Local, not international ¿Habla Español? If not, then a visit to the international Habitat furniture fair in Valencia could prove to be difficult on the communication front. It's all Spanish to me!

› To the article

Minotti Collection What do “Albers”, “Breton” and “Twombly” have in common? They are all inspiration for Minotti’s new “OneWorld Collection”, which will be presented on October 8 at Neue Werkstätten in Munich.

› To the article

Camper Together A fashion company called "countryman", which exclusively manufactures comfortable shoes and whose stores lack a proper corporate identity - an unconventional combination as the key to success.

› To the article

Established & Solid One doesn't always need new products and innovations to be successful. London shows how it is done. A visit to the "100% Design" show and to the "London Design Festival"

› To the article

Sconfine range of luminaires by Matteo Thun With the Sconfine range of luminaires produced in collaboration with the Italian designer Matteo Thun, Zumtobel presents a new series of wall, ceiling and pendent luminaires. Sconfine luminaires interact with light and the room itself to give the room a completely different appearance.

› To the article

A Design Classic celebrates its 40th anniversary World class architects like Norman Foster and Daniel Libeskind value the planning flexibility the Vola product range gives them and install Arne Jacobsen fittings in their buildings. The concept for this design classic is now forty years old.

› To the article

The only place where things will get better is the land of milk and honey On the one hand you have ecology and sustainable production. Then there is the negative image still associated with warnings about global warming. While manufacturers polish up their image and advertise with cute animated worlds, environmental organizations continue to appeal to our consciences.

› To the article

From fair to fair The autumn round of design events and fairs began with "Maison & Objet" in Paris. To enable you to distinguish the wood from the trees, here are some details about a few important events.

› To the article

Using timeless Design to counter the throw-away Mentality Iittala, a leading, Scandinavian design brand for homeware products, has opened a new flagship store in Berlin.

› To the article

The Spirit of the Things Japan's great tradition of cultured handicrafts is not just a matter of nostalgia. In contemporary Japanese design centuries-old processing techniques are undergoing a revival.

› To the article

Give me honey, Mr. Bee! Bees in a museum? In its project for an urban apiary on the roof of Frankfurt’s Museum für Moderne Kunst, the “finger” artist group explores a sweet socio-ecological niche and creates a highly topical model for a new economy.

› To the article

Reforming floors Things are happening not only on the ground. The ground itself is also being reformed. Parador is presenting "Laminate Edition 1", projects by designers and architects Konstantin Grcic and Ben van Berkel destined to ensure that the material is no longer regarded as a cheap imitation.

› To the article

George Nelson or design as a system Alongside Charles and Ray Eames, designer and architect George Nelson rates as one of the formative representatives of American design in the second half of the 20th century. He would have turned 100 this year - an occasion which the Vitra Design Museum has seized to devote a first, comprehensive retrospective to his oeuvre.

› To the article

Redesign yet another way – episode III Modern times. Not only in Chaplin’s film of the same name does the human body become a small cog in the machine of progress. In advertising bodies have a similar function – in any manner of costumes.

› To the article

In their genes In Europe, Japanese design is seen as the epitome of simplicity and poetry. On closer inspection, there are many different facets to the “typical Japanese”. By focusing a little closer on the Japanese designers themselves (such as the decidedly different young design agencies of Tokujin Yoshioka, Nendo and Nosigner) the nature of Japanese design becomes a little more clear.

› To the article

A landscape of mountains and valleys - the Design Parade 03 in Hyères Usually, we all associate the sun, the sea, and savoir vivre with the Côte d’Azur. But there are also the one or other discoveries to be made here as regards architecture and design. For the third time, the port of Hyères hosted a festival with exhibition,s competitions and a conference - all on design.

› To the article

Redesign with a difference – Episode II There are moments when one is tempted to give the advertising industry credit for particular imagination. Yet when things actually pan out, one stands corrected. One realizes that advertising frequently draws on art, and the result reflects this.

› To the article

Toy of the Century It’s to be found in every child’s room, it is 9.6mm high and 8mm wide: the Lego block. Today, everyone of us owns on average 62 Lego stones. On Jan. 28, 2008, the Lego block celebrated the 50th anniversary of its patent being registered. And 30 years ago saw the birth of the Lego figure as we know it today. It is as high as three Lego blocks stacked on top of one another.

› To the article