I remember when I was a nasty kid stomping sticks on neighbors fences. I was nasty and noisy but the multimedia artist and composer Yuval Avital (I bet he did what I did when he was a child) transformed a noisy game into a poetic sound sculpture: Open Fence.

1km of iron, 12 tons of weight, 64 metres of length, 4 metres of height, over 320 tubular bells, 900 meters of stainless steel strings is a massive sound sculptures, the biggest ever realized in Italy.

Starting from an iron fence realized by designer Mario Milana, Yuval Avital has transformed this architectural object into an instrument playable by everybody, musicians and non-musicians alike, inviting the public to become performer of a collective sound ritual on the day of the solstice of summer, 21 June at the East End Studios in Milan.

The Israeli composer aims to transform a closing barrier into a welcome opening, that goes beyond the physical fence thanks to a unique combination of art, architecture and sound.

Crowd Music Ensemble

Crowd Music Ensemble

Percussionists from from the Conservatory “G. Verdi” of Milan and the Civica Scuola di Musica “Claudio Abbado”

A young and talented performer

To visit: 

East End Studios, via Mecenate 88A, Milan

e-mail office@yuvalavital.com

On the night of June 21, 2017, Turkish contemporary rug and carpet brand, STEPEVI celebrated the launch of their new ‘SPARKLE’ collection with an elegant red carpet cocktail party at their NYC showroom. THE ‘SPARKLE’ debut attracted various architects, designers, and artists from throughout the greater New York City area. Previously featured as part of Milan Design Week, this brand new collection showed off various handcrafted carpets which present a subtle shimmer that adds a glamorous and eye-catching touch to the already eclectic STEPEVI collection.

The showroom was filled with tons of pieces from the new collection, featuring various colors and textures which illustrate the bold expression of this ambitious launch. As guests danced, conversed and enjoyed gourmet hors d’oeuvres, they were evidently hypnotized by the finely crafted pieces decorating the room. As STEPEVI expands their consumer base throughout residential and commercial sectors of North America, be sure to keep an eye out for these luxury pieces which are sure to make a statement in any setting.

Design fatigue? Not for us. Though we’re enjoying every second of the jam-packed NYCxDesign programming and looking forward to a relaxing Memorial Day Weekend, we’re excited for June 1st. That evening, IDLNY: Interior Designers for Legislation in New York will host its Gala at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum. For the second year in a row, IDLNY supporters and design industry leaders will board the USS aircraft carrier for a fun night of sunset cocktails and coalition building. With its mission to advance, promote and monitor the right to practice interior design, IDLNY continues to make strides for our industry as a whole. The gala is the perfect opportunity for our community to re-group before a busy summer, celebrate IDLNY volunteers and look ahead to the work that remains.

Photo from last year’s Evening at the Intrepid by Peter Ou.

As if the event’s instagram-ready venue (filled with design friends and colleagues) isn’t enough reason to attend, supporters will have the chance to show their gratitude and respect for this year’s honoree, Ruth Lynford. As a compelling advocate for designers across the state of New York and the collective industry, Ruth founded IDLNY in 1984. Generations of designers can attest to Ruth’s passion and generosity for this community, and IDLNY’s success would not be possible without her leadership. We look forward to taking a moment to raise a glass in Ruth’s honor. We’ll also be adding her book, My Life in Design, to our summer reading list. Copies will be available for purchase during the evening as another way to support the coalition and showcase Ruth’s lifetime of service for our industry.

Though we’re looking forward to this festive evening, those that can’t attend the Gala can still support the coalition. In partnership with Humanscale, IDLNY is hosting a sweepstakes to win one Freedom Headrest chair. We’ve long had our eye on this iconic chair designed by the late Niels Diffrient and can think of a number of spots that qualify as the perfect home for this uber-supportive, sleek chair.

With summer on the horizon, IDLNY’s Gala at the Intrepid promises to be a memorable party to kick off the season and support an important cause to us all.

With Milano Design Week just over a week behind us, we’ve had some time to reflect on the installations that continued to resonate long after leaving the cinemas, palazzi or tunnels in which we found them. There were a number of striking exhibits and installations across Fuorisalone this year, but these are the ones that have stayed strong in our minds as we’ve settled back into daily life after a whirlwind week in Milan.

Nendo: Invisible Outlines

Japanese brand Nendo transformed the Jil Sander showroom in the Brera district of Milan into a captivating ethereal landscape defined by outlines and contours. A series of conceptual installations led visitors throughout the space in an exploration of what the eye perceives, based on elegantly minimalist designs that often seemed more a suggestion of an object than an object in itself.

One of these installations (above) was titled “80 Sheets of Mountains.” Upon descending the steps into the largest open space of the Jil Sander showroom, visitors entered a glowing white room filled with the contours of mountain-like shapes. Comprised of thin polystryrene sheets, laser cut and stretched into hills and valleys, the installation created pathways, inviting visitors to wander through the landscape.

The “jellyfish vase” was another captivating installation from Nendo. 30 vases made of ultra-thin transparent silicon were submerged in an aquarium filled with water. The water pulsated with a current just strong enough to cause the delicate vases within to dance and wobble like jellyfish. Created to redefine the traditional roles of flowers and water, the water in this installation is pervasive and therefore almost inconspicuous. The vase does not contain the water, but the water contains the vase. The subtle gradations of color among the vases and the slight movements of the forms in the water currents made this a uniquely enticing and enjoyable installation to witness.

(Photos above by Takumi Ota.)

LG and Tokujin Yoshioka: S.F_Senses of the Future

Winner of the highest prize at the Milano Design Award, the installation from LG and designer Tokujin Yoshioka created an immersive landscape defined by light in an installation comprised of two fundamental parts: The S.F Chair and the Wall of the Sun.

The S.F chair was created as a poetic imagining of a child’s perception of the future. The chair, a form that has been redesigned countless times throughout history, lent itself in this instance to a futuristic image designed to capture the human senses. Each comprised of bifacial OLED signage, a field of S.F chairs throughout the space created a canvas for an undulating light show of glowing forms and colors.

The Wall of the Sun created a backdrop to the scene; a luminous plane that drew visitors further into the exhibit. Inspired by solar flares and with an aim to capture a mystical sense of our planet’s future, a mural of 30,000 OLED lights emitted random pulses and flashes of light. As visitors made their way toward the wall through the field of S.F chairs, the flashes which at first seemed random, became part of a network of more clearly defined OLED light fittings.

The jury for the Milano Design Award remarked on the installation’s “ability to synthesize the conceptual, technological, narrative and emotional aspects in one single project,” – a synthesis made even more powerful through it’s simplicity, using only OLED lights in two distinct forms.

Maarten Baas: May I Have Your Attention Please?

In one of the raw, unfinished vaults of Ventura Centrale, located at the Central Station’s Magazzini Raccordati, the Maarten Baas installation “May I Have Your Attention Please?” invited visitors into a mysterious and playful world of chairs and bullhorns, the latter whispering barely audible secrets. The secrets “are clips taken from all sorts of sources,” says Baas, “and for me they represent the energy of people. I feel like we live in a world where attention is almost as much a currency as money is or power.”

The installation was created to showcase Baas’ new chair for Lensvelt. Due to a slight tweaking of the production process, each chair in the Maarten Baas 101 line is unique. They are each made from the same materials and yet slight variations in color and shape prevent any two from being identical. The cacophony of secrets in the bullhorns represent what Baas was aiming to achieve with this line.  “We are also made up from the same parts,” he says, “but yet again we aren’t identical. These chairs are unique, even in large numbers.”

The whimsy of the installation, from the color palette to the unique, almost childlike forms of the chairs, along with the whispering bullhorns, appealed to all of the senses and left a lasting impression.

COS x Studio Swine: New Spring

In Milan’s historic Cinema Arti, Studio Swine and COS presented an enchanting interactive installation that put smiles on the faces of everyone who entered the space. A “New Spring” was envisioned by the designers as a single large tree-like structure in a dark space, which dropped white “blossoms” on visitors in the form of vapor-filled bubbles. Says London-based design duo Studio Swine, “Inspired by the famous cherry blossom festival in Japan, the installation is designed to create a special moment that brings people together. A fleeting shared experience that evokes the changing seasons.”

Visitors were given a pair of gloves before entering the space. The gloves were in themselves a clear invitation to play with the installation. We positioned ourselves under a branch, as did the other visitors around us, to wait for bubble blossoms to fall from above, catching them in our gloves and blowing them into the proverbial breeze. Upon leaving we looked at the faces around us, overcome with play and wonder, had the sense that the need for therapy in the modern world could be drastically reduced if everyone had access to a mist-filled bubble-blossom tree.

(Image above from COS Stores.)

Lee Broom: The Time Machine

A glowing white carousel showcased ten years of work from British furniture and lighting designer Lee Broom in an unfinished vault of the Milano Centrale train station at Ventura Centrale. Broom’s most iconic pieces including the Carpetry Console and the Drunken Side Table were all reimagined for the installation in a uniform white color palette, lending a sense of brightness and purity to the otherwise dark space. The slowly rotating carousel and the timelessness of the all-white collection hinted at the passage of time and, in a landscape that obscured any reference to the present day, offered the suggestion of time travel.

(Image above by Luke Hayes.)

This week, when the city of Milan opens its doors to the best of the design world, the Adam Mickiewicz Institute under its flagship brand Culture.pl and the Academic Design Center will unveil an installation at at Superstudio Più in Zona Tortona that represents a rich and varied design scene from art schools across Poland. The POLISH DESIGN. Tomorrow is Today exhibition presents the best of Poland’s art academies, each in the context of their unique regional traditions determined by geography and local natural resources. The exhibition was curated by Dorota Koziara, a Polish designer and curator based in Milan, and features designs from eight Polish art schools: Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk, Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice, Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow, Władysław Strzemiński Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź, Poznan University of Art, Academy of Art in Szczecin, Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw and Eugeniusz Geppert Academy of Fine Arts in Wrocław.

Rather than a cross-section of works and projects, POLISH DESIGN. Tomorrow is Today looks to the specificity of design teaching in Poland and identifies the consistency in presentation from student works across Polish institutions as a defining factor of the country’s strong design culture. The theme of the exhibit, designed by Dorota Koziara Studio, is based on the idea of open books, each telling a story about the universities and art schools represented. Exhibited works will be complemented by elaborate, modern multimedia presentations.

Kicking off the Adam Mickiewicz Institute and Culture.pl’s Polska Design Project for 2017, POLISH DESIGN. Tomorrow is Today will serve to celebrate Polish design by looking toward the past and honoring the unique heritage of each institution, and the future, by showcasing the works of new and emerging designers.

AD Design Show 2017’s Refresh/Furnish Tour Gives an Inside Look into the Freshest Designs for Interiors

The annual Architectural Digest Design Show took NYC by storm over the course of four design-packed days spanning from March 16-19. As part of the show, editors were offered the opportunity to attend media tours of the REFRESH and FURNISH pavilions featuring collections of luxury appliances for the kitchen and bath, premium building products, exquisite lighting installations, fine oriental rugs, unique home furnishings, and more. Each of the twenty booths on the tour introduced new, state-of-the-art products, a preview of what’s to come for interiors. Here’s a peek of the select brands featured on the REFRESH/FURNISH media tour:

APROPOS

Apropos, the wholesale furnishings showroom located in the New York Design Center, showcased three of their most socially conscious manufacturers. American Leather, LEE Industries, and the Old Wood Company produce custom, luxury, handmade home furnishings with little or no negative impact on the environment.

AVE HOME

From New Orleans-based home furnishings company Ave Home, comes the Carlyle Desk. The desk offers a fresh take on a 1950s design with an ebony stained mango wood top and brass finished iron frame. The desk also features a center drawer and two sliding trays with brass pulls. In addition to its finished pieces like this one, Ave Home also offers AVE Raw, a versatile collection of quality unfinished wood furniture that can be featured on its own or finished for a custom look.

BALDWIN

Baldwin Hardware is a timeless and trustworthy brand that creates a charismatic presence in any home–couture for the door. Baldwin Evolved is the next generation of smart handlesets and deadbolts blending exquisite architectural designs. It offers an easy Bluetooth, touch-to-open solution in 18 handleset styles and 3 deadbolts. Customers can choose from 18 Baldwin finishes for customizable style. Evolved connects through advanced bridge technology to allow users to easily open and close doors via their smartphone and the Kevo mobile app.

BEST

BEST Range Hoods, a leading designer of luxury range hoods, features Italian designed range hoods that make a statement. BEST is dedicated to creating fashion-forward range hoods that are the centerpiece of any kitchen. PUDDY, one of BEST’s concept range hoods, was prominently featured at the show. PUDDY is a baroque style that transforms light and shadow, giving life to dynamic curves. It will be the centerpiece of any kitchen design.

BLUESTAR

BlueStar, manufacturer of high-performance appliances for the home and a trailblazer in color innovation, has unveiled a full commercial-style kitchen suite, including premium, built-in refrigeration. BlueStar showcased cutting-edge color collections and demonstrated its superior performance capabilities with live presentations hosted by celebrity chef, Ryan Scott and designer, Kim Lewis. The awarding-winning BlueStar 36-inch Built-In Refrigerator was also featured, along with a preview of a French Door model. The double electric wall oven, featuring two, integrated, temperature controlled bake stones, 12+ Cooking Modes, a powerful 2,500 watt bake element and an intense 5,000 watt broiler was launched at the show.

COSTANTINI DESIGN

The husband and wife duo that comprise Costantini debuted a collection of seating featuring hand-crafted rosewood and leather, as well as a sculptural cast-metal table in the style of our Tavola 9. All of the new pieces feature a return to traditional production methods that reveal a bit about the process, with natural, authentic materials like cast bronze, rosewood, leather, and burnished steel.

ECHO

Echo, known for its expertise in print, pattern, and color, has become a leader in creating innovative and beautifully designed accessories and home products. The Echo booth showcased a range of fresh and exciting designs including the brand new Ibiza Indoor/Outdoor Collection in collaboration with Kravet. As the name implies, Ibiza takes its inspiration from the rustic beauty of the island. Splashed with Mediterranean and Spanish influences and a fresh global spirit, the collection is an exploration of modern versatility. The high quality performance collection is woven with fibers that stand up to everyday use and don’t fade in the sun.

HUBBARDTON FORGE

For 43 years, Hubbardton Forge has continued to create each product domestically, made-to-order and in an environmentally responsible way. More than 230 artisans, designers, engineers and staff in Castleton, Vermont develop lighting solutions for commercial and residential spaces. Hubbardton Forge just introduced two new lines. Vermont Modern™ by Hubbardton Forge® offers edgy, contemporary designs with bold colors and unique, stylish designs. Synchronicity™ by Hubbardton Forge  is the unity of craft and glamour. Synchronicity juxtaposes elements in beautiful and unexpected ways, featuring Crystals from Swarovski and hand-blown artisanal glass.

GAGGENAU

This year, Gaggenau celebrates its 333rd anniversary as a company and the 30th anniversary of its iconic its EB 388 oven. To commemorate these milestones, Gaggenau revealed the EB 333, an evolution of the iconic 36-inch wide oven. The EB 333, a remodeled version of the EB 388, features modernized design with upgraded technology and quality standards, while still remaining true to its innovative origins. The EB 333 debuted at this year’s KBIS and will be available in April.

IMAESTRI

IMAESTRI is the innovative design platform for the discovery of master artisans, exquisite collections, and projects. The company introduced the Big Doom Luxury Table by Ulivi on its marketplace. Made of solid walnut wood, the table’s clean lines and refined composition match perfectly with the Noe Chair from the same collection.

JENN-AIR

Since introducing the first self-ventilated cooktop and downdraft ventilated range, Jenn-Air marked another milestone with the debut of connected wall ovens with voice control capabilities. The result of a collaboration between Jenn-Air and Amazon’s Alexa voice assistance, the user-friendly voice command feature will also be featured in other Jenn-Air appliances, including a connected refrigerator and dishwasher. Jenn-Air also debuted a new collection of sleek, module 15” cooktops.

LIEBHERR

Liebherr introduced their new wine unit, HW 8000, a fully integrated, panel ready solution with storage for 80 bottles. Available in stainless steel, black, and white glass, this piece is as functional as it is aesthetically pleasing. As a brand known for its innovation and sophisticated design, Liebherr’s HW 8000 offers advanced temperature stability, panel display, as well as other features.

NORDIC KNOTS

Swedish family trio Liza Laserow, Fabian Berglund, and Felix Berglund, created their business, Nordic Knots, on the basis that “at every beautiful Swedish home is a good rug.” The trio showcased their permanent collection in addition to launching two new styles of remarkable rugs. Available for pre-order, the first is a flat woven wool rug with Scandinavian interpretations of geometric shapes, while the second is a soft, lush cut pile made from 100% New Zealand wool.

RANGECRAFT

A leading industry manufacturer of high quality, custom designed metal range hoods, RangeCraft’s made to order hoods are available in over 25 product designs. Decorative bands, rivets, buttons, and pot rails can be added to dress up the range hood. The range hoods are made to order by trained artisan’s right in their own factory in the US. At the AD Design Show, RangeCraft showed a new Miami Design in Antique Copper enhanced with copper color Swarovski Crystals.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HARDWARE

Edge, from leading bronze architectural hardware manufacturer, Rocky Mountain, is a minimal, slimmer style available in two new, textured finishes, along with four longstanding texture options. Edge offers all door hardware functions, from entry to interior and even sliding, and adds a more contemporary choice to Rocky Mountain’s expanding portfolio.

RONBOW

Ronbow, known for its luxury bath furnishings with a focus on wood and ceramic products, presented the Amora. A stunning bathroom piece with an unconventional design and multiple storage opportunities, Amora sets the bar high for bath designers everywhere. The statement-making vanity comes in three finishes and sizes and can be paired with several different top options.

THERMADOR

Thermador’s iconic line of cooking, cleaning, refrigeration, and ventilation products now includes the Freedom Collection Culinary Preservation. Providing exceptional cooling storage with an array of refrigerator, freezer and wine unit combinations, this new line allows for flexibility and personalization. The Freedom Collection Culinary Preservation boasts a wide range of technological features and over 23 customizable models to appease many needs.

TRUE RESIDENTIAL

True Residential, an industry leader in commercial refrigeration, introduced the True 30” Dual Zone Wine Column. Perfect for serious collectors, the hospitality industry, and those who love knowing that their favorite bottles are always preserved, protected, and beautifully displayed, the 30” Wine Column features dual-zone True Precision Control, full-extension smooth-glide racks, and gentle TruLumina LED lighting.

WOVEN LEGENDS

A new weaving for mid-eighteenth century, hand-knotted rugs woven in Axminster, England were displayed at the AD Design Show by Woven Legends. A leader in the rug renaissance, Woven Legends has been pioneering the use and cultivation of natural dyes since 1982. In addition to extraordinary quality, with weavings that have been on display in galleries and museums around the world, Woven Legends also works with the Anka Collective, a social enterprise with a mission to empower Syrian women refugees by providing work through the creation of fine carpets.

ZEPHYR

Zephyr, manufacturer of high-performance ventilation systems, introduced a series of hoods. The new line includes the Anzio, Ravenna, and Savona, all available in a classic black stainless steel finish. In addition to the classic stainless steel, the brand now offers personalization and the use of warmer metallics such as rose gold and brass, as well as a wider range of sleek new finishes, durable materials, and groundbreaking technology.

The New York Metro Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) has launched its Spring Spruce Up, benefitting Ronald McDonald House. Spring Spruce Up 2017, sponsored by Farrow & Ball paints and wallpaper, partners ASID interior designers in the New York area with homeowners, apartment dwellers, and others, whose space could use refreshing, renewing or revamping. Consultations will take place through June 20, 2017.

Consumers and residents have been offered a special rate for design consultations, with 100% of proceeds going to Ronald McDonald House New York and Ronald McDonald House Long Island. These two nonprofits provide a home away from home for families with children undergoing medical treatment in the area. As Matt Campo, President of Ronald McDonald House Long Island, put it, “whether it’s a home or a home away from home, we know and appreciate the power of design.”

Sign up will continue until all slot are filled. Interested consumers can visit www.asidnymetro.com for more information.

The Heimtextil international trade fair for home and contract textiles wrapped up last week in Frankfurt Germany. As not only the most important global event for interior textiles, interior design and interior trends, it was the first trade fair of the year for its division. Heimtextil’s trend experts examined disciplines of technology, hospitality, transport, work and home and have made many new discoveries, setting up a year to look forward to!

Experts have decided that by looking at trends relating to sustainability, mindset and responsibility, the theme for this year’s Heimtextil trade fair to be adventure. In exploring adventure, the fair was set up in the form of a “Theme Park.” With this, visitors were able to carry out their own exploration and discovery of new products.

The fair attracted a total of 2963 exhibitors from 67 countries and growth was primarily driven by Brazil, China, the United Kingdom, Italy, Japan, Russia, the USA and United Arab Emirates.  With the plethora of exhibitors there was a common thread and a few trends that emerged to keep an eye on.

Trend Watch 2017:

Trend towards more materiality

Kiss bare walls, cold floors and sterile-style living bye bye. Home textiles are making a comeback with the arrival of curtains, carpets and decorative cushions as the leading decorator of residential interior walls.

Trend towards sleeping as a lifestyle

In the past nutrition, mindfulness and fitness were the primary trends of lifestyle. No more, this year numerous bed segments were set up making sleep the newest lifestyle addition.

Trend towards digital printing

Digital printing brings about an idea of limitless. When the sky is the limit, who wouldn’t want an individualized product that can also be competitively manufactured.

Trend towards conservation and fair production

The integrated Speakers Corner at the fair spoke a lot about resource conservation and fair production conditions making this the buzzing topic of conversation.

For more trade news from the Heimtextil trade fair click here.

This morning, we had the honor of attending the Salone del Mobile Milano press conference at Intesa Sanpaolo in NYC. Just two weeks into the start of the year, it was the perfect moment to announce their new concepts and the future of workplace design.

Salone’s new projects and installations are moving away from the old tradition of a hierarchal formal setting within the workplace. Instead, they plan to embrace the office as a place that fosters sharing, collaborating, creating and wellbeing.  With this in mind, a visionary project has been announced entitled, A Joyful Sense at Work which aims to breathe new life into contemporary office designs that encompass individuals’ needs, emotions and experiences.

Collaborating on this project are four internationally acclaimed architects, including US-based Primo Orpilla, that will boost energy levels and drive new integrative design concepts. Orpilla was on hand to discuss the concept and his visions for the evolution of the workspace. This installation is being created specifically for the biennial Workplace 3.0 show curated by the architect Christiana Cutrona.

With all that is evolving within workplace design, definitely be on the lookout for Salone del Mobile Milano this season. The show will take place in Milan from April 4-9.

Arianna Huffington’s new company,Thrive Global has officially launched, shifting the tides of how we begin to think about our health and well being. The Thrive Global Pop Up Store was first organized in SoHo where live demonstrations and trials of the latest technologies can be explored and tested. This first store is just scratching the surface for what Thrive Global has planned in their journey to introduce a new pathway to productivity. Among the many categories of product and collaborations that include: body, mind, sleep tech, home and work, Humanscale showcases their mastered science of ergonomics in the workplace.

In recent years, trends in the workplace have shifted towards more movement at work. As the pioneer of this approach to improving both efficiency and comfort, Humanscale recognizes the importance of an active environment to foster health, wellbeing and productivity.

Just in time for the new year, the pop up shop runs until January 15. Here, individuals can meander through the incredibly Zen space lined with many gadgets that offer the opportunity to truly reflect on what actions you are taking to avoid burnout, relieve stress and live a more joyful, mindful life. If you can’t make it to this event, the ecommerce site has all of the products here. Be on the look out for more stores popping up around the globe!