Contemporary Design News
News of Contemporary Design, Architecture and Interiors
Gilli Kuchnik and Ran Amitai designed the Twig stool for Milan-based furniture company MDF Italia. The cylindrical Twig stool comprises a seat, footrest, and base connected by a tubular metal structure, drawing inspiration from a bicycle frame. The tubes are cut at an angle and welded, forming a cantilevered structure. The stools are available in two heights and two colours. MDF Italia
French design brand TIPTOE has collaborated with global affairs and lifestyle publisher MONOCLE to create a new iteration of the three-legged Lou stool. The olive-green TIPTOE x MONOCLE Lou stool is made in Europe using oak from sustainable forests and powder-coated steel legs, which are screen-printed in Île de France.
[Read more…] about TIPTOE and MONOCLE collaborate on a limited edition of the Lou stoolThe Pinto coffee tables are designed by the Milan-based studio Skrivo for the Italian manufacturer Miniforms. These tables are made from a fully recyclable concrete, which comprises fragments of marble and stone without metallic impurities. The material is weather resistant and structurally strong, even with its slender 18mm profiles. Miniforms
Frankfurt-based furniture brand e15 celebrates 15 years of the BACKENZAHN™ side table with the launch of a black oak edition. BACKENZAHN™ is designed by e15’s founder, Philipp Mainzer. The side table is made from wood from the centre of the tree, which forms characteristic cracks as it dries. A vinegar solution is applied to the untreated oak to loosen the iron particles, followed by a mixture of natural ingredients to transform it to a matte black finish, which is then sealed with wax. e15
The Al13 furniture collection was designed by Italian architect Massimiliano Locatelli and named after the symbol for Aluminium and its atomic number. The collection includes a table, stool, chest of drawers, cabinet, and a bed, and is available in natural, polished and anodised aluminium in various colours. Extruded aluminium window frame profiles are used to support differing thicknesses of glass; both materials have the benefit that they can be recycled indefinitely. Image of the Al13 Chest of Drawers. Massimiliano Locatelli Editions
Swedish architecture practice Claesson Koivisto Rune has designed the Font occasional table for the Italian furniture company Kristalia. The Font table is inspired by typography and is available in light and dark grey concrete, and plastic versions in white, black and meadow green. Kristalia
UK furniture maker Benchmark, founded by Terrance Conran and Sean Sutcliffe, has unveiled the AYA collection of furniture. The range includes a Dining Table, a Conference Table, a High Collaboration Table and Stools, all designed by Foster + Partners Industrial Design Team. The AYA collection is made from FSC British-grown ash, which is currently being felled and discarded due to ash die-back. The pieces have been designed such that they can be disassembled for repair and finished with oil for ease of maintenance. Photo of AYA High Collaboration Table and Stools by Petr Krejci. Benchmark
Artek has issued a new version of Alvar Aalto’s Stool 60 to celebrate its 90th anniversary in 2023. Stool 60 Kontrasti highlights the construction of the stool by inserting a darker thermo-treated birch veneer into incisions in each leg and also into the seat top. As with the original, Stool 60 Kontrasti is made entirely from birch wood. Artek
Alvar Aalto’s Stool 60 has been in continuous production since 1923, using solid birch wood from the Finnish forests. Offcuts from the L-shaped legs are used to make the stool’s circular seat minimising its ecological impact. Photo © Artek Collection / Alvar Aalto Museum. Artek