Iris van Herpen showcased her five new architectural looks alongside her previous pieces for the Haute Couture collection, combining 3D printing with hand-made processes. The result is a remarkable overview of Iris’s works that featured her profound craftsmanship and her skillful grasp of the materials in relation to the body. I look forward to more!

Photos courtesy of Iris van Herpen

Designed by Park Associati of Milan and sponsored by Electrolux, The Cube is a dining pavilion unveiled for the first time on April 1st placed atop the Parc du Cinquantenaire in Brussels, Belgium. The traveling pavilion will pop up on a series of landmark sites across Europe over the course of 2011 tailored for a unique dining experience and other events.

Two Electrolux Cube’s will travel across Europe offering a dining experience for 18 guests per setting in locations, namely on top of monuments, buildings and even water platforms in Belgium, Italy, Russia, Switzerland and Sweden but only for three months at each location.

The Cube has been conceived as a portable and lightweight module with ease of assembly, and designed to suit all climatic conditions. The pavilion’s lightness of form is emphasized by the faceted and white aluminum surface with varying perforations of laser-cut geometric motifs.

Pavilion in context

Elevation

Plan of the perforations on the faceted skin

Detail of the varying sizes of the geometric perforation

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Project team:

Client: Electrolux

Event planner: Absolute Blue, Brussels

Architect: Park Associati, Milano

Logo and texture design: Studio FM, Milano

Photo credits: Carol Kohen & Danica O. Kus

Bidum is a series of flexible mesh containers characterized more by motion than by functionality. Designed by Lætitia Florin, a graduate of Switzerland’s ECAL (University of Art & Design Lausanne), the containers are made from thin spring-steel strips sheathed in cotton. The flexible form moves and bounces with the slightest touch but can’t tumble or collapse.

Kinda reminds you of the metal slinky, isn’t it?

Check out the video below:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Armed with a fascination for the pentagon, Dutch sculptor and artist, Gerard Caris amassed an extensive portfolio charting the evolution of his geometrical studies in the form of paintings, relief sculptures, 3D sculptures and even architecture. Believing that he has introduced a new chapter in the history of art, he named his artistic pursuit as Pentagonism.

Here are a few exclusive picks of his works:

Large polyhedral net structure rotated to reveal its changing shadows cast on the wall. Made of steelwire, cardboard, linen, paint.

another polyhedral net sculpture

view looking up from below

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Rhombohedra relief sculptures

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dodecahedron sculpture

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Architectural study: modular residential construction

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A painting from the Cosmos series

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Gerard Caris in his studio

More artworks on Gerard Caris’s website

Tensor Voting is a skeletal system of iron components conceived by Swiss designer, Giulio Parini. It consists of iron rods in varying lengths which are slotted into fasteners, and in turn are nailed to the wall. Tensor Voting allows the user to play with varying geometrical configurations by rotating the rods and switching the location of the fasteners. It can function as a wall sculpture or a shelving system which can hold up a few items decently, such as paperbacks and CD cases.

- Design process -

According to Giulio, Tensor Voting is a mathematical algorithm to estimate various characteristics, as dimensions and orientations, of geometrical shapes made by clouds of points. The project began as part of a  continuation of a concept based on Giulio’s scenography design which consisted of triangular modules of cardboard (see image below). (continue)

The result is a trapezoidal chair, and with iron as his material choice, Giulio pursued his design while renting an atelier of an iron sculpture artist.

Discovering the bulk and expense that the metal put him through, Giulio later conceived a deconstructed version of the chair which consisted of rods and bars as ‘skeletons’ of the form.

The chair that never was became a fascinating system of irregular members with shifting geometries.

rods slotted into place

The swinging rods

wall system images via Giulio Parini

Thanks to Giulio for a giving us a peek of his sketches!

The Cut-Series, designed by Swedish designers Daniel Enoksson, Lucas E Hinnerud and Jens Boldt, are inspired by the first few steps of design: cutting and folding simple and quick paper models which are translated into functional full-sized furniture. A coat of matte lacquer finish is applied to the super-thin, lightweight aluminum furniture, resembling full-scale paper models.

Photography: Jens Boldt

String art and fun fashion culminate the Stretch Collection – a set of chairs made of latex, bungee and rope in vivid colors designed by Brooklyn-based Jessica Carnevale. The chairs brought to mind the signature flashy outfits in Christopher Kane’s Spring 2007 collection which Jessica based her inspiration on.

christopher kane’s outfits with tight lacing detail

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the string detail on jessica’s stretch chairs

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images courtesy of Jessica Carnevale

christopher kane’s runway images via style.com

Caleidoscope is a new lighting concept designed by Dutch designer Frederike Top. Its character lies in the contrast of simple construction, combined with the unexpected. The lamp’s façade appears plain at first, but deeper inspection reveals an array of faceted patterns and colour within its shell. The generated shapes reflect the same principles of a kaleidoscope.

Caleidoscope is constructed from stainless steel with a water based lacquer coating. Stainless steel is a long lasting material and is easily recyclable. Caleidoscope lamp is completely manufactured at just one location, keeping production and transport to a minimum.

Technical specifications:
Sizes        small: 36 x 36 x 52 cm
big: 48 x 48 x 65 cm
Weight    small: ± 7,5 kg
big: ± 9,5 kg
Material    stainless steel, laquer coated (water based)
Colours    ral colours
Cable        steel-wire max 70 kg
Bulb        small: 16W | E27 | softone | 8000 h
big: 23W | E27 | warm white | 10000 h

Caleidoscope will be shown at the Tuttobene during the Milan Design Week

Photography: Bas Brummans

Designed by London-based architecture firm, Levitt Bernstein Associates, the aluminium-cladded facade was specially designed to function as a louvre system allowing ventilation for the boiler room of the University of Liverpool’s new energy centre. The wall cladding consists of removable diamond-patterned aluminium sheets, whose scale-like form continually changes character as it catches the light in ever-changing ways.

Photography: Eddie Jacob

via archdaily

The DIY Reykjavik pavilion is a temporary installation initiated and designed by Arnaldur Scram and Simon Stigsby of New York-based design firm Shift.

Constructed with one thousand aluminum triangles, each varying in size, shape, fold, and configuration, the pavilion was designed and processed through a variety of 3D software, laser-cut then folded and riveted by hand.

Aluminum was deliberately chosen due to its unique structural challenges, its abundance and recyclability, but also for its potential to generate debate about the current and future use of the material, specifically in Iceland.

Design statement:”The project is about testing the possibilities that ultimately arise with a collapse Iceland has seen. The modern ideological system which governed Iceland in every way has failed and Iceland is now about actualizing opportunities, not admiring false visions. How do designers navigate within this new reality? Are we going to look backwards and let the future happen or are we going to find a way to navigate forward using what we have at hand? DIY Reykjavik pavilion is about political controversy, new economy, new technology and community to ask questions about Iceland’s future.”

detail of the folded and riveted aluminum triangles

via Bustler

Pleats are the latest series of furniture by Lyon-based designers Rémi Bouhaniche and Amaury Poudray of USIN-e. The series composed of two trestles, one low table and one coat rack, and each is constructed by folding the metal sheets to link the wooden pieces.

pleats trestles

The designer states, “Pleats pits the weight of the material against the empty space’s lightness. In order to give each component a vital breath, we use the emptiness to connect the materials. Through this range, we create a language both simple and sophisticated situated in between, the “haute couture”, industry and craft works.”

detail of the trestles

pleats low table

detail of low table

pleats coat rack

Designers: Rémi Bouhaniche / Amaury Poudray
Label: USIN-e
Production: AD, Christophe Bailleux
Photography: Laure Mélone

I like the lightness and simplicity of the Drew furniture series designed by Kirsty Whyte of Purewhyte. The powder-coated, tubular steel rod furniture consist of table bases and a coat stand, each formed by bending a continuous piece of steel rod.

drew dining table

The Drew Dining Table is made currently made by hand from a continuous piece of steel, creating an intricate and intriguing table that verges on forming an optical illusion that is visible from all angles thanks to the tempered clear glass top that the base supports.

The initial concept was hand-modeled from wire, with many generations created before the final shape was selected. After the solution has been finalized, a complex 3D computer model was created, and then a suitable metalwork supplier found for the production of the sample.

drew coat stand

The Drew Coat stand uses the same design language as the table, but the form has been manipulated to allow for 6 apposing hooks to be created.

drew occasional and coffee tables

The occasional and coffee tables are an extension of the Drew range launched in Spring 2009. They use same handwriting and manufacture process; made from one continuous piece of steel rod. Meaning minimal material is wasted in production. The forms have been pared down, making an even purer form. They are smaller, lighter so it can sit with any contemporary environment.

Purewhyte‘s furniture will be shown with Designersblock during this month’s Milan furniture Fair.

Photographs: Alison Tanner

Dabbling with folding techniques on textiles, Belgian artist/ designer, Tine De Ruysser, has amassed an impressive pleat-goodness of wearable accessories, including her latest batch of vessels. Here are a few selections from her portfolio:

Metalized Folding Textiles

Mirror Bowl. Materials: mirror polyester foil and Tyvek

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Using a range of folding patterns onto textile composites, Tine created various multi-faceted and flexible containers that often change in shapes and sizes. The bowls are currently on display at the ‘Still Life from Flanders’ exhibition at Gallery Flow in London.

Anemone I & II. Materials: plywood and polyester fabric

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close-up of Anemone I

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Wave I Copper. Material: copper and polyester fabric

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Wave I Plywood. Material: plywood and polyester fabric

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Wearable Metal Origami: Tine’s PhD collection at the Royal College of Art

Shoulder Cape. Material: copper and polyester fabric

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folding detail of the shoulder cape

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Three bracelets. Materials: copper and polyester, gold plate silver and polyester, silver and polyester

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Bracelet turning into bag. Material: copper and polyester

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Skirt that changes in length. Material: copper and polyester

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Banknote Jewelry

Linked bracelet made from US dollar bills, turned inside-out.

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Tine created the ‘banknote’ collection made by folding paper money as wearable accessories. They can be used as valid currencies by dismantling the jewelry as component banknotes.

6 necklaces from 6 continents.(from inside-out: China, USA, Australia, Europe, South Africa, Argentina,)

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Check out Tine’s website for more information.

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There was the Bloom Light, and here comes the Bloom Chair by Korean designer Eerang Park. It is constructed by placing eight folded steel plates at a 35° angle in a circular arrangement, and the formation resulted in a structurally solid chair. Pure awesome-ness!

via designboom

Julyerna Koesmono, a student at the lasalle college of the arts in Singapore, designed this award-winning furniture for the island country’s annual furniture design award (FDA). The chromatic stool design with its overlapping strings , is inspired by the traditional string game of Ayatori or Cat’s Cradle. is reminiscent of the 1960′s string art

Lisiere is a table mirror created by Amaury Poudray and Rémi Bouhaniche (USIN-e) and was mass-produced for the Granville Gallery. A 2mm thickness metal sheet at the start of 20x30cm is either folded in the lengthwise or in the crosswise, creating two different models. A red lacquer was painted on the inside while the outside of the table mirror is polished. Each Lisiere product comes in a laser-engraved signature, and is available for 140€.

Photography: USIN-e

Sascha Akkermann of confused direction recently informed us about their recent exhibition of the la melle lamp at Blickfang. The lamp was hung in the middle of a tipi structure whose wooden lattice is partially exposed. Read the previous post on la melle, and here.

Photography by Tanja Leonhard

The Meandre bike stand by Polish street furniture manufacturer mmcité recently won the prestigious Good Design Award awarded by the the Chicago Athenaeum. The bike stand is made of a continuous ‘pleated’ rubber belt supported by a metal rod; while the grooves accommodate the bicycle wheels.

via designeast.eu

The Housemates is a brooch collection base on the common insects that live in the home of designers Tithi Kutchamuch and Nutre Arayavanish of TT:NT. Inspired by rare insects sold at auction, Tithi and Nutre elevated the creepy crawlies to a ‘rare’ status – the caterpillar, ant, spider, fly, fruit fly, and cockroach shaped by folded metal sheet and plated with 14ct pale gold.

See Tithi’s Folding Birthday Rings

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