant, but also has a classic Dieter Rams-esque air to it. Installation wise we loved Mieke Meier’s sculptural Space Frames series, inspired by classic architectural forms. Daniel Rybakken’s Secant series for Irish glassware brand J Standard Hill also impressed. Emerging talent also shone, in particular Aerial by Bjørn van den Berg & Falke Svatun, Odd Matter with their Node light, also LeviSarha’s Drill lamp made from basalt. At Satellite were Earnest Studio. Their Mill Lamp is simply a ball, balanced on a cone, combined with gravity, allowing for a full range of motion. 56

Previous page: Space Frames by Mieke Meiers This page, clockwise from top left: 1. New polished brass and steel finishes for North by Eva Marguerre & Marcel Besau for e15. 2. Node by Odd Matter. 3. Aerial by BjĂ¸rn van den Berg & Falke Svatun. 4. Drill Lamp by LeviSarha. 5, 6 & 7. Mill Lamp by Earnest Studio. 8. Bolle Floor Lamp by Giopato & Coombes. 9. Control by TAF Architects for Muuto. 10. Brass North Pendant by by Eva Marguerre & Marcel Besau for e15. 11 & 12. Secant Series by Daniel Rybakken for J Standard Hill.

Introducing Astep The company might be new, but the founder has lineage that stretches right back to the golden years of Italian lighting

Paolo Rizzatto in 1978. Luceplan as you may well know have an immense catalogue, many of which are modern classics. The Costanza for example and Daniel Rybakken’s stunning Counterbalance and Ascent series.

In Alessandro Sarfatti’s own words, the history of Astep “Like all good Italian tales... starts a long time ago; and is, of course, a family affair.” Sarfatti’s grandfather was none other than Gino Sarfatti himself, the Italian design legend who started Arteluce in 1939. Gino Sarfatti was a trained engineer who made his first light as a favour for a friend and by the time of his death had designed close to 700 luminaires and won countless design awards. We are huge fans of the re-editions of his work by Flos, launched in 2013, and when we saw a new company was releasing some of his designs we wanted to find out more.

With all this history, it’s perhaps not surprising that Alessandro would in time create his own lighting company, and so he has with Astep. The company have launched with re-editions of Gino Sarfatti’s Model 2065 Suspension Light and also the VV Cinquanta Series by Gino’s close friend Vittorio Viganò. Designed in 1951 during Viganò’s time as Art Director of Arteluce, the VV Cinquanta series encompasses a wall, floor and suspension light. It features a distinctive dual-stemmed construction

So back to Astep, Alessandro’s design lineage doesn’t stop there. His father is Riccardo Sarfatti, who founded lighting giant Luceplan with Alessandro’s mother Sandra Severi and architect 61

with two uniquely shaped reflectors, one narrow and one wide. The fixture and the reflectors can be adjusted to many different positions. Gino Sarfatti’s 2065 Pendant is constructed using Methacrylate, which was a new material at the time. It was lighter than glass but had never been used for lighting before, Sarfatti said of the design process “At the time we knew nothing except that it could be lit. So I took a few colours and put a light bulb inside, that was all.” But Astep is not just a historical brand. Candela by Francesco Gomez Paz is proof of Alessandro’s desire to “combine the quality of life that new technologies offer, with the respect for people, objects and the environment that has always been at the core of good design.”

Candela is something quite different. Designed by Gomez Paz this year. The light takes traditional Scandinavian oil lanterns as a starting point, but brings the technology very much up to date. The light is powered by bio-ethanol that is used to generate a contained electric current powerful enough to illuminate the light, but also charge a phone if needed. It’s a forward looking concept, that uses a 19th-century scientific discovery to create its own electricity out of temperature differences created by the flame. The marriage of timeless design new or old is a powerful concept if properly applied. With Astep and Alessandro’s strong vision of what he wants the company to achieve, there seems plenty of room for this new venture to flourish much like those of his predecessors.

Previous page, clockwise from top left: 1. Candela and it’s components. By Francesco Gomez Paz. 2. Detail, VV Cinquanta Floor Lamp by Vittorio Viganò. 3. VV Cinquanta Suspension Light by Vittorio Viganò. 4. VV Cinquanta Wall Light by Vittorio Viganò. Page 64: 2065 Suspension Light by Gino Sarfatti for Astep. Page 65: Candela Table light by Francesco Gomez Paz.

Merdacotta Museo Della Merda’s pop-up installation offered an insight into how they ‘give shit the value it deserves’

In addition to this milk, the cows also produce 100,000 kg of dung daily - to put that in perspective that weighs the same as approximately 12,650 of Arper’s Catifa Chairs. That is a lot of anything frankly, so farm owner Gianantonio Locatelli, decided to make use of it. He first installed equipment to extract the methane from the dung in order to use it as an energy source. He then uses the remains as fertiliser and also to create, in conjunction with his Museum of Shit colleagues, a material known as ‘Merdacotta’,

Shit has an obvious, headline grabbing shock value, but what we discovered at this pop up was a rigorously intellectual approach bridging art, science, archaeology and design to make the case for ‘Merdacotta’, the new material the museum have developed. Excrement as a conceptual basis for investigation is nothing new, last year it formed the focus of Design Academy Eindhoven’s show ‘Eat Shit’. Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg has been exploring it for a while now and many others have also been investigating how we can re-appropriate waste.

The Shit Museum is housed within the restored late-medieval Castelbosco castle, and is heated by the engines that use the extracted methane as an energy source. The Museum describes itself as “an agency for change, a research and data-collection institute, housing documents and information on excrement in culture, technology

In Piacenza, a province of Northern Italy, you can find the Castelbosco Farm, home to 2500 pedigree cows that produce over 30,000 litres of milk daily supplying the local Grana Padano cheese industry. 64

and history. And it also has an enzymatic role: it dialogues with artists, scientists and institutions on ideas and projects linked to the value of faeces and its endless uses, both current and yet to be imagined.” The Museum Of Shit relocated to Milan for the duration of Salone. Housed in a palazzo in Via Santa Marta, the installation sought to tell the story of the museum, it’s products and of course excrement itself. Exhibits included contemporary art, anthropology, architecture and archetypal objects. On show were products made from Merdacotta, a mixture of Tuscan clay and dung. (The methane and urea are extracted from the dung making it entirely odourless).

These objects sat alongside art installations and collaborations with the likes of Dirty Furniture magazine. One of our favourite moments was the screening of a scene from Luis Buñuel’s film the Phantom of Liberty, where the dining room and toilet are coupled. Sublimely ridiculous. In other room there was also Resurrection a film by Daniel Spoerri (the story of a shit which becomes a steak once more). All showing cultural, artistic and societal issues and contributions about the material. It was a light-hearted approach that addressed some serious issues about how we look at waste.

Previous page: Toilet basin made from Merdacotta. Page 68, clockwise from top left: 1. Products made from Merdacotta, manufactured by the Shit Museum. 2 & 3. Castelbosco Farm. 4. View from the pop-up installation in Milan. Page 69: Scene from Luis Buñuel’s Phantom of Liberty.

Mirroring

Much as manipulated glass found it’s way into furniture, so too was it to be found in accessories. Be it one off bespoke pieces such as Daniel Rybakken’s hand carved and polished Hand Made Mirror, or Muuto’s affordable mass productuction Framed Mirrors.

Statement mirrors, expressing more than pure function were on show in abundance.

Distressed, hand carved, printed, these are mirrors that make a statement. Fritz Hansen launched a dedicated accessories line this year, including Rainbow by Studio Roso amongst other pieces by Hayon and other FH regulars. Ron Gilad’s mirrors for Cassina, reminiscent of optical art, used repeated stripes of colour and adjusted planes to trick the eye. Nick Ross, created his mirror as part of his “Last of the Free Series” series. Inspired by the forms and materials to be found in Roman era Scotland. As with furniture, Glas Italia had strong offerings, such as the Shimmer mirror by Urquiola that complements the tables of the same name. 69

Previous page: Detail from Daniel Rybakkenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hand Made Mirror. This page from top left: 1. Deadline by Ron Gilad for Cassina. 2. Shimmer by Patricia Urquiola for Glas Italia. 3. Officina by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec for Magis. 4 & 5. Hand Made Mirror by Daniel Rybakken. 5. Framed Mirror by Anderssen & Voll for Muuto. 6. Mirror from Nick Rossâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Last of the Free Series. 7. Detail, Deadline by Ron Gilad for Cassina. 8. Rainbow Mirror by Studio Roso for Fritz Hansen. 9. Detail, Shimmer by Patricia Urquiola for Glas Italia.

Arita 2016

The ceramics town of Arita can be found on Kyushu Island in southern Japan. The Arita 2016 project combines local potteries with international design talent to create modern, desirable products. Scholten & Baijings and Teruhiro Yanagihara enlisted 16 designers for the task.

Ceramics are having a bit of a moment, and the best could be found at Arita’s city installation

Christien Meindertsma focused on the relationship between Dutch linen and Japanese Pottery, she used linen cloth to model the shapes that were then translated into porcelain. Meindertsma also worked with Fujimaki Seitou to invent a special glaze that incorporates waste porcelain material gathered from each of the other 2016 collections. Kirstie Van Noort took inspiration from small deposits of mineral waste, found where Arita clay is gathered, to develop seven new colours with Sehyo, specific to Arita. Studio Wieki Somers and Kueng Caputo employed gradient patterns to great effect. The latter used Kin’emon Toen pottery’s specialist technique of airbrush painting called fukitsuke. Wieki Somers used adapted metal stencils and an iconic ‘Koransha blue’ glaze. 72

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Previous page: Selected porcelain fragments of various colors by Christien Meindertsma. This page clockwise from top left: 1. Installation view, Arita 2016 in Brera. 2. Studying model of Christien Meindertsma at Fujimaki Seitou. 3. Part of Studio Wieki Somer’s Tea Set developed with Koransha. 4. Stefan Scholten at excavation in Arita. 5. Kirstie Van Noort’s Latitude for Uniqueness, developed with Seyho. 6. Detail from 2016 edition collection by Scholten & Baijings. 7. Prototype, Christien Meindertsma. 8. Christien Meindertsma collects glazed porcelain fragments from the discarded materials of participating potteries. 9. Kirstie Van Noort’s research colour samples. 10. Series by Kueng Caputo & Kin’emon Toen.

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