In the architectural conversations we are having in today’s world, conversations on materials are widespread. There is discussion on the viability of concrete in the contemporary context, how timber can be more sustainably sourced, and on how biodegradable materials such as bamboo should be more common sights in our urban environments.
But we also need to be talking about what goes into these buildings – that is, the furniture that decorates, enhances, and makes habitable the buildings around us. The materials used to craft these objects have constantly evolved over centuries, and as we approach the end of 2022, it’s worth asking – what does the future hold for what our furniture will be made from?
Inspired by the warm tones of harvested crops, Wild Wonder was selected as Color of the Year 2023 by AkzoNobel. Extensive research conducted by AkzoNobel, including color experts and international design professionals, identified the "Wonders of the Natural" swatch at the heart of global social and design. This trend is inspired by nature as people are re-evaluating their relationship with the environment as the source of everything in their lives. # d0c599, or pale yellow/ olive green, captures the moment's mood and conveys serenity and positivity after these recent years of uncertainty and despair.
Next to a wall or in the corner of a room, most sofas seem relegated to lean against the only available wall in a space, preferably with a TV in front. As they are usually very large pieces of furniture, they can be complicated pieces to integrate into a room. In consequence, a sofa might end up "stiffening" a space, restricting movement and compromising flexibility – an increasingly important aspect for interiors – in a room. This is why the sofa can be considered an anchor piece in interior design; an element whose placement will probably not change throughout time, and that will certainly have an impact on the other elements within a space.
Modular sofas, however, give flexibility and versatility to an otherwise rigid piece. Made of separate parts, they can adopt several shapes and sizes, creating different ambiances and completely changing the layout and distribution of an environment. In this article, we showcase some modular sofa options – and how they can add dynamism to interior spaces – with product examples from the Architonic catalog.
'Furniture is how we tame a space.' So says go-to interior designer India Mahdavi. Find out what she, along with Pearson Lloyd, Doshi Levien and Patrick Norguet, have to say about the relation between products and space, as well as the rapidly shifting leading design But how strong is our resolve when it comes to a consistent and meaningful approach to sustainability in architecture and design?
Architects are constantly diving into design strategies that aim to select the best products to create outstanding atmospheres inside their projects. The solutions adopted in projects, especially in interiors, are highly influenced by trends that mirror what society values most at the time. But how are interiors being designed nowadays? With a focus on natural interiors and the interaction with their context, architecture is prioritizing local materials and textures, natural light and the use of minimal furniture that allows continuity throughout space.
Below we present a selection of inspiring projects that, using products from Spanish brands, showcase these modern trends, from the use of natural materials to maximizing natural light.
Reforma en Sants, Un oasis en el corazón del Poblenou, Departamento THE DUKE, Reforma de vivienda en la calle Calabria. Montaje con fotografías de reformas en Barcelona. Image via ArchDaily
Nowadays, the integral reform of flats in Barcelona is one of the most common activities for both freelance architects and local architectural studios. This is not surprising in a city with more than 4,000 years of history in which there is a lot of buildings and little room for new construction.
Never not en vogue: Philippe Starck’s Ghost chair by Kartell, the Snoopy lamp by Achille Castiglioni for Flos, Patricia Urquiola’s Husk Chair by B&B Italia, the iconic Zanotta Mezzadro stool by Castiglioni, Eero Saarinen’s Tulip table as part of the Pedestal Collection for Knoll International and Max Bill’s Ulmer stool, produced by wg form
Sustainability is on everyone's lips these days – but mostly with a view to the future and the question of how it is possible to use fewer resources, produce more sustainably and reduce waste. However, sustainability can also be lived with a view to the past or the present – namely with a domestic environment that consists of durable furniture designs that outlast trends and never go out of fashion. In the third part of our series on design icons, we put Philippe Starck, Eero Saarinen, Achille Castiglioni, Patricia Urquiola and Max Bill in the spotlight with their evergreen furniture icons, which can be found on architonic.com.
Memphis-Milano design collection 2010. By Dennis Zanone licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license
Far from the US state of Tennessee, the Memphis movement emerged in Milan in the 1980s and revolutionized design. Its gaudy colors, exaggerated patterns and conflicting prints were intended to overturn the minimalism status quo of the time, also contradicting the functionalist design postulated by the Bauhaus with its purely aesthetic and ornamental forms.
Reminiscing on his childhood, Peter Zumthor once said: “Memories like these contain the deepest architectural experience that I know. They are the reservoirs of the architectural atmospheres and images that I explore in my work as an architect.” These words allude to a fundamental concept behind kid friendly-design: everything we encounter in the first years of our lives, including architecture, can have a great impact on our future perspective of the world. When spaces are designed according to children’s specific needs, they stimulate their physical and mental well-being, as well as boosting autonomy, self-esteem and socialization skills. Therefore, architects have the responsibility to ensure that kids live, play and learn in environments that contribute to their long-term healthy development.
Metropolis Magazine's Kenneth Caldwell visits the Eames Ranch in Petaluma, California to unpack the goals and secrets of the Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity. He explains that he may not be the best person to write objectively about the recent public launch of the Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity, a non-profit formed in 2019 to help us explore Charles and Ray Eames’ legacy; particularly their timeless, iterative design process; the chair he sits in every day was designed by the Eameses the year he was born, and their work has been part of his life since he was a young boy looking for the future in architecture magazines at the local public library.
From the 7th until the 12th of June, the streets of Milan were overflowing with thousands of national and international architects, designers, manufacturers, artists, and craftsmen for its annual Design Week, exploring new design innovations, and exchanging ideas about interior design, furniture, and lighting. Much like every year, the Salone del Mobile, which takes place at the Fiera Milano | Rho, serves as "a laboratory for experimentation and a place for new opportunities for reflection on the world of design and designing". But with attendance of over 262,000 visitors in six days, along with over 3,500 accredited journalists from around the world, this year's event surpassed all expectations in terms of turnout, confirming that the exhibition is still a prominent influence on the architecture and design industry.
Since the early 2000s, it has been widely reported that the construction industry accounts for nearly 40% of the planet’s CO2 emissions. The role of interiors in that percentage has been historically underestimated, with common statistics suggesting that a project’s furniture, fixtures and equipment are only responsible for about 7 to 10% of its overall carbon footprint. However, new research notably indicates the contrary: in a building’s average life span, the carbon footprint of its interiors will equal – if not exceed – that of the structure and envelope. Interior design, to the surprise of many, has actually been doing great harm.
Furniture has a direct impact on the quality of interior design projects. Among other features, its presence blends with the function of the spaces, setting a boundary between them.
An internal space with neutral colors, for example, might highlight certain furniture that, beyond fulfilling their function, also assumes a contemplative profile. These pieces of furniture have become iconic by their design, which, in some cases, were created by great names of architecture that explored this field and drew pieces that represented their style.
Perhaps the most immediate point of contact with our designed world, furniture has long provided fertile ground for micro-architectural icon-making, material experimentation and technological innovation. The latest tranche of Global Design Agenda expert insights – as part of our Furniture Design Week, which starts on 4 April – sees fêted designers Sebastian Herkner and Alfredo Häberli, as well as architectural grandee Benedetta Tagliabue and interiors specialist Katy Ghahremani from Make Architects, discuss the meaning, method and magic of furniture design and specification.
Providing an end-to-end design and construction framework for creating low-carbon workplaces, Canoa is a design tool with an embedded marketplace that aims to reduce the environmental impact of commercial interiors. Operating under the circular economy principles, Canoa seeks to keep goods in use for as long as possible, design out waste, and help preserve natural resources while supporting businesses, designers, and suppliers in carrying out commercial retrofits.
Selected as one of Archdaily's Best New Practices of 2021, Canoa is a New-York based start-up founded in 2019 by designer and entrepreneur Federico Negro, with the purpose of delivering environmentally conscious working environments for a wide range of businesses. Canoa is a business-to-business marketplace for low-carbon office products, ranging from furniture to lighting and accessories. The company focuses on providing conscious, durable furniture and prefabricated units with traceable materials and manufacturing that can be easily moved and reused.
The glass-shatter sound effect has been a mainstay of classic comedy routines for a long time. Whenever a lightweight prop object flies off-screen or stage, it inevitably smashes through glass a beat later. Right now, it’s still amusing, if harmlessly ludicrous, but before long, the idea of a rogue schoolchild’s rogue football shattering through a neighbor’s window will be met only with query and disdain.
At its heart, extreme-minimalism is a rebellion against consumerism, it’s a cathartic process of learning to live without. But it’s also a decorative style in its own right – a clean world for a clean mind.
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