David Robinson and Gregg Crimp of Architecture Robinson Crimp choose their favourite finds from Milan Design Week. Below are sixteen of their top selections from the Milan Design Week’s furnishing and design fair.
This year in Milan there was less stark minimalism and more luxury materials and finishes with an emphasis on relaxed comfort. There were hard-edged geometric forms in brushed and polished metals paired with deep chocolate timbers, pale grey and soft violet velvets, suede, mirror-polished Carrara marble, natural fibres and brass, brass, brass.
Seating was low and plush, side tables and footstools abounded. Kitchens were dominated by monolithic islands with handle-less joinery; the dominant trend is rich natural timber, with suede-finished white-and-grey marble or brass, copper and stainless steel for work surfaces or entire units.
1. ‘Peg Leg’ stool (above)
By David Beirne and Diego Martinez Pereira for Bright Potato, this elegant rethink of flat-pack furniture combined bright metal surfaces and warm timber legs. Available as a stool, chair, bench, coffee table, desk or dining table.
2. ‘As if from Nowhere’
by Orla Reynolds for Orla Reynolds Studio (above)
An independently functioning modular bookcase which houses four dining chairs and two tables which, when placed together, form a dining table. It is intended for small living spaces and is pure genius.
3. ‘Step’
by Hanna Litwin and Romin Heide, made by glassmaker Cornelius Réer in his workshop in Nuremberg for Büro Famos (above)
These mouth-blown glass vases have unique surface textures resulting from a specially developed mould-making process.
4. ‘Copeau’
by Hanna Litwin and Romin Heide for Buro Famos (above)
These stacking boxes include two wooden containers of different heights covered by an aluminium lid with a delicate handle.
5. ‘Sagano: Lamp’
by Alice Minkina for Sagano (above)
Sagano is created using an innovative technique of twisting bamboo veneer into a roll and then deforming the disks into useful, elegant objects such as lamps, chairs, and table tops.
6. ‘Woodie’ power hub
by Marco Lurilli for Woodie (above)
‘Woodie’ is a unique prototype for an all-in-one power hub that combines universal AC sockets and USB ports with the newest wireless charging technology, which allows you to charge your smartphones free of cables.
7. ‘Tripod’ side table
by Wei-Lun Tseng and I-Han Chen for Danzo Studio (above)
A side table made from timber and aluminium alloy that’s perfect for small spaces and can be adjusted to three heights with a sophisticated dome base underneath the table surface.
8. Glass shades
by Wei-Lun Tseng and I-Han Chen for Danzo Studio (above)
An absolutely ingenious user-customised lamp: simply choose a glass, a bowl or similar translucent or transparent object to balance on the holder to create a totally unique light. It’s whimsical with the wow factor.
9. ‘WW13’ side table
by Julian Demharter and Jonathan Radetz for Jono Concepts (above)
WW13 is an elegant and light side table reduced to its essential form. Simplified to its two main components, the solid oak table top is braced between the powder-coated subframe.
10. ‘Hexagon’ side table
by Maximilian Mooseleitner for Mamoworks (below)
Right on trend with its use of polished metal and geometric forms, the prototypical ‘Hexagon’ side table suits inside or outside use and doubles as a stool thanks to its clever folded construction.
11. ‘Ritual’ taps
by David Adjaye for AXOR (above, bottom right)
David Adjaye’s efforts (among a number of releases from top designers for AXOR) elevates running water to a modern luxury: the tap is a sculpture of bronze and granite opening upward.
12. ‘Sydney’ sofa
by Jean-Marie Massaud for Poliform (above)
A new shape combining curves and rigid geometry into a surprisingly comfortable sofa – a happy departure from the usual boxy furniture.
13. ‘Antipode’ candleholders
by Menu (above)
Elegant and functional objects, like so much of the rest of the Menu range.
14. ‘LLoyd Buffet’
by Jean-Marie Massaud for Poltrona Frau (above)
A smart take on the sideboard/credenza.
15. ‘One’ prototype chair
b (above)
The side chair gets the Zaha treatment, and becomes a sublime form that’s beautiful from every angle, and also very comfortable.
16. ‘Nabucco’ table
by Roberto Lazzeroni for Cassina (above)
A marriage of marble and dark timber with subtle curves meeting sharp geometry and a shark’s nose bevel. This table epitomises the design direction at the 55th Salone.
See much more from Milan and New York Design Weeks in our special Forecast 2016 section in our new issue, on newsstands now.
