As promised, this week's post is an interesting feast of product from Milan's Salone del Mobile. Design daily has already previewed a number of new items in a post prior to the start of Milan Design Week and have avoided repeating all but one of these. I have also avoided listing too many products seen at Satellite and Ventura Lambrate as these perennially inspirational events will form the basis of the third and final instalment on Milan 2015. Unfortunately my will has proven a little weak and a few particular favourites from these areas have managed to sneak into this post.
Apologies to subscribers who received a less than ideal post last week. The blog's platform had made sizing changes that drastically altered that width of pictures. You might like to revisit that post here.
The LZF stand at Euroluce was spectacular. If you don't think a 3.5 metre Koi made of strips of timber veneer is amazing, then there is something wrong with you. Photo by Craig Wall.
Konstantin Grcic's wonderful 'Remo' chairs for Plank. All timber or metal leg versions are available.
The 'Gemma' chair in ash and leather by Carlo Contin for the craft based brand, Slow Wood.
Marco Zanuso's 'Woodline' chair from 1964, reissued by Cassina. Two other Zanuso classics were also reissued: the 'Lady' chair from 1951 and Antropus from 1952.
A reworked version of the Willie Landels 'Throw Away' sofa from 1965 was released by Zanotta. The styling is amazing throughout their 2015 brochure as seen in this lovely image.
'Boyaketekka' rug by Frederico Pepe for cc-tapis. A series of rugs were shown at Spazio Pontaccio with an exhibition - SPplus - of Pepe's graphic artworks.
The Bouroullec's added a chair to their 'Officina' table range designed for Magis last year. They are available with a galvanised or black wrought iron base.
The Bouroullec's were also busy releasing their new 'Belleville' range for Vitra (posted on D.d a few weeks ago). This range uses polypropylene for the frames and plywood for the seats (solid wood table tops).
There are lots of shelving systems that don't require tools but this is one of the most resolved I have seen. Extremely simple, the solution uses triangular legs. Designed by Jakob Pollag and Vaclav Mlynar of deForm.
Using a similar principle but totally different materials is the 'Don't Screw With Me' shelving system by Swiss studio, Isabell Gatzen. The unit uses Parthenon marble and a precision made anodised aluminium frame.
At Satellite I was delighted to meet Isabell Gatzen whose arresting objects and furniture pieces in anodised aluminium and marble offered a fresh new minimalist aesthetic with product names to match.
'Flip it' tables by Marte Frøystad, seen at the Norwegian Presence exhibition at Ventura Lambrate. The shapes and colours work incredibly well together.
'St Marks' bentwood chairs by Martino Gamper for Moroso. Also manufactured in aluminium with perf seats.
Part of the GamFratesi curated Mindcraft15 installation, 'Tram' is a tray and coffee table. I just love its form. Designed by Akiko Kuwahata. Photo by Jeppegudmundsen
I have to admit to having quite low expectations when I heard that Philippe Malouin was creating plant pots using Caesarstone for the installation called Movements he'd designed for Milan Design Week. Not because Malouin does anything less than exceptionally but because to my mind Caesarstone, like all solid surfaces, was inherently flat and therefore somewhat predictable. When I saw the planters however, I was totally bowled over. The material and colour combinations were amazing as was the combination of high-tech and traditional cutting, turning and carving techniques utilised. The pieces are totally worthy of the exotic palazzo environment they were shown in. Unfortunately the incredible detail was a little lost in most of the location photographs due to the awe-inspiring ceiling of Palazzo Serbelloni stealing the show.
Planters from the Caesarstone Movements installation by Philippe Malouin featured incredible handworking.
Always thinking about things differently, Swiss design studio Atelier Oï have created 'Teo' for Moroso.
GamFratesi's understated bentwood armchair and sofa called 'Targa' for Gebrüder Thonet Vienna (GTV).
Bentwood furniture seemed to be everywhere this year with Gebrüder Thonet Vienna releasing about 10 new pieces using this technique, while Martino Gamper created his 'St Marks' chair for Moroso and Thonet (Germany) released a bentwood sofa called '2000' by Christian Werner. At Ventura Lambrate, students from the university KAKD (The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts) created an entire installation using bent rattan (a slightly different material and method but requiring a similar design language).
The 'Hideout' armchair by Front for Gebrüder Thonet Vienna - more wonderful use of bentwood & cane.
Mattali Crasset's 'Topographie' for Nodus.
Nodus rugs always have an incredible array of new limited edition rugs to add to their exciting range. This year was no exception, with new rugs by Mattali Crasset, MInale-Maeda, Sylvan Willenz, Maarten Baas and Mischer & Traxler to name just a few.
Konstantin Grcic is never afraid to create a new archetype or revise an old one. His new 'Clerici' bench for Italian manufacturer, Mattiazzi, has many of the attributes found in German designs from the thirties.
'Accursio' side and coffee tables by Antonio Sciortino for La Cividina.
'MC Collection' by American manufacturer, Branch. Cast metal & steel tube with glass, timber or stone tops.
These tables look fairly standard from a distance but are exquisitely made with joints made using the lost wax casting technique usually found in jewellery design. The same three and four way joints work across the range. The manufacturer is new San Francisco based brand, Branch.
'Blossum' - a tray with two mirrors and a a light by Norwegian designer Andreas Bergsaker.
'Ribbon' from the Dipped Collection by the cc-tapis design team. Several variations of this design are available: 'Origami', 'Ribbon', 'Cut', 'Frame' and 'Angle' - all in beautifully soft colours.
'Tonella' armchairs by Swedish outfit, Note Design Studio for Spanish brand Sancal.
Spanish brand Sandal have become well known in recent years for their interesting pieces in wood and textiles by designers such as Sebastian Herkner and Rafa Garcia but this chair by Swedish outfit, Note Design Studio, is something else altogther. The beautiful soft form has a fine metal, cage-like base and features upholstery stitching detail that mirrors the base. Exquisite.
Hanna Kruger's COLLECTIVE collection and new Italian brand Portego, were just two highlights from another great year at Ventura Lambrate. Be sure to check out next weeks post on Design daily for more.
'Ottoman' by Scholten & Baijings for Moroso . Classic S&B colours and use of fine grid patterned fabrics.
Like most of Zeitraum's collection, the new '3º Regal' shelving looks very simple but is beautifully resolved.
Minale-Maeda's 'Transcience' rug for Nodus.
And with this last lovely image with its delicate spring theme, I will call a halt to this post before it becomes ridiculously long. Next week it's time for Satellite and Ventura Lambrate, so prepare yourself for some fantastic young design and a few bizarre installations.