Month of February, 2009

CenterPIECE

by Daniel Hulsbergen

Eindhoven Academy design student, Daniel Hulsbergen’s series of vases are a beautiful mix of two traditional Dutch trades.

By combining the remnants of broken Delfsblue vases with Dutch basketry, Haulbergen provides an elegant solution, elevating the often neglected art of basketry while giving new life to the discarded work.

Eileen Gray 'Dragons' armchair, 1917-1919. Collection Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé

Record Breaking Sale: Collection Yves Saint Laurent et Pierre Bergé

27th February '09

The world record for most expensive work of 20th Century decorative art at auction was set this past week at the Collection Yves Saint Laurent et Pierre Bergé Auction held by Christies Paris.

Eileen Gray’s ‘Dragons’ armchair, circa 1917-1919 rang in at €21.9 million a far greater sum than the estimated €2,000,000 - €3,000,000.

Times Talks: A Conversation with Alberto Alessi

3rd March '09, 8:00pm

The Times Center
242 West 41st Street, New York City

As part of Times Talks, Pilar Vilada, Design editor of T, The New York Times Style Magazine, will interview Alberto Alessi, CEO and Director of Marketing Strategies and Design Management at Alessi, about the evolution of the Italian design firm.

LC4, Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Charlotte Perriand, Collection 'Cassina I Maestri'

Le Corbusier – il Maestro: An Exhibition of Furniture from Cassina

5th March - 28th April, 09

RIBA
Gallery 1, 66 Portland Place

As part of the surrounding events for Le Corbusier: The Art of Architecture The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) presents Le Corbusier – il Maestro: An Exhibition of Furniture from Cassina.

Town Hall: Designer’s Accord

5th March ’09, 6-9pm

Smart Design
601 W. 26th Street, NY

Designers Accord will host their very own Town Hall Meeting this March in New York with hopes of providing inspiration and enrichment on the topic of acting in socially and environmentally responsible ways.

Marcel Wanders Sponge Vase, 1997 Photo Credit: Maarten van Houten

European Design Since 1985: Shaping the New Century

8th March - 21st June '09

Indianapolis Museum of Art
4000 Michigan Road, Indianapolis, Indiana

Revealing the extraordinary creativity of two generations of designers in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, Scandinavia, Spain and the United Kingdom, ‘European Design Since 1985’ is the first critical survey of contemporary Western European design.

Cultivating Innovation: An Interview with the CEO of a Leading Italian Design Firm

by Marla M. Capozzi and Josselyn Simpson for The McKinsey Quarterly. February ‘09

Alberto Alessi, head of the iconic design firm Alessi, speaks with Marla Capozzi and Josselyn Simpson on the sources of good design, how he assesses an innovation’s potential, and why more companies should take design risks.

As a short aside to the article Marla Capozzi interviews Hani Rashid from Asymptote Architecture about what it's like to design for Alessi.

Fractures

by Itay Ohaly

Israeli designer Itay Ohaly has designed a series of chairs based on the principle of fractures.

“ Fractures have different forms that derive from the material structure and the type and strength of energy that is activated upon it.

Nendo: Ghost Stories

27th February - 28th March '09

Friedman Benda Gallery
515 W 26th Street, NY

Friedman Benda presents Ghost Stories, the first New York exhibition by the Tokyo-based architecture and design group, nendo.

The exhibition will feature forty sculptural works known as Cabbage chairs in a dreamlike interior landscape.

Sliding House, by DRMM

In order to capture the magnificent nature of the “Sliding House”, Wallpaper* took a trip down to rural East Anglia to get the inside scoop on the design and video this truly ingenious house in action.

View video