tp bennett designs a fresh new spot for Aviva at EightyFen
A transparent, community-focused office design represents a milestone in the organisation's commitment to creating positive workspaces.
25/07/2024
3 min read
10 products from Milan Design Week 2024
Biomaterials, modularity and bringing the inside outside: discover our product highlights from Milan Design Week and Salone del Mobile 2024.
25/04/2024
4 min read
arper – catifa carta
Arper – Catifa Carta
First designed in 2001, Arper’s first product with an environmental product declaration has had a sustainable upgrade in a partnership with Swedish material researchers PaperShell. Catifa Carta features a re-engineered shell formed from PaperShell, a new material made of composite wood by-product like sawdust and branch offcuts. Like a tree, more carbon is stored than released and at the end of its life cycle the material can be reduced to biochar for agriculture – retaining the CO2 sequestered during the previous life phases. Fully disassemblable, the chair is available in coffee and graphite colours with various steel base and cushion options.
Tacchini – Solar
Faye Toogood for Tacchini – Cosmic Collection, Solar
As part of her new Cosmic Collection for Tacchini, Faye Toogood has revealed the Solar sofa – stacked, quilted upholstered seating that is pillowy-soft and sculptural all at once. Designed to be a relaxed and casual addition to a space, the fabric is purposefully wrinkled to invite users to ‘crash land’ on the padded stacks. “I try to put as much of myself, and my energy into the objects,” says Toogood. “My process is tactile and emotional. The shape of the chair came from pushing my fingers into the clay maquette, squashing the three layers together. I don’t connect with design done at a distance. These biomorphic shapes haven’t been created on a computer, they are found by hand.”
Mater – Alder
Mater – Alder
Danish green-tech company Mater’s biodegradable furniture collection Alder launched last week, created in collaboration with Patricia Urquiola. Formed from a new biodegradable blend of the brand’s innovative Matek material, Alder uses natural fibres – such as coffee and wood waste – and biodegradable plastic derived from sugarcane. The collection consists of two lounge tables, a side table and a stool available in four different colours: Terracotta, Light Green, Sand and Earth Grey. Moulded around a frame made from 94% recycled steel, the collection is designed for disassembly, allowing each component to be upcycled into new production cycles through Mater’s Take-back System.
Pedrali – Rizz table
Pedrali – Rizz table
Designed by longtime Pedrali collaborator Robin Rizzini, the Rizz table features distinctive legs and a recycled and recyclable aluminium frame that ensures strength and the elusion of lightness at the same time. The four tapered die-cast aluminium legs are the distinctive design element of Rizz: from a triangular section facing outwards, they gradually vary their curve as they continue downwards, tapering into a round section to rest elegantly on the floor. Round, rectangular or square tops available, customisable in different materials. Rizz nods to the traditional 60s aluminium tables, suitable for a variety of settings from the workspace to residential and even outdoors.
Carl Hansen & Son – Embrace
Carl Hansen & Son – Embrace (Outdoor)
Inspired by the existing Embrace Series of tables, chairs and sofas, product designers EOOS presented the Embrace Outdoor Series, seamlessly moving the original design to an outdoor setting. Crafted from FSC™-certified untreated teak that develops a unique patina over time, the outdoor chairs mirrors the indoor edition’s upholstery in weather-resistant cushions that appear to float within the frame.
Andreu World – Bolete
Andreu World – Bolete
An upholstered chair and multipurpose tables are added to the Bolete collection, a modular system that can be customised with multiple upholstery options and finishes. The ribbed texture of the base gives the chair its sculptural personality and is made from the brand’s patented BIO thermopolymer material – 100% natural origin, non-fossil, compostable and biodegradable at the end of its life cycle.
Kettal – Passage
Kettal – Passage
Continuing the inside-out theme, Ronan Bouroullec has designed the versatile Passage for Kettal, a series of chairs designed to evoke “movement, fluidity and transition from one place to another.” The chairs can be used in any setting, outside and in, thanks to its minimalist design and technical structure crafted from one piece of recyclable aluminium. A variety of seat and colour choices further the collection’s versatility; from a single piece of aluminium to wood, fabric, rope, webbing or straw.
Flos – SuperWire
Flos – SuperWire
Formafantasma has teamed up once again with lighting manufacturer Flos to reveal SuperWire, a modular lighting system based on an LED light source. The collection features various suspension lighting configurations, a floor lamp and table lamp crafted from hexagonal glass panels, with an aluminium framework and slim LED strips – each shielded by a borosilicate tube the size of a spaghetti. Contrary to their sculptural and intricate appearance, SuperWire collections has also been engineered to facilitate repair. “The design allows users to easily mount and unmount the glass panels, facilitating the substitution of components,” says the studio. “For the first time, a LED source which is not reliant on a standard light bulb is easily replaceable without the need of shipping back the full lamp to the manufacturer.”
Modalle – Sofá Friends
Designed by Roberta Rampazzo, the ‘Friends Sofa’ was designed to foster meaningful connections between people, encouraging conversation, creativity and intimacy. Its unique design allows users to sit in a friendlier position, closer and face to face, facilitating in-depth conversations and sharing of ideas. Created for both indoor and outdoor use the sofa can be customised with various finishes and dimensions, and natural raw teak makes each product unique.
Gessi – Incastri
Created by renowned architect and professor Kengo Kuma (founder of KKAA), GESSI’s Incastri collection recalls the Japanese tradition of Chidori, an ancient play of joints, intersections and overlaps. With the name literally translating to ‘joinery’, Incastri was designed to extend GESSI’s aesthetic vision to the entire bathroom environment, drawing inspiration from traditional craftmanship and the concept of “Chōzu”, a ritual that involves washing the hands before entering Japanese sacred places.
