Contract - May 2012 - (Page 50)

exhibition: Salone Highlights from Salone Internazionale del Mobile Beauty in simplicity in furnishings and lighting from Milan Artek presented the Kiki collection, a range of chairs, tables, lounge chairs, benches, and sofas. Designed in 1960 by Ilmari Tapiovaara, who was influenced by Aalto, the collection’s unifying design element is oval steel tubing and clean lines. Artek also launched a new pendant light fixture entitled TW002, or Triennale Light, designed by Tapio Wirkkala in 1951. Reader Service No. 260 Republic of Fritz Hansen launched the minuscule chair and table designed for an informal setting by Danish designer Cecilie Manz. The name minuscule represents the informal and understated style that Scandinavians are known for. The upholstery of the chair’s outer shell is available in two tones of grey and the inner shell is available in a range of colors. Reader Service No. 261 In April, the design world descended on the Milan Furniture Fair, Salone Internazionale del Mobile, to see the latest from furniture manufacturers, industrial designers, and artists. To be sure, there was color, vibrance, and a display of design drama. And there was spectacle, such as the Kartell opening for the Philippe Starck–designed Mademoiselle chairs reinterpreted this year by Lenny Kravitz. That event seemed like a rock concert, fashion show, and celebrity hanger-on mashup. It’s chairs! It’s Lenny Kravitz and paparazzi! It’s the craziness that is Milan during Salone. But taken as a whole in the broader view, what was striking, or at least what caught our eye, were furnishings that expressed an honesty in material, form, and substance. Whether a new design or a 50 reintroduction of a classic, many companies were focused on offerings with a timeless quality and a simplicity of craft. This focus seems fitting for the times, given the recent economic conditions in Europe and America. In these three page, we highlight a few of the key finds that exemplify this ethos from Salone. Besides the major manufacturers showing at Salone itself, young designers displayed ingenuity during the week in Milan at Superstudio, the Salone Satellite, and in various shows in the city such as the Hallingdal 65 exhibit (see page 152). Not all on display was sober. Rather—with signs of experimentation—the creations of the young rock stars of design indicate that excitement is ahead. —John CzarneCki contractdesign.com MAY 2012 http://www.contractdesign.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Contract - May 2012

Contract - May 2012
Contents
Editorial
Industry News
Coming Events
Exhibition: Coverings
Exhibition: Highlights from Salone Internazionale del Mobile
Product Focus: Enlivening the Flexible Office
Product Focus: A Collection to Define 21st Century Herman Miller
NeoCon® Preview
Hospitality’s Influence in Workplace Design
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Campus
Steelcase Office and Work Café
Shlemmer Algaze Associates
Red Bull Amsterdam
THQ
Grey Group Roof Deck
Knoll, East Greenville Headquarters
The Metrics of Distributed Work
Tools: Pinterested, by Design
Exhibition: Hallingdal 65
Designers Select: Office Furniture
Sources
Ad Index
Exhibition: Lasvit Liquidkristal by Ross Lovegrove

Contract - May 2012