5 New Architecture & Design Exhibitions for July 2020
July is traditionally a slow month for new architecture and design exhibition openings. July 2020 less so. Not because of any fundamental changes in understandings amongst architecture and design museums of when is a good time to open an exhibition; but because owing to Corona many shows scheduled to open in the spring had to be postponed, not least until the museums were allowed to open.
And throughout July 2020 ever more museums are planned and planning to open; meaning ever more architecture and design exhibitions are planned and planning to open throughout July 2020.
And thus, while our physical travel options may still be limited, our (potential) cerebral and cultural travel spheres continues to expand, and that is never a bad thing.
If you do feel comfortable about visiting a museum, and are physically allowed to do so, as we will never tire of saying in these trying of times, please familiarise yourself in advance with the current ticketing, entry, safety, hygiene, cloakroom, etc rules and systems.
And during your visit please stay safe, stay responsible, and above all, stay curious….
100 Years of Positionable Light @ the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg
“In many workshops and offices it is regularly attempted to achieve both direct and semi-indirect lighting by means of large, single, light sources, that is, to work only with ample general lighting. Yet as pleasant as this type of lighting may be, in many cases it proves unsatisfactory on account of certain inherent shortcomings”1
So opined in 1926 the German engineer Curt Fischer.
Rhetorically. For in 1919 he had already patented his first solution to resolving such “inherent shortcomings”.
How, and where his considerations have taken contemporary lighting design, are discussed and explored in the exhibition 100 Years of Positionable Light at the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg.
Radio smow: A Lighting Playlist…….
On this, the longest day, a radio smow playlist devoted to that which Europe for the next 24 hours will have more of than at any other time this year. And which somehow still won’t seem enough.
We could do with a lot more light, a lot more illumination, in our contemporary society…………………
Wilhelm Wagenfeld: Lamps @ the Wilhelm Wagenfeld Haus, Bremen
“I assure you that you and your work are the model case for what the Bauhaus has been after” wrote Walter Gropius to Wilhelm Wagenfeld in April 1965.
Just how Wilhelm Wagenfeld developed that “model case” “after” Bauhaus is explored, as least in terms of one design genre, in that genre for which Wilhelm Wagenfeld is most popularly known as a Bauhaus model, in the exhibition Wilhelm Wagenfeld: Lamps at the Wilhelm Wagenfeld Haus Bremen.
smow Blog Interview: Ionna Vautrin – For me objects need to relate to the human, to human forms…
French designer Ionna Vautrin first reached a broad international public with her Binic lamp for Italian manufacturer Foscarini, a design which, it’s fair to say, is/was one of those genuinely, gloriously, joyous moments in the (hi)story of lighting design, a work full of character yet devoid of vanity, universally applicable yet always individual.
Ionna Vautrin is however more than Binic: before Binic Ionna had enjoyed a varied, international career working with a diverse roster of studios and across an equally diverse range of design genres. Since Binic Ionna had enjoyed a varied, international career working with a diverse roster of manufacturers and across an equally diverse range of design genres.
Keen to know more we met up with Ionna Vautrin in Paris…….
Paris Design Week 2018 Compact: Plateau Lamp by Ferréol Babin for Daniel
It is a universal rule of life that some of the most pleasing things occur unplanned, and that is certainly the case when visiting a design week, events where the disappointment that invariably arises visiting shows you intended to, is quickly offset by something you stumble across per chance.
So too was it as we turned into the Rue des Coutures-Saint-Gervais, our thoughts less concerned with where we were or where we were going as with where we had been and for all why we’d been where we’d been, then we passed number 14. Stopped. Went back…..
Milan Design Week 2018 Compact: Flos present Achille Castiglioni – If you are not curious, forget it
By way of celebrating designer Achille Castiglioni’s centenary Italian lighting manufacturer Flos used Milan Design Week 2018 to launch re-editions of two Castiglioni designs: Ventosa and Nasa.
Objects which in their own, small, ways allow for an insight into Achille Castiglioni’s approach to, and understanding of, design.
Light + Building Frankfurt 2018: High Five!!
While it is generally the case that the development, evolution, of product design is dependent on the development, evolution, of technology, such is particularly the case in context of lighting design: ever since a burning stick was first employed to create a relaxing evening atmosphere in a neolithic cave, technological developments have been the driving force behind the development of lighting design, be that formally, functionally or technically.
The nature of Light + Building Frankfurt, the fact that it is much more of case of “Light in and around Buildings”, means that the majority of the projects presented are about technical lighting in architectural contexts, and in terms of technical evolution most manufacturers are atop of the game: demonstrating technical competence being a key element in any lighting manufacturers’ self-image. Does however by necessity mean that often the required functionality is largely pre-defined by the very specific nature of the usage, while the form is in many cases irrelevant.
A small section of Light + Building does however present objects of more freer nature, and there one does/could find a few design led projects which in addition to adopting technological innovation approach new formal and functional solutions and thus new understandings of what lighting can/should be. As ever we’ve not seen everything, have invariably missed one or the other gem, apologies all-round, but with that in mind, and in no particular order, our Light + Building Frankfurt 2018 High Five!!
IMM Cologne 2018 Compact: Arc Collection by Manér Studio for Le Klint
One of the early highlights of our 2017 #campustour was the Arc Collection by Marie Hesseldahl & Nanna Neergaard created in context of their Diploma project at Design School Kolding.
Consequently it was a particularly pleasing mødes igen with the Arc Collection at IMM Cologne 2018 where it was launched as a product family by Danish manufacturer Le Klint.
Dutch Design Week Eindhoven 2017: 304 by Nick Beens
Modular lighting is a seldom encountered genre, and when it is encountered, then invariably in a very technical form, a form that implies the computer software has taken a greater role in the creative process than the designers understanding of form-giving,
There are however exceptions…..
smow Blog Design Calender: February 24th 1893 – Happy Birthday Christian Dell!
The German designer and silversmith Christian Dell is arguably best known for the numerous lighting designs he realised during the 1920s and 1930s.
Christian Dell was however also one of the pioneers of plastic design. If all too briefly.
smow blog compact: Ursa by McKenzie & Keim
Being principally an office furniture fair NeoCon doesn’t really attract “fringe events” the way home furnishing focussed trade fairs do;
Light + Building Frankfurt 2016: High Five!
As the name implies the Light + Building Trade Fair in Frankfurt is largely about architectural lighting rather than domestic
Lost Furniture Design Classics: Rondella Lamp by Christian Dell
In his Letter of Reference for Christian Dell on the occasion of his departure from the Kunsthochschule Frankfurt, the school’s
KUULA by Uli Budde for Thonet & Oligo
In the famous Thonet Card Catalogue from 1930/31 the image of the B 9 side table and B 25 lounge
(smow) blog compact Bratislava Design Week Special: Transmission Lights by Studio deFORM
At Bratislava Design Week 2014 Jakub Pollág and Václav Mlynář a.k.a. Studio deFORM re-premièred their Transmission light family; “re-premièred” because
Vienna Design Week 2014: Passionswege – Big-Game @ Wiener Silber Manufactur
For some 200 years Wiener Silber Manufactur have produced the finest silverware. Exquisite cutlery, table services, coffee pots and sugar
(smow) blog compact DMY Berlin Special: Godis by Nestor Campos
As older readers will be aware one of our all-time favourite products is the table family Tints by Jason Miller.
Binic by Ionna Vautrin for Foscarini
“In a best case scenario, and when the technology is advanced enough, the opaque cover can be replaced by an
Designers’ Open Spots 2013: Porzellanatelier Biehne & Passig
Although, according to our strict definition of “design” the work of Leipzig ceramicist Claudia Biehne must be considered handwork, we’re
Light up your life …
It’s Dumfries Show on Saturday. That won’t mean much to the most people, but for us it is a sure
smow design spring Top 5: Lamps
The Top 5 Lamps from the smow design spring. In no particular order. Kete by David Turnbridge. One of the