Exhibition: Philippon and Lecoq at Demisch Danant

Central to the French postwar reconstruction/industrialization effort, Philippon and Lecoq were among a group of young architects who changed the face of French furniture production in the 1950s and 1960s. Inspired by the teachings of the modernist masters of the Union des Artistes Modernes (U.A.M.), their goal was to bring harmony and comfort to interiors, employing modern materials and techniques, to improve the daily life of French citizens in the challenging postwar climate. Philippon and Lecoq’s furniture combines minimalism with a pervasive sense of architectural refinement and elegance. The couple approached interiors as well with an almost puritanical sense of functionalism, but succeeded in creating an extremely efficient environment which was still comfortable and humanly accessible. They received numerous prestigious awards during their career including the ‘Rene Gabriel’ prize in 1961.

Exhibition: Antoine Philippon and Jacqueline Lecoq, at Demisch Danant

Lujan House by Robert M Gurney

Modest houses on small lots comprise the Quillen’s Point neighborhood, adjacent to the Chesapeake Bay in Ocean View, Delaware. An eclectic mix of houses, gravel roads ending at the bay and wooded lots provide a nostalgic, informal setting for this new house. The project site is near the end of Burbage Lane, the second lot from the bay with expectations that the adjacent waterfront lot will eventually be developed.

In an effort to integrate living spaces with the outdoors while maintaining privacy from Burbage Lane and neighboring houses, the scheme is organized around a centrally located garden. With sixteen foot high ceilings, the eastern volume contains the public living spaces. Continuous clerestory windows assist in providing an abundance of natural light into the space, allowing views to the treetops and sky while minimizing the close proximity of the adjacent houses. A twenty foot wide glass wall slides into a pocket, enhancing the relationship to the outdoors, and provides a sense of living in a garden. The two story western volume is comprised of bedrooms and a small second floor living space. A one story glass link connects the volumes and visually opens to the central garden.

The house was conceived as two simple, flat-roofed volumes, varying in height, intersecting and overlapping a one story circulation space which connects the volumes. The east volume is constructed with cement board, the west volume with corrugated siding and the one story connecting space with the ground face concrete block. The exterior material palette is quiet and subdued. Materials are selected for their expected long term durability, ease of installation and initial cost. The impact of the one story horizontal volume facing the street is intended to reflect the scale of neighboring structures while the narrow two story volumes are oriented perpendicular to the street reducing their apparent scale.

This house is designed in strong counterpoint to many of the houses built in the last era of abundant resources, expensive materials, and limitless floor area. The house is not large; it comprises three bedrooms and 2400 square feet. The house is constructed with modest materials that include concrete floors throughout the first floor, oak flooring on the second floor and plastic laminate and oak millwork.

The house was designed to achieve a balance between recognition of the picturesque Chesapeake Bay landscape and a more intimate, secluded garden environment. Expansive openings to the private garden combined with smaller, selectively oriented openings toward the greater landscape allow for a sense of privacy while maintaining a sensibility of direct connection to the rhythms of nature.

Lujan House, Ocean View, Delaware, USA, by, Robert M Gurney, Photography by, Anice Hoachlander of HD Photo, via: Contemporist

Highboard & Table by Eric Degenhardt for Böwer

German Manuacturer Böwer is showing matching highboards and a table to compliment a sideboard by designer Eric Degenhardt at imm cologne. With a similar construction of six milimeter wooden sheets, a horizontal gap and the long tabular steel legs, the highboards are available with drawers or doors and a open compartment. 120 cm wide and 100 cm high. The table is made of a vacuum veneered top – with a thin line ( available in wood or linoleum ) and is simply held by the v-shaped wooden base.

Sideboard, Highboard, by Eric Degenhardt, Table by Eric Degenhardt + Böwer, for Böwer, Photography by Tillmann Franzen

Books: OKOLO Mollino

Carlo Mollino represents one of the most authentic creative figures of the last century. Mollino became a modern Renaissance man whose production embraced the entire cultural and technological world of his time thanks to his undisguised love of life and everything that our world offers.

The book, which presents the work of Carlo Mollino in a different way than usual, is divided into six basic chapters, i.e. six life stages and six of Mollino’s passions. Apart from a text on a specific theme, each part brings a materialized symbol of Mollino’s creativity. Thus, the reader can assemble miniature models of Mollino’s fascinating projects, implementations, and symbols related to Mollino’s life. Paper models serve to update the versatile activities of the charming Italian and place his work into a new context. Mollino will be gradually presented as a visionary designer, excellent architect, courageous race driver, fearless acrobatic pilot, style-setting skier, photographer and womanizer. Mollino is a phenomenon.

OKOLO Mollino, First edition of 80, by OKOLO, Created in the collaboration with Studio Činčera, Signpek print and 3DH furniture showroom.

Skyphos Chandelier by Kateřina Smolíková

A chandelier designed by Kateřina Smolíková, inspired by deep sea luminescent organisms. Intended for darker places as an orientational light. It should remind one of the lightness of an organism levitating in the dark space.

Skyphos Chandelier, by Kateřina Smolíková, via: Designeast

Haven by Claesson Koivisto Rune for Paola Lenti

The lightness and the semi-transparent character make Haven perfect for outdoor lounging. The sofa consists of a frame made of a treated and varnished tubular metal covered with a high tech support net, which is resistant and elastic, letting air, light and water pass through. The rigorous shape is softened by the asymmetry of the seat cushion, which can be also produced with specific materials suited to remain outdoors.

Haven, by Claesson Koivisto Rune, for Paola Lenti

Glasscape by Aruliden for Gaia & Gino

Transforming of our most basic home item into beautiful new icon. Just ask the fish how he likes his new home… Made of hand-blown glass and manufactured by Gaia & Gino in Turkey.

Glasscape, by Aruliden, for Gaia & Gino

Tenbosch House in Brussels

Architect Patrice Lémeret and Interior Designers Michel Penneman and Catharina Eklof have successfully joined forces to produce a pride in Belgium’s architectural renovation; the beautiful ‘petit’ bed and breakfast hotel known as the Tenbosch House. A true hospitable house opening its exquisite arched metal and glazed doors into a world of Scandinavian design combined with a contemporary uniqueness and a private personality.

The structure consists of two art nouveaux houses originally built circa 1906 which have been reconfigured to meet the needs of the wonderful world of exquisite hotels. Situated in one of Brussels’ most prime locations ‘Rue Washington’, the exterior façade has undergone a very careful and respected face lift to bring the two buildings into the world of forever, young and timeless existence.

The interior is just as gloriously respectful and successfully lifted. Walking inside, escaping from the sounds of the street, you enter into a world of warmth, new, quiet and luxuriously white. The finishes are kept to a strict order of ‘less is more’, consisting of the ambient white, the wooden herringbone flooring, the glazing, and the white painted detailed molding. The overall interior concept of the 7 spacious suites of the Tenbosch House is the surrounding pure white colour with the ambience of the high ceilings treated with detailed designs where the only non white factor is the timeless wooden floor. The reminiscent art nouveau stair case is the dominant interior feature. The detailed balustrade and the dado rails together with the large gallery type landings fitted with carpet give out a wonderful feel of comfort and exclusivity which is one of the key elements why we love this interior. This staircase is also one of the most prime settings to exhibit the famous 14 series articulated glass sphere light pendant of Bocci. This openness which has been incorporated both in the ambience and the design of this hotel is of a prime example of a space were design matters.

In the bedrooms, the reception, the bar and the foyer we see typical cast 60’s Scandinavian furniture such as Hans Wegner chairs, Poul Henningsen lighting and Nisse Strinning shelves which are incorporated as comfortable, atmospheric, inviting…

Tenbosch House, Brussels, Belgium, by Patrice Lémeret, Michel Penneman, Catharina Eklof, Photograpy © Serge Anton, via: Yatzer

TMA-1 Studio by KiBiSi for AIAIAI

AIAIAI is set to launch a new over-ear headphones aimed at music professionals. Where the TMA-1 enhances the live performance, the TMA-1 Studio enriches the studio/production experience.

TMA-1 Studio, by KiBiSi, for AIAIAI

iF Product Design Award for BE Light by QisDesign

BE Light, a thin and foldable LED lamp, has just won Germany’s iF product design award. Made of aluminum alloy, the lamp delivers a sophisticated and premium feel. Inspired by the art of folding paper, BE Light transforms itself into a three-dimensional work of art. It can be fully extended up to an angle of 135 degrees, and folded down to flat when not in use. Brightness is also adjustable by pressing the switch button on the lamp base. Adopted with LEDs and light guide technology, BE Light not only provides evenly distributed illumination, but also eliminate glare issue. A safely lock is designed to protect users’ fingers when folding the lamp.

QisDesign BE Light, LED Task Lamp, Winner of iF Product Design Award