Salone del Mobile.Milano has announced the opening dates and events program, expanding the trade fair event to encompass more narratives and projects relevant to the design community. The 62nd edition will take place at Rho Fiera Ilano from April 16 to 21, 2024. It is expected to include over 1900 exhibitors from around the world, with contributions from emerging designers and several design schools under the recurring SaloneSatellite, now in its 25th-anniversary edition. The cultural program also includes immersive installations, like David Lynch’s “Thinking Rooms.”
Jonas Salk Institute for Biological Sciences (1959-65). Image Courtesy of Form Portfolios
In the history of modern architecture, Louis I. Kahn is regarded as the undisputed master of monumentality in the United States. At the height of his career, Kahn managed to create a unique type of architecture, often awe-inspiring, but avoiding overdone grandiosity, expressing its constructive system, yet avoiding structural exhibitionism, steeped in history but developed with a new language and system of forms. His interest in light as a functional element and the specific qualities of materials extended beyond his buildings, in all the objects he created to populate them following their intrinsic spirit. To celebrate this legacy, Form Portfolios has now launched “Monumental Modernism,” the first collection of lighting, objects, and furniture modeled after those discovered in Louis I. Kahn’s buildings.
Within the shifts in architectural movements and styles, furniture design has also evolved throughout the years, transitioning from elaborate curvy lines and opulent materials to simple and functional layouts, and back again, in constant movement. As it continues to evolve, contemporary furniture design is often influenced by technological advances, exploring digital fabrication and user-centered design, while also responding to sustainable strategies. These innovations have elevated custom furniture design, crafting unique pieces tailored to individual needs, preferences, and space specifications.
With the ability to adapt to each user, bespoke furniture design creates unique pieces crafted to meet individual needs, preferences, and space specifications. Delving into augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), Tylko creates customized, long-lasting, and sustainable solutions for sideboards, wall storage, bookcases, wardrobes and TV stands. Analyzing their tech-forward approach to creating endless possibilities of made-to-measure furniture, we showcase their design process experience, along with their intuitive online configurator and augmented reality app.
Implemented as a means to take full advantage of space, built-in furniture has grown in popularity as well as ingenuity as designers tackle the needs and tastes of a wide range of users. It's ability to adapt and integrate into architectural spaces allows it, through a variety of configurations and materials, to fulfill various functions; however, this poses an interesting question. Is it truly the furniture that adapts to our living spaces? Could it not itself become the protagonist and creator of the spaces that we project?
The role and relationship of furniture in architecture and space design are of great relevance. Designers such as Eileen Gray, Alvar Aalto, Mies Van der Rohe, and Verner Panton conceived furniture —primarily stools and chairs— that endure over time as powerful and timeless elements, with a determining impact on the interior atmosphere. Thus, the relationship between furniture and space becomes a constant dialogue in which design, aesthetics, and materials contribute their dimension.
Today, furniture should not be limited solely to fulfilling an aesthetic and functional role, but should also have a purpose in the context of contemporary design and sustainable development. It is essential to reflect on and question the processes and choice of materials in the manufacturing of these elements, in addition to the value they bring to interior spaces. In this context, HEWI has taken a step forward by creating the Re-seat family, consisting of stools and chairs made from post-industrial recycled materials (PIR), sourced in part from the processes of the company itself and a regional supplier, both based in Bad Arolsen, Germany. It also features integrated solutions with universal design in mind, making a statement in favor of innovation and eco-design.
https://www.archdaily.com/1007326/re-purposing-materials-from-post-industrial-recyclate-to-accessible-furnitureEnrique Tovar
Auction houses, secondhand furniture stores, and realtors make small fortunes from a nomenclature that, despite the fuzziness surrounding its indeterminate span and whether everything made during its indefinite duration ought to be stamped with the same label, continues to demand attention. Years from now, serious collectors of architectural magazines may search for that single issue of the 21st century magazine Dwell, absent a major spread of a house designed in the midcentury modern (MCM) manner or a restoration of a building from that era. MCM is the very blood that pulses through the publication’s arteries, promulgating a view of a squeaky-clean and well-lighted lives lived almost invariably by (often childless) ectomorphic couples, blissfully happy under a flat roof with floor-to-ceiling windows affording fine views of distant landscapes best enjoyed behind insulated glass in an ambient temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit. But what are we to make of this term, this period—some even call it a “movement”—so well-known globally it goes by initials?
Big meeting: Le Corbusier's LC4 Chaise Longue meets Eileen Gray's Adjustable table, Alvar Aalto's Stool 60, Verner Panton's Flowerpot pendant and Mies van der Rohe's Barcelona chair
The 20th century is almost certainly the most important period when it comes to interior design icons. The list of protagonists who have contributed to making this era of design such a great one is certainly too long to truly do justice to all of them and their classic furniture designs. For this reason, here we present just a small selection of architects and designers such as Eileen Gray, Le Corbusier and Verner Panton, who have written design history over the past century, and which still continue to make an impression to this day – all of whom can be found on the Architonic Platform. Our journey includes extraordinary talents from all corners of the world: A look back at the furniture world of yesterday, which was then of tomorrow, and today still shines as brightly and timelessly as ever.
Many architectural projects have been giving special attention to cabinetry and built-in furniture. These custom-made wood pieces are designed for specific purposes and can be used to organize the space, which can be living rooms, bedrooms, studies, kitchens, and bathrooms. Besides functionality, these elements also introduce different materials, textures, and colors into the environments. This article will explore some examples of how colorful cabinets and furniture can make architectural projects more vibrant.
Sun protection is a universal need for human beings. While sunlight benefits our health and mood, it is also essential to protect ourselves from its harmful effects on our well-being and comfort. Throughout history, architecture has provided solutions to this need by offering shelter and comfort in shaded areas. Since ancient Egypt, sunshades made of palm leaves attached to a pole have been used to protect against the sun in open spaces.
Thanks to contemporary materials, we can now develop more durable outdoor structures and furniture than the palm leaves used by the Egyptians 4000 years ago. This has resulted in lightweight and aesthetically pleasing structures that resulted from the designs and materials that emerged in the 20th century. Although these designs are not made from natural elements, they incorporate pieces that replicate their characteristics, providing shade with unique shapes and a distinctive design. In this context, cbdesign has created the Daisy umbrella. This flower-shaped parasol reproduces the colors found in natural surroundings, such as the sea, yellow frangipani, the blue sky, and purple bougainvillea.
https://www.archdaily.com/1002858/aesthetic-accents-flower-shaped-umbrellas-that-fuse-beauty-and-utilityEnrique Tovar
Although the use of arches in architecture dates back to the 2nd millennium B.C., it was the Romans who solidified them as both an engineering element and a symbol of military victories, which we now see excessively as memorial arches. Shortly after, different civilizations and cultures adopted the arch for their own purposes, bridging together structural necessity and aesthetics. In this article, we look at how arches evolved from significant structural elements to captivating decorative details.
As true spatial orchestrators, architects’ expertise extends beyond the mere construction of buildings, often transcending the physical realm of design. They possess the unique ability to craft spaces that are not only visually appealing, but that also feel welcoming, harmonious, and, above all, functional. Embracing this vital role involves careful consideration of all the bits and pieces that make up a project; from a building’s foundations to a sofa, architects must ensure that all the elements, in every scale, tie together in a way that is cohesive and positively influences our everyday lives.
Social by Snohetta for Varier. Image Courtesy of Mishael Phillip Fapohunda
Milan Design Week is an annual festival that returned to Milan this April, with as a main event, The Salone del Mobile, which runs from April 18 to 23, 2023, at the Fiera Milano exhibition venue. Over 370,000 people attended the furniture fair this year, while thousands of design studios presented furniture, lighting, appliances, kitchen, bathroom, outdoor and workstation products. To highlight furniture and object design and the broader context of Milanese architecture and culture, many architectural offices collaborated with various businesses to make architect-designed items and construct architectural installations.
Reputable architects participated in the week-long event as they do every year, using products, furniture, and installations to share their expertise, address some of the most pressing issues facing the field, and demonstrate how their work can benefit the environment and society. Many firmly established architecture studios, from Foster + Partners, Mario Cucinella, and Hassell, designed various products. Furthermore, architects such as The New Raw, Snøhetta, and Studio Etienne Bastormagi have designed products focusing on efficient and sustainable systems that can inform future decision-making.
If anyone can be said to know about the wishes and dreams of brides-to-be, surely it's those behind the creation of that mythical matrimonial object, the wedding dress. For more than 30 years, one of Sweden’s most famous fashion designers, Lars Wallin, has created dresses for women about to live, what is for many, the ultimate romantic experience. And with his design for a recently finished bridal suite at Gothenburg's SAS Radisson, Wallin has demonstrated not only his haute couture finesse in realising dreams of glamour and romance, but also an ability to seamlessly transfer his creative talents from the boutique to the bedroom.
Can you imagine being able to prototype a piece of furniture at the touch of a button and testing it in just a few hours? This might become a common practice sooner than we may think. Fueled by material innovation, automation and cutting-edge technology, a new era in home decor is emerging; one where 3D printing opens up a world of creative possibilities that transcend the bounds of traditional design. Yes, furniture is still mass-produced using conventional methods –molding, cutting, bending–, but 3D printing continues to disrupt the industry. As the revolutionary technology evolves and becomes more accessible, it has unleashed an unparalleled level of creative expression and efficiency. The concept is simple: a digital design is created using 3D modeling software and then printed, layer by layer, in the form of a physical object, bringing complex geometries to life. It’s a whole new kind of digital craftsmanship.
Playfulness is a concept often attributed to children and hardly connected with adult life. In architecture, projects dedicated to childhood propose a combination of objects, colors and solutions to encourage imagination and break the rigidity of spaces. In contrast, most conventional projects are limited to regularity and stamp the sobriety of adult life.
Design for assembly (DFA) is hardly new. Thonet’s 1859 No. 14 chair, when disassembled, could be shipped in batches of 36 per 40-square-inch box.
Those cost savings tied to DFA are still valuable. And as it helped revolutionize shipping in the industrial era, it now carries prestige as a powerful carbon-reduction tool. In fact, DFA is currently the distinguishing feature of at least six highly visible product launches among commercial furniture manufacturers in just the past year.
In architecture, the most common is to design for humans only. However, covering the scope of the project for other species is an exercise that has been proposed in several orders. From specific furniture to interior design planned for the animal, the possibilities of creating a more playful and comfortable ambience, both for humans and animals, are diverse.
LetsBringLondonTogether. Image Courtesy of Yinka Ilori
PARABLES FOR HAPPINESS by the London-based British-Nigerian designer Yinka Ilori features for the first time at the Design Museum in London. Exhibited from September 25, 2022, to June 25, 2023, essential aspects of Ilori’s work will be placed beside key influences, including artworks, photographs, and furniture, to Nigerian textiles. Curated by Priya Khanchandani, the exhibition celebrates Ilori’s mix of cultural influences and unpacks the ingredients of a diasporic visual language.
