• Review of The Design Annual 2007, Inside: Private Identity, Part 1 – Design & Identity
• Preview of the 2007 Design Annual
• How about good things? Or interesting things? - An Interview with Paul Kelley
• Interview with Janne Kyttänen of Freedom Of Creation
• Interview with Fabian Baumann of Formfjord
• Chris Lefteri: Abducted Materials - Page 1
• Previews of The Design Annual - Inside: Showtime and Decorate Life: Tendence Autumn and Winter
• Review of Decorate Life: Tendence Autumn + Winter 2008
• All the Fun of the Fair - a Review of Decorate Life: Design Annual – Inside: Showtime

By Le Vin Chin

<< Back to Part 1 – Design & Identity

This year’s Design Annual was notable for spotlighting the best of current design, from high-end design to consumer design, but always design, and with a strong focus on the selection of materials.

Materialworks' Paper Lab

This was best exemplified by Materialworks’ Paper Lab exhibit, curated by a designer and materials researcher well known for her own innovative use of materials, Nicola Stattmann. Sub-titled “Technical papers for 3-dimensional products”, Stattmann’s display encompassed 108 different variations on “paper”, elaborating on different types, constructions, foldings, pressings and embossings, techniques and technologies, and usages … Also at hand here and at the subsequent Materialday of talks was Ron Resch, Professor of Architecture and Computer Science at the University of Utah, demonstrating and explaining how examining the mathematics of paper-folding led, decades ago, to his revolutionary discoveries in 3-dimensional design and to computer graphics techniques considered cutting-edge today.

Novelty: Hay selects pieces based on the novelty of the materials used, e.g. the solid felt chair above, using a technology more familiar from car boots

Novelty: Cherrie decorative elements by Flip Sellin at Koziol Spheres

Narrative: Paul Kelley’s desk-chair system uses timber reclaimed from his own workbench, bestowing a history and personality upon the final object (and tying back to the theme of Private Identity). An interview with Paul Kelley.

And how are materials chosen for a project? According to the displays on various stands and installations, the answer varies. It can be due to novelty, to function, to narrative, to value, to look and feel …

Luxury: lamps at FLOS by (clockwise from top left) Joris Kaarman (“Nebula”), Jasper Morrison (“Smithfield”), Rodolfo Dordoni (“Ray”), Piero Lissoni (“Once in the blue”), Philippe Starck (“K Tribe”)

Look and feel: Sumptuous fabrics from Nya Nordiska

It can come about because of social and cultural developments (the destruction of the rainforests, the need for recycling) or new technologies.

New technologies: Formfjord used a rapid prototyping process to create Ceres. An interview with Formfjord’s Fabian Baumann.

Social developments: Instant’s “United Bottles” installation showcases a new shape of water bottle which is designed to be recyclable – or “constructively mis-used” – as bricks for construction of temporary structures

New Technologies: Freedom Of Creation produces pieces using various rapid prototyping technologies. Above: Rollercoaster and Dahlia. An interview with FOC’s Janne Kyttänen.

The Design Annual closed with a last day of talks in the supporting program entirely dedicated to materials, the Materialday. Aside from the aforementioned talk by Ron Resch, materials experts / designers Nicola Stattmann and Chris Lefteri dazzled the audience with the vast scope and possibility of the innovative use of both novel and traditional materials. Both showcased new technology materials; materials which often break down the walls of definition (being hybrid materials) and characteristics (being multifunctional materials). Lefteri particularly made much of how materials themselves have an identity and therefore necessarily lends character to a design.