glitzkrieg

best of milan 2011 !

I've bookmarked so many lovely things that were featured in Milan, thinking I'd showcase this 'n that over the next few weeks, but I can't help myself! Here's a grouping of good stuff; let's call it Best of Milan 2011, part 1:

Il Salone del Mobile 2011, top to bottom:

Muuto's super-adorable and squambly* Bulky sugar bowl from the Bulky collection by Jonas Wagell

Cappellini's Tafelstukken table lamp by Daphna Laurens, part of a 3-piece collection of lamps that incorporate useful bowls for mini-storage and safekeeping

Switzerland's INCHfurniture's Papat table; long, lean, handsome

Established & Sons Takeaway; challenging the theory that what's inside the box is more interesting than the container itself- in a Tobi Wong-esque way. Charming.

The Bouroullec Brothers new & covetable creature is all set to replace old-school classics like Vitra's Eames House Bird and Kay Bojensen's Monkey for Rosendahl. He's called L‘Oiseau and will be manufactured by Vitra

Florinda Chair for De Padova by über-talented young designer Monica Förster

Somehow both lightweight & substantial, Established & Sons Mesh table by Ed Carpenter and André Klauser

Part plastic shell, part cloud, atop wooden limbs, loving B&B Italia's Husk stool by Patricia Urquiola. Supremely cushiony chairs also available

Most of these items should be available towards the end of the year.

 

*technically not a real word but I'm thinking it should be!

jason miller's roll & hill revealed at ICFF

Jason Miller, known best for his amazing Superordinate Chandeliers, has been hard at work on a project that's just launched and is currently on display at ICFF. Called Roll & Hill, the new venture is a contemporary lighting company featuring great design talents including Miller himself. Here's some of what you might catch at ICFF today:

From top to bottom:

Excel Floor Lamp by Rich Brilliant Willing; aka Theo Richardson, Charles Brill & Alexander Williams

Modo Sconce by Jason Miller

Lindsey Adams Adelman's Agnes Hanging Candelabra- 10 Candles

Excel Double Sconce by Rich Brilliant Willing

Himmeli Large Pendant by Paul Loeback

Supercluster by Sarah Cihat & Michael Miller

The lamp that started it all: Jason Miller's Superordinate Chandelier, here in 12 Antlers version

canada's pavilion at expo 2010

Sure, the Canadian pavilion at Expo 2010 is a super-modern hulking mass. But its bulky geometry is softened by intricate slatting made from beautiful red cedar, which results in something quite handsome. The pavilion is huge, one of the largest on site, and is in the shape of a C. This creates a large courtyard that's perfect for showcasing and interacting; the two things that Expos are really all about.

Canada's theme within Expo is "The Living City: Inclusive, Sustainable, Creative”; a nice take on the general Expo theme "Better City, Better Life". The skin of the building is made from 4000M² of gorgeous Canadian red cedar that will be dismantled and reused in construction projects in Shanghai following Expo. Rainwater is being collected for use within the pavilion and a green wall is featured, serving as a backdrop to the many events scheduled to take place in the courtyard. It's not the greenest thing I've ever seen, but it's not bad at all. The creative part is being taken care of by Cirque du Soleil; they're managing the whole of the cultural program.

The Canadian pavilion in Shanghai hasn't gotten a lot of love within design & architecture circles. The renderings that were released last year and showcased on several sites showed a very modern jagged-mountain-range type structure. The small images were devoid of the details that make the building interesting, certainly palatable. The renderings, in combination with the news that the concept of the building was devised by Cirque de Soleil made it a target for mockery. Just have a look at the comments  section in this piece from ArchDaily.

Canada's participation in the last two big Expos, Expo 2005 in Aichi, Japan, and Expo 2000 in Hannover, Germany, saw the Canada pavilion housed in pre-existing warehouse type structures. This is miles better. As a Canadian who was at Expo 2000 and walked into a rectangle with a Canada sign on it, the 2010  pavilion is a great step. I'm hoping very much that Expo 2015 in Milan will also have a fabulous building on site, representing home. 

Images via Canada at Expo 2010 Shanghai.

established & sons in milan

Established & Sons do design better than, well, just about everyone. They've been the house to watch since they launched in 2005. Representing British design, they work with the best designers and architects, making unique, beautiful products. Stunning things, really. It's no surprise that they showcased some amazing new pieces at the 2010 Salone del Mobile in Milan. Here's a peek:

From top to bottom:

Lighthouse by Erwan & Ronan Bouroullec. Desperately loving this lamp... I'm totally smitten!

Scholten & Baijings' Butte Tuna, one of three wooden travel cases with hand-painted themes. Here, The Life of a Tuna Fish addresses the environmental implications of over-fishing. A smaller case features the theme Life of a Turtle and a larger one address deforestation with The Life of a Tree. Oh, and the inside of the cases are fluorescent! Depending on the size case, you'll find fluorescent blue, pink, or orange.

Super covetable Store lidded jars, designed in-house.

New Order shelving by Stefan Diez has got options and extras in addition to its useful raised edges.

The Established & Sons website has a bunch of great shots featuring the show in Milan. You'll also notice new colourways for Wrongwoods and a very pretty Zero-In table with a blush glass table top:

Details from the top:

Hang coatrack, Prop cushions, new, designed in-house. Stack storage.

Pastels for the Wrongwoods chest of drawers! The charming Bertjan Pot's new Jumper chairs. Read through his website and I swear you'll be charmed too!

Overview 1: That's the new Porter table at the bottom, designed by Ed Carpenter and André Klauser.

Overview 2 with Scholten & Baijings' Amsterdam armoire front and center. Pretty blush topped Zero-In on the right.

Overview 3, showing some of the options for New Order by Stefan Diez.

expo 2010 in shanghai; preview & tips

Expo 2010, the biggest World Fair ever, launches in Shanghai tomorrow. The event will last exactly 6 months and its theme, as all Expos have a theme, is Better City Better Life. Expo 2010 is huge and guaranteed to be rather amazing. This is China, hosting the world for 6 long months. Forget the blip that was the Beijing Olympics. If you have the opportunity to go, do. Organizers expect over 70 million visitors and the Fair features more than 190 participating counties and over 50 international organizations. (Click images for a larger view.)

World Expos of this size only take place every five or so years. They always bring the world together to address a theme and feature new ideas, new architecture, and if you're lucky, an optimistic look into the future. The last large-scale World Expo was in 2005 in Aichi, Japan. The one before that was in Hannover, Germany in 2000. I had the pleasure of working at Expo 2000 in Hannover, where the theme was Humankind, Nature, Technology. It was a five-month fair, and unlike the success seen in Aichi and the expected success of Shanghai, Expo 2000 was a bit of a flop. That's putting it delicately. The problem wasn't the content; it was an issue of attendance and ticket-pricing. I'm certain that Expo 2010 in Shanghai will be a massive success.

 

Lucky enough to be attending?

1. Study up on the most popular pavilions before you go. Study your expo map. Know the main corridors, as well as the general location of your must-sees.

2. Get there early, before the doors open in the morning and run like mad to get to the popular pavilions that are on your list. Really study your expo map. You thought I was exaggerating but I tell you, people will be running. This can make the difference of waiting 45 minutes versus several hours.

3. Go for several days; you really can't even scratch the surface in one. There's far too much to see. That said, one day is better than none at all.

4. Take advantage of your connections. If your company has business on site but you're just visiting make sure you have an Expo ID. An Expo ID means coming and going at all hours; ie, being first in line every morning before anyone else has walked through the gates.

5. Expect long line-ups and exercise patience as best you can.

6. There will be lots of food kiosks along the way to grab a quick meal, but it's much more interesting to dine inside a pavilion. No doubt there will be Heineken at the Dutch pavilion, and gelato in Italy. 

7. Stay late. It's often a little quieter and some pavilions have bars, some dance clubs; you'll see things at night that aren't in full swing or even available during the day.

8. Bring the biggest, best camera you have access to and keep it handy. I can't even tell you the amazing things you're sure to stumble upon.

9. Know there's no way you'll see it all. I was on site virtually every day for 5 months and still missed things.

10. It's an event: buy a souvenir. Preferably something ridiculous and small.

Here's what you're looking at above:

All images here are from The Frame, a gorgeous photo-blog by sacbee.com

Exterior of the Chinese Information and Communication Pavilion

Exterior of the UK Pavilion

Interior of the Danish Pavilion. That's the Little Mermaid herself, covered in red, waiting to be unveiled on Day 1.

Exterior of the Spain Pavilion, from one of the trail-open days

Exterior of the Iceland Pavilion

Interior of the Australian Pavilion

Musical Water fountain display, sure to be a popular evening destination

The entrance of Expo 2000, near the Expo Axis

Expo Boulevard

Interior UK Pavillion

The Expo site at night

There's much to come on Expo 2010. I'm working on several posts that feature individual pavilions and themes. See you next week!

magis at the 2010 salone del mobile

Today is the first day of the 2010 Salone del Mobile, aka the Milan International Furniture Fair; the biggest furniture fair in the world. Magis is premiering lots of new designs by lots of big names at the fair. Here's a peak at their fabulous 2010 Collection:

 

From the top:

Marcel Wanders' Sparkling Chair, inspired by water bottles

Marcel Wanders' Cyborg Chair

Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec's Central Table

Dejà-Vu Mirror by Naoto Fukasawa

Steelwood Stool, to add to the Steelwood collection, by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec

Green version of the Murano Vanity Chair by Stefano Giovannoni

Dejà-Vu Console Table by Naoto Fukasawa

Vigna Chair by Martino Gamper

Naoto Fukasawa's Tempo Cock

Flux Chair by Jerszy Seymour

Mesh Chair by Tom Dixon- his first design for Magis!

Happy Clouds by Stuart Semple

Happy Friday everyone! Here's a charming little ditty to help usher in the weekend.

Happy Clouds is an installation piece that was executed last year in Milan by British artist Stuart Semple for Moncler. Semple originally performed this piece for the Tate Modern in London. The music here is fun, but I don't know who it is; sadly, there's no credit for it on the Moncler site. Want to know more about what you're looking at? Watch Semple interviewed after the original performance here.

designing the vancouver 2010 olympic games

Tonight, the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games launch with what is sure to be an entertaining and moving Opening Ceremony. And as a Canadian and former Vancouverite, I can't even tell you how excited I am about tonight, not to mention the 16 days that follow. I so wish I were there in person!

Here's a look at what you'll be seeing during the event:

The gorgeous medals for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games were designed by Corinne Hunt, and for the first time, every medal is unique; one of a kind. Hunt, a Canadian artist & designer, based in Vancouver and of Komoyue and Tlingit heritage, created two masterworks, one of an orca whale and one of a raven. Each medal is decorated with a crop from one of these two original artworks. The Orca Whale design for the Olympics, the Raven for the Paralympics. More info is available here. Produced by the Royal Canadian Mint, they're among the heaviest medals in Olympic history, weighing in at 500+ grams.

Elegant and somehow very Canadian, the podiums were designed by industrial designer James Lee and Leo Obstbaum, the late design director of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. All the wood used to create the 23 podiums were donated by businesses, communities, First Nations, and individuals. Said to "echo the undulating peaks and ridges of the Coast Mountain Range" the 200+ pieces of carved wood are then topped with a snow-like layer of white acrylic.

Via core77 and mocoloco.

Graphic Identity: It's the dynamic energy of Vancouver, Whistler and Canada in general that inspired the imagery that goes along with the Vancouver 2010 Games. Games traditionally have pictograms representing each sport, but these games (I almost wrote our games) also have elaborate representations in the form of graphic illustrations: "Emotive, dynamic athlete imagery captures the heroism and beauty of sport. The Vancouver 2010 imagery is progressive and youthful, conveying Canada’s personality and adventurous spirit." 

Meet the Vancouver 2010 Mascots! These most excellent mascots were designed by Meomi, a design trio out of Vancouver. I've proved myself as biased, but has there ever been cuter, more wonderful mascots than Quatchi, Sumi and Miga? Not just vapid beauties, these lil' guys have back stories, rich histories, if I may.

Quatchi is shy, young, comes from the vast and mysterious Canadian forest, and loves exploring new places and meeting new friends. Also: "The sasquatch is a popular figure in local native legends of the Pacific West Coast. The sasquatch reminds us of the mystery and wonder that exist in the natural world, igniting our imagination about the possibility of undiscovered creatures in the great Canadian wilderness."

Then there's little Miga, a young sea bear who lives with her family pod beyond Vancouver Island. Sea bears, of course, are part killer whale and part bear. Look at her adorable haircut. Also: "The sea bear is inspired by the legends of the Pacific Northwest First Nations, tales of orca whales that transform into bears when they arrive on land. The Kermode bear is a rare white or cream-coloured sub-species of the black bear that is unique to the central West Coast of British Columbia. According to First Nations’ legend, Kermode bears – also known as Spirit Bears – were turned white by Raven to remind people of the Ice Age. Orcas are also honoured in the art and stories of West Coast First Nations, as travelers and guardians of the sea."

We musn't forget dear Sumi. Sumi is an animal spirit, who lives in the mountains of British Columbia, and like many Canadians, has a background that's drawn from many places. He flies with the wings of a Thunderbird, runs on the legs of a black bear, and wears the hat of an Orca whale. He's a big fan of the Paralympic Games. Also: "Transformation is a common theme in the art and legend of West Coast First Nations. Transformation represents the connection and kinship between the human, animal and spirit world. Revered animals, such as the orca whale, the bear and the thunderbird, are depicted in transformation through masks, totems and other forms of art. The orca is the traveller and guardian of the sea. The bear often represents strength and friendship. And the thunderbird — which creates thunder by flapping its wings — is one of the most powerful of the supernatural creatures."

There much more information about these three available here. As well as videos, games, and lots more; it'll have you falling in love with them in a hurry. Television and Hollywood-types: I would watch a show or film starring these guys. Just so you know.

 

And what's a world wide event without a little shopping? Get your fill at the Olympic Store. At CAN$10, these red mittens have been the hit of the Games thus far. They're out of stock at the moment but are sure to be back soon:

I so do hope that you enjoy the Games!

 

4 days left! Bauhaus at the MoMA

How did it go by so fast? You've a mere 4 days left to get to NY to check out the magnificent-looking Bauhaus exhibition at the MoMA, which ends on Monday, January 25th. You may have heard a lot about the Bauhaus recently as the institution celebrated 90 years since its inception this past Fall. Somehow unfamiliar? The Bauhaus was the precursor to Art & Design Schools as we know them today, developing the idea of the foundation year. The famous school/design movement also featured an all star cast: Walter Gropius, Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky, Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe, just to name a few:

Bauhaus players, from top to bottom:

Josef Albers; post-Bauhaus Hommage to the Square, 1965

Marcel Breuer; Club Chair, later called the Wassily Chair, 1925

Marianne Brandt, the only student featured here amongst the profs; Ashtray, 1924. Now being produced by Alessi.

Wassily Kandinsky: On White II, 1924.

Paul Klee, Twittering Machine, 1921-31

Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe; Barcelona Chair, 1929. Available through Knoll.

If you can't make it to NY, the MoMA site is rich with Bauhaus content and definitely worth a look. I'm sick with upset that I missed this one. Hope that you got to see it in person!

nendo for moleskine detour exhibition

Brilliant design collective Nendo contributed to the Tokyo stop of Moleskine's Detour exhibition, a show that invited fifty designers to interpret the iconic Moleskine sketchbook. Nendo's take on the challenge was to design a three-dimentional landscape, showing how sketching skips between the two and three-dimensional, and turning the sketchbook itself into a place.

Moleskine's Detour has had 6 international stops, all highlighting different interpretations of their famous notebook by creatives such as Toyo Ito, Lou Reed, Cynthia Rowley, Tord Boontje, Spike Jonze, and many more. Take a tour of the works here. All designs feature a short video af hands flipping through sketched or sometimes chiseled pages. You may want to turn the sound off though. Just a heads-up.

*Nendo's design can be found under the name Oki Sato, the Canadian/Japanese founder and head designer of Nendo.