Magazine for architecture, design and art

It’s not art but does that make it design?

5/17/2013

“Werner Aisslinger – Home of the Future” is currently on display in Berlin’s Haus am Waldsee, an exhibition space for contemporary art. A designer presenting his work in the art context: Can that be a good thing?

MAGAZINE

One seam less

5/15/2013

It is often the case that quantity trumps quality nowadays and the leather industry is no exception. The new handbag label Tsatsas consciously takes a different approach. The bags it makes not only demonstrate flawless craftsmanship; they are also wowing the design world with their clear-cut forms.

FEATURED

A special kind of tree house

5/14/2013

In a forest in Belgium, an elegant meeting room floats among high pine trees, planned according to environmentally responsible standards and featuring LED lights by Nimbus.

ARCHITECTURE

Bauhaus in Calcutta

5/13/2013

The title evokes images of gleaming white houses in some far-flung exotic land filled with elegant tubular steel furniture. The first Bauhaus exhibition was certainly quite different in terms of appearance.

MAGAZINE

The Bilbao defect

5/12/2013

Even those members of the general public who only rarely go to exhibitions or attend concerts know the cultural temples erected by the likes of Frank Gehry and Zaha Hadid – from the TV or magazines. Spectacular museums and concert halls have long since become a city marketing tool. An exhibition in Berlin takes a closer look.

MAGAZINE

In two places at the same time

5/10/2013

One of architecture’s many functions is to create places and spaces. But how is architecture supposed to fulfill such a charge when we live in a world in which we constantly experience the feeling that we are in two places at the same time?

MAGAZINE

Twelve outdoor classics

5/8/2013

Stylish and fit for any activity: Outdoor classics for sitting, lounging or just looking pretty. Attractive, cool and simply indispensable.

MAGAZINE

Our environment is designed, but our gardens are cultivated

5/8/2013

A little backyard, a terrace, a balcony – all of these have some kind of connection to mythical garden worlds, even to paradise itself. After all, those who cultivate a garden do more than simply design an environment

MAGAZINE

Twelve adult playgrounds

5/8/2013

Crawling into hanging birds’ nests, taking refuge in airy tipis and hiding in modern wooden constructions: Kids aren’t the only ones allowed to play outdoors.

MAGAZINE

Twelve urban garden tools

5/8/2013

Today amateur gardeners are referred to as urban gardeners. The new generation of urban nature lovers has no need for simple flower pots; multifunctional is the name of the game!

MAGAZINE

Twelve dreams under the big blue sky

5/8/2013

Lounging and dreaming in the big outdoors, preferably on huge sofas and comfy daybeds, into which we lightly sink and forget the everyday rat race.

MAGAZINE

Twelve lightweight pieces for your balcony

5/8/2013

A little bit of happiness just outside the door: seating furniture, light, delicate, flexible and anything but clunky.

MAGAZINE

18 million coins for the Underground

5/7/2013

In 2012, Edward Barber uand Jay Osgerby caused quite a stir with their design for the Olympic torch. This year the two architects are placing a renewed emphasis on furniture design. Uta Abendroth met with one half of the duo, Jay Osgerby, in Milan, where their sofas, tables and stool premiered at Knoll.

MAGAZINE

Warning: Furniture subject to mood swings

5/6/2013

From parasitic furniture design to depressing lighting, to poetic wall projections. The young generation of designers at SaloneSatellite turned out to be both fresh and experimental in their approach. And in the competition to be crowned the best young designer at SaloneSatallite it was Portuguese designer Tania da Cruz who came out on top with her range of sustainable cork products.

MAGAZINE

Colour Attack!

5/6/2013

Loud colors, pastel hues and any amount of highlights. New, unusual color designs for tables, chairs and sofas really stimulated the eye in Milan. Following fashion’s suit. The best example is Vitra with a new color concept for its classics. From occasional contrasts to complete color harmony – the trend is definitely for interiors to become more colorful. And a good thing, too.

MAGAZINE

Jean-Marie Massaud lives and works according to the motto “Design is nothing, life is everything.” Uta Abendroth spoke to the Frenchman about his “Lightwing” design for Foscarini, the quality of light, the right way to grow and life outside of work.

FEATURED

Bathroom culture from the Black Forest

4/30/2013

MAGAZINE

Pleasing an entire island

4/30/2013

Hamburg is building 6'000 new homes each year. The city is upping its density. And now it is presenting exemplary urban development in the form of the international building exhibition “IBA Hamburg”. Or not?

MAGAZINE

Teeth on a string and a Matterhörnli in a box

4/29/2013

A Swiss army knife with the head of a bearded man hidden somewhere among the blades and tools but that despite its multitude of capabilities can’t do what Peter Sauer does, namely, carve. It is joined by a Matterhörnli chocolate in a box, Jochen Rindt’s ruined Ferrari in a nutshell – and a Swiss passport as a catalog, which provides a coveted insight into Sauerer’s “Miniversium”.

MAGAZINE

The path is the goal

4/26/2013

This year’s Ventura Lambrate was part of the FuoriSalone for the fourth time. The meeting point for next-generation design, experiments and ambitious individual exhibitors had a real feel of work in progress about it. Development and manufacturing processes played a major role.

MAGAZINE

Curtain raised in Weil am Rhein

4/25/2013

The Vitra Campus gleams resplendent with a new building designed by masters of the trade: the production hall for Vitrashop by Japanese architectural duo SANAA. A classy contribution to contemporary industrial culture and not least a paramount example of formally perfected weightlessness.

MAGAZINE

To light or to illuminate – that is the question

4/24/2013

For quite some time, manufacturers of decorative luminaires were hard hit by the innovation of LEDs. What to do with their traditional designs that were built around lamps and spots? They have since overcome the future shock and the industry is now fielding new products in all shapes and sizes.

MAGAZINE

Head for the exit, eyes closed!

4/24/2013

It would seem obvious that a sensitive nose need not necessarily offer a good handle on things. And designers of all ages should be making sparing use of spaghetti, leather scraps, iron pipes, champagne buckets, wooden laminate and most certainly erotic objects. The seven deadly Salone sins show just who ignored this advice.

MAGAZINE

Good designers, successful products – Milan Marathon part 3

4/23/2013

No, there was no revolt. Even Ventura Lambrate had nothing on offer that even came close to a taste of the future. Instead it was above all Konstantin Grcic who once again showed just what contemporary design can do.

MAGAZINE

Streamlined nomads – The Milan marathon part 2

4/17/2013

And on we go. To make headway, we up the pace a little and cast a glance at fluorescent yellow shoes, peek into showrooms, inner courtyards, gardens and historical buildings.

MAGAZINE

It’s oh so quiet

4/17/2013

Beyond the hustle and bustle of the fair, BMW joined forces with the Bouroullec brothers and presented an installation that aims to articulate the automotive marque’s new orientation toward sustainability and electromobility. A chat with Head of Design Adrian van Hooydonk sheds light on an unconventional vision of mobility for the future.

MAGAZINE

An evening with Karl

4/17/2013

None other than Karl Lagerfeld graced this year’s Salone del Mobile with his presence. The master of elegance held court with Cassina, for whom he immortalized a selection of furniture classics on film. A marriage of icons the likes of which has never been seen before. And a one-off, almost one-to-one evening with Karl.

MAGAZINE

What a relief – The Milan marathon part 1

4/17/2013

Milan 2013, a mixture of prudence, consolidation and solid design work. A little less hype and fewer prototypes, too. This is certainly doing the industry good.

FEATURED

Mirror, mirror

4/11/2013

The Milan Furniture Fair is just around the corner. Now in its 52nd year, the annual get-together for design enthusiasts is the biggest in the industry. The Italian firm Pedrali (est. 1963) is almost the same age and will not only be celebrating its 50th anniversary but also its 25th appearance at the Salone del Mobile.