In the main venue of the Milan Furniture Fair this summer, the absence of many well-known brands clearly reflects the impact of the epidemic on the exhibition and even the design industry in the past two years. That doesn't mean big brands are in crisis, it could be a blessing in disguise -- they've opened flagship stores in the city, and they use a convenient way to go directly to consumers. However, the vacant large exhibition halls still need to be filled. Neighboring Spain seems to have seen an opportunity. Later, it became the new star of this exhibition, showing the country's "enthusiasm" in furniture design.

There are as many as 39 Spanish brands in the main venue of the Milan Furniture Fair this year. Among them, the exhibits of Sancal, a dynamic brand that has not been defeated by the epidemic, but vigorously launched new products, once again made people's eyes shine. The newly launched "Link" sofa was created by Dutch design duo "Raw Color", which completely subverted people's imagination of seating. The sofa, called "Contact", resembles an enlarged soft chain that can be extended indefinitely, like an imaginative work of art. Sitting on it, it feels like a bean bag chair, making you want to relax and fall asleep.

Sancal's 'Link' chair

According to the designer, the concept of this design was born at the beginning of the outbreak. "We were optimistic at the time, thinking that even with the current epidemic, we would soon be with friends again." In fact, the original name of the sofa was "Party." In order to explore alternative forms of furniture, the design of "Link" breaks the boundaries of seating with an informal sense, allowing people to use it in a more free sitting position, while retaining interest.

The idea of "breaking out of the box" is also present in Kettal's new collections. The outdoor furniture brand used to have many design masters involved, but lacked new ideas. This year, it plunged into the field of new technology: Patricia Urquiola's "mark" (Plumón) was used for the first time. 3D printing technology creates a side table structure made of ceramic. In this way, the design can be easily changed as the user likes it, or customized to suit the style of the moment, just like a garment. The advantage of using 3D printing is that it can present a possibility that cannot be achieved by traditional production methods: the shape, texture, and size settings do not require molds, and the components are fired at low temperatures, which shortens the manufacturing process and allows the product to meet needs in a more flexible way. "I'm interested in the poetic part of new technology," Patricia said, adding that "we're going to see more and more artisans and makers using digital design."

"Mark" (Plumón) table

The 'Superfan' from Michael Anastassiades is simple enough to conjure up "why no one thought of it in the past". Different from the common style, his design is formed by three angled blades connected to the rotating shaft. The geometry of the final product is deceptively simple, but it has been designed to maximize performance and efficiency: the angle of the blades, the lightness of the aluminum material, and the choice of motor are carefully crafted for precise speed control and mute function. The designer smiled and said: "A fan is definitely a mundane but indispensable item in the summer. I have had the idea of [designing a fan] for several years, and now I have the opportunity to realize it."

Superfan

The relatively conservative brand "Experiment" (Expormim) has only launched one set of works this year: the "Cask" series from NORM Architects, which attempts to break through the frame of classic rattan furniture. A captivating geometry of two simple circular canes, a repetitive rear rib construction and a soft interior, the result is a contemporary design that is both new and familiar.

And other lesser-known brands such as Capdell and Vergés are gradually realizing the new ideas and prospects that internationally renowned designers can bring to their brands. The former recruited the popular German designer Sebastian Herkner to launch the classic chair series "Ulis", but it was a little mundane; on the contrary, the latter's brand creative director The "Naoshima" chair by Emiliana Design Studio is very visually striking - the seat structure of this curved wooden chair is formed by connecting four identical parts. The serpentine shape of the chair's legs then hinted at a visual game between matter and nothingness, which eventually won a Red Dot Design Award.

'Naoshima' chair by Verges

In fact, ordinary design is not necessarily boring. For example, the third-generation family-owned furniture manufacturer Ondarreta, which originated in the Basque Country of Spain, has launched a new series of products this year. A "gorgeous" folding chair has attracted everyone's attention. 'IKA' by studio Arquimaña looks like a traditional wooden folding chair, but its back is made of leather instead of wood, giving the chair mobility: just carry it on your shoulders, you can easily carry and move it with you. For the needs of outdoor living in summer, it is definitely a popular item.

"IKA" chair by Ondarreta

In terms of design ingenuity, Spanish brands have always taken the route of exaggeration and eye-catching like Italian brands; but in terms of sustainability, they have a more advanced awareness, especially in the field of carpet design. This year, design brands Nanimarquina and Gan have made new products from recycled materials. The former’s Re-Rug collection was inspired by the scrap piles of its own factory: wool, which was once considered waste, was finally processed into new yarns after lengthy research to help reduce carbon emissions.

Gan's "PLASTIC RIVERS" series, in addition to using recycled plastic fibers as raw materials, also has unique products named after four world-famous rivers: "Ganga", "Yangtze River", "Indus River" and "Niger River" . These four rivers are natural wonders, but now humans dump thousands of tons of plastic waste from the mainland into the ocean through the rivers every year, and the rivers have become highways for transporting garbage. Therefore, designer Álvaro Catalán de Ocón (Álvaro Catalán de Ocón) specially designed for this problem, mainly hoping to use the carpet and its weaving process to solve the world's largest industrial age problem - Fight against plastic waste. These river-based rugs, under cut lines at different heights, create a three-dimensional effect of weaving at different heights, making the terrain that each river traverses look lifelike. But if the pollution cannot be stopped, I am afraid that the scene reproduced by the carpet will also become a historical relic, recording the beautiful past of mankind, not the future.

PLASTIC RIVERS Series by GAN

Although the Spanish furniture brand is a close neighbor of Italy, its design thinking is more "advanced deployment" of sustainable consciousness than the neighbor who occupies an established dominant position in the industry. If care is not taken, the status of Italian design may be shaken, especially when the furniture design exhibition is no longer a post-pandemic era of popular styles.

Article Source:艺术与设计

版权声明：【除原创作品外，本平台所使用的文章、图片、视频及音乐属于原权利人所有，因客观原因，或会存在不当使用的情况，如，部分文章或文章部分引用内容未能及时与原作者取得联系，或作者名称及原始出处标注错误等情况，非恶意侵犯原权利人相关权益，敬请相关权利人谅解并与我们联系及时处理，共同维护良好的网络创作环境，联系邮箱：603971995@qq.com】