2Modern Design Talk - Modern Furniture & Design Blog

Design with CNC

Digitally designed- digitally produced.  In the design of BanQ, a South Boston restaurant, Office da has incorporated a system of digital fabrication (CNC) into the design process.  The CNC fabrication process adapts to a certain body of materials, encourages ways of interpreting a design and allows for certain possibilities in a design.  The restaurant design leverages the  capabilities of the CNC technology to develop a carved out interior space within the plywood ribs.

BanQ, South Boston restaurant by Office da

Brazilian fun: Havaianas flagship store by Isay Weinfeld, São Paulo, Brazil

Havaianas Sandals, created in 1962, drew their inspiration from the “zori”, traditional Japanese slippers made of rice straw. A product of extremely low cost, for many years they were just rubber flip-flops, a long way from the fashion icon they are today.


To design a store at one of the world's most expensive addresses (Rua Oscar Freire, in São Paulo) to sell products that cost from € 2.30 to € 10.00 – and not more than that - was, at one time, the excitement and the joy of the work. This is Havaianas' first store in Brazil.


The greatest challenge for architect Isay Weinfeld and his team was to cast onto the architecture the climate the brand inspires: freshness, casualness, comfort, ease, well-being, Brazilianness. It seems though that he achieved more than this: the store was awarded 1st prize in the Shopping category at the World Architecture Festival Awards in Barcelona this year.

 
The shop has a very informal atmosphere and the outcome is nearly a square - a space fully opened onto the street, practically an extension of the sidewalk, without doors or window displays, with lush greenery and intense natural lighting, only covered by a metal grid alternating glass/wooden closures and openings for ventilation and irrigation.

The building develops in descending levels. At street level, just a small lounge area, a mezzanine overlooking the whole store; the store per se, one level below, occupies an ample clear span featuring double-height ceilings, marked by independent elements: a street market stand reminds of the origin of the sandals, initially sold at the city's free markets.

A container displays the " export" models, so far unseen in Brazil; a transparent cylinder features the so-called "new products" (bags, socks, towels, etc.); and a high-tech cube tells the story of Havaianas. Amidst all that, a lowered area for customization services and featuring displays for the children's product line. At the back of the store, on a half-raised level, there is a small garden for exclusive use by staff; the underground houses offices and storage areas.

Furniture Forever

Tall Tree Guild’s beautifully constructed metal furniture has a terrific simplicity to it.  The designer J Foley reinterprets some classic designs, giving them a unique character with the color and exposed metal.  Totally cool!

Digital Design

Designing with a computer- is it really that much different?  Whether it’s a mouse or a pencil, it seems we have all been using laptops long enough so the design shouldn’t be effected that much… but it is.  When we get behind a keyboard and start drawing, the lines seem to go straighter-farther-faster and the methods and systems of proportion in design get pushed a little bit further.  The designs have a particularly structured quality, whether it be conceptual or detail, this is something that computers work with very well. 

 

      Then there’s CNC.  This pushes the idea of digital design further.  The project is designed on computer and the drawings are refined and used to run the computer-controlled cutter during the manufacturing process.  Modularity and the use of systems are often seen in the digital design process and this modular or system will be used some how in the manufacturing process.  CNC cutters adapt very well to sheet materials (plywood, resin panels, manufactured wood boards,…) so they work well with many of the newer materials that have come out on the market.  Some of the sharpest designs use the simplest edge and connections, accentuating the qualities of the materials in their designs.  

 

Great chair design by Sebastien Wierinck Studio.  One of the unique qualities of CNC cutting is its amazing accuracy which means the connections in the chair will fit perfectly. 

Panel Furniture, Sebastien Wierinck Studio

CNC cutter 

Cafe du 104 (Paris, France),    Sebastien Wierinck Studio  

Dinner in the Sky

 

Impress them or scare them to death, or why not both?   Either way it is original.   Dinner in the Sky is hosted at a table suspended at a height of 160 feet by a team of professionals.  Benji Fun, a partner in this event, is the worldwide leader for this type of activity.  The table can accommodate 22 guests at a time during an 8 hour session in which they are strapped in like a rollercoaster ride.  Safety first.  

The based in Belgium the crane can be driven to any accessible location.  America has one in Las Vegas.  Surprised?

Dinner in the sky also is available for events and parties and can add an additional platform for performances or even weddings where you can bungee jump off afterwards to celebrate the nuptials. 

Sounds like fun, an adventure and something you will talk about to all your friends.  It does however beg the question … what happens when you drop a fork?  And oh yes…where is the Ladies Room?

For more info:  www.dinnerinthesky.com  and www.dinnerintheskylv.com

Have a infinitely modern day!

Now you see it, now you don't!

    As a creative person and also one that needs a more formal work space occasionally, I have always been a fan of extremely adaptable and responsive work environments. Yesterday I stumbled across Clive Wilkinson Architects revamp for the VCU Brand Center in Richmond, VA. 

    Their work is idea driven and primarily architectural but they definitely know how to create an effective interior and graphic statement within their spaces. Most of us can attest to the fact that an improved work environment can have a multitude of impressions on the efficiency and communication that goes on within its walls. For this particular project, they did an excellent job of creating informal breakout areas throughout the original building and new addition. Hop on over to their website to check out the full project. What really caught my interest was the "folding" conference room that literally reaches out from the rafters to accommodate a fairly large table for gatherings, meetings and classes.

 

 

 

Mutina Dechirer

While I can always find something lovely from the Mutina collection, I have fallen in love with this series in particular. Designed by Patricia Urquiola in 2008, the Dechirer line is subtle beauty at its best. Hardly noticable unless the light hits it just right or you look closely, each texture is like a lovely surprise, begging to be touched. Made of porcelain stoneware, the line comes in square, rectified, and brushed slabs. At 12mm thick, it is available in a range of 5 neutrals, both warm and cool. It also works beautifully as a floor application!

Hand Knotted

The beautiful collection below was created by the multi-talented Amy Helfand. Born in the Chicago suburbs, she struck out on her own to earn a BA in both Photography and American studies from Hampshire College and then continued on to recieve a MA & MFA from the Art Institute of Chicago! Her passion for abstraction of the natural world around her is extremely evident in the pieces below. She started off with illustrations and now her work is available in the form of divine, hand-knotted wool & silk rugs! Hop on over to Amy's website to view the entire collection and some of her earlier illustrations. Enjoy!

Chalkboard out, Whiteboard IN!

While the whole chalkboard/wall trend will always stay near and dear to my heart, the folks at IdeaPaint have really caught my eye. Maybe this would be easier to clean up if you have children that like to write on white walls. With a several different colors to choose from and both professional and consumer durability options,  I can see endless possibilities within retail, corporate or healthcare environments!!

There is no wood, vinyl, steel, resin or aluminum in their product. It's just paint. IdeaPaint is even formaldehyde-free!

Knu on 2Modern.com!

Knu is now on 2Modern! Knu is solely focused on sustainable contemporary furniture. Knu's unique, original designs--from the Knu Entertainment Center, Knu Lateral File, and Knu Bookcase to the Knu Aluminum Coffee Table and Knu Aluminum Dining Table--will foster creativity and innovation while also being ecologically conscious. Designed and engineered with an unrelenting commitment to quality and sustainability, Knú will become a lasting part of your modern environment.