New York Design Festival 2023: Highlights

Contents:

• Staydream installations by Stellar Works and Sony
• Furniture collection by Samuel Ross
• Cardboard sculpture collection by Eva Jospin
• Lamps by Isamu Noguchi
• Furniture by Ron Arad
• Furniture collection by Dimore Studio
• Ceramic sculpture by Eriko Inazaki
• Furniture design app Self
• Terracotta furniture collection The Flower Power
• Bliss Waterproof Sofa for Flood Rescue

Staydream installations by Stellar Works and Sony

At the festival in New York, the furniture company Stellar Works, together with the Japanese corporation Sony, presented a unique installation, Staydream. The designers used partitions to divide the exhibition hall, which allowed them to create several separate spaces. Each room was developed with a special atmosphere using visual and sound elements, which made the exhibition unforgettable. The Staydream installation demonstrates an innovative approach to interior design, combining art and technology.

In one of the rooms, the authors placed a minimalist sofa, an armchair, a floor lamp, and a coffee table, creating a stylish and modern space. A glowing fresco depicting a mountain landscape and the moon served as the background. The installation was complemented by a sensor that tracked the visitors' movements, changing the image on the wall accordingly. For example, at a certain moment, the moon disappeared behind a mountain range, leaving only majestic mountains and calm water on the wall. This created a unique atmosphere, immersing visitors in an interactive and dynamic artistic experience.

The project's creators sought to create an oasis filled with the sounds of nature and calming visual elements. The goal was to provide users with the opportunity to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and immerse themselves in an atmosphere of peace and harmony. Every element was carefully considered to evoke feelings of tranquility and closeness to nature.

Samuel Ross Furniture Collection

British designer Samuel Ross offers a unique approach to furniture with his Coarse collection. The name of the collection reflects its essence: pieces have a rough, unprocessed, and rough look. Ross uses concrete, metal, and wood elements in his work, creating tables, chairs, and benches that stand out from traditional furniture. This style combines modernity and industrial aesthetics, drawing attention to textures and materials. The Coarse collection is an interesting solution for those seeking original and unconventional interior items.

The designer enjoys experimenting not only with materials but also with their processing. In his work, he used milk and honey, using them to coat concrete bases before firing. This approach creates unique textures and enhances the properties of concrete, imparting unusual visual effects and increasing its strength. Experimenting with natural ingredients opens new horizons in design, allowing for the creation of products that are not only beautiful but also environmentally friendly.

Collection of cardboard sculptures by Eva Jospin

The Champagne wine house Ruinart, together with the artist Eva Jospin, presented a unique series of sculptures and paintings made of cardboard. The collection includes several works, among which the paintings attract particular attention. Jospin's masterful craftsmanship creates the illusion that these images are crafted not from cardboard, but from the finest lace. This project highlights the connection between winemaking and art, demonstrating an innovative approach to the use of materials.

One of the exhibition's key objects is a sculpture depicting a staircase descending underground. The steps of this staircase are reminiscent of those leading to the Ruinart cellars, where champagne is aged. This installation symbolizes the connection between art and the production process, emphasizing the importance of tradition in the world of champagne.

Lamps by Isamu Noguchi

The festival decided to turn to the classics and remember outstanding figures who significantly influenced the development of design. One of these significant figures was the American artist and landscape designer Isamu Noguchi, who passed away in 1988. His work continues to inspire new designers and emphasizes the importance of harmony between art and nature. Noguchi left behind a legacy that serves as an example for generations, demonstrating how to combine functionality and aesthetics in environmental design. Six unique versions of the Akari collection lamps are on display in New York. These lamps are handcrafted from bamboo and traditional Japanese washi paper, giving them a distinctive aesthetic. Each piece is adorned with discreet ornamentation, highlighting their originality and adherence to Japanese traditions. The Akari collection attracts the attention of design and art lovers, offering a harmonious combination of functionality and aesthetics.

Ron Arad Furniture

A large-scale exhibition of works by the famous designer and contemporary artist Ron Arad took place in New York. The exhibition attracted the public's attention thanks to unique pieces of furniture and interiors made of bright crystalline resin. These innovative pieces showcase Arad's original approach to design, combining aesthetics and functionality.

The exhibition, titled "Don't Ya Tell Henri," references the Bob Dylan song and the work of renowned French artist Henri Matisse. The collection includes updated versions of Arad's famous works, including the "Big Easy" chairs and the "Two Legs and a Table" tables. The exhibition's centerpiece is a bookshelf inspired by Matisse's "Snail" collage. This exhibition brings together art and design, creating a unique dialogue between classical and contemporary works.

Dimore Studio Furniture Collection

The exhibition featured a capsule collection of furniture designed by the Italian studio Dimore Studio under the direction of designers Emilio Salci and Brit Moran. Each element of the collection - sofas, armchairs, lamps and tables - combines modern design and elements of aesthetics of past eras. These unique pieces of furniture will stand out in contemporary, minimalist interiors thanks to their unconventional shapes. While creating the collection, the designers drew inspiration from iconic films such as "The Apartment" (1960) and "Nine to Five" (1980). This collection not only brings originality to the interior but also creates an atmosphere of comfort and nostalgia.

A rug with an antique pattern was created for the exhibition. Its subtle pattern, composed of blurred spots and stains, masterfully reproduces the texture of worn fabric, giving the piece a unique vintage look. Such a carpet will become not only a decorative element, but also an accent that will emphasize the atmosphere of the historical era.

Ceramic sculpture by Eriko Inazaki

As part of the festival, the Spanish fashion house Loewe announced the winner of its annual arts and crafts competition. The winner was Japanese artist Eriko Inazaki with her ceramic work "Metanoia". This small, ovoid sculpture reveals its distinctive features upon closer inspection, reminiscent of coral. Inazaki's work highlights the uniqueness of decorative art and its connection to nature, making it particularly significant in the context of contemporary artistic trends. Inazaki spent over a year creating this complex sculpture, paying meticulous attention to every minute detail. She hand-formed the clay elements, meticulously shaping them with her fingers. This painstaking process requires high skill and patience, which makes the work of art unique and expressive.

Furniture design app Self

American designer from Chicago Marvel Laens presented an innovative app for self-designing furniture called Self at the festival. This app allows users to easily create 3D models of their furniture. Once the design is complete, the finished models can be sent to production, where they will be manufactured on a modern machine within three weeks. Self offers a unique opportunity for a personalized approach to interior design, allowing everyone to realize their ideas and create unique pieces of furniture.

The app is currently in test mode, allowing you to design tables only. Users can change the diameter of the tabletop and experiment with its shape, which allows them to create unique design solutions.

The Flower Power Terracotta Furniture Collection

The Flower Power furniture collection by American designer Chris Walston was presented at the festival. In his workshop in Medellin, Colombia, he created 13 terracotta chairs and benches adorned with floral motifs. The backrests of most of the chairs are shaped like large petals, highlighting the unique possibilities of terracotta as a material. This collection not only showcases the designer's creativity but also brings a fresh perspective to the use of traditional materials in contemporary furniture design.

The collection was truly memorable, but working with the material required considerable effort. Unlike industrial clay, terracotta is more sensitive to processing conditions and can crack. Because of this, some pieces of furniture took up to three months to dry before being gradually fired. This process requires attention and patience, but in the end the result is worth all the time and effort.

Waterproof Bliss sofa for rescue in case of flood

Creative agency Mother presented an innovative concept of a modern life raft. The team designed the Bliss sofa, upholstered in bright orange fabric used to make life jackets. At first glance, this sofa looks like a regular sofa with large cushions and soft armrests, but its unique design and functionality make it an original piece of furniture. This approach combines aesthetics and safety, offering new solutions for a comfortable and stylish space.

In the event of a flood, the sofa can be transformed into a life raft, equipped with water level sensors, warning lights, and oars. The set also includes an ottoman with a hidden shaker and cocktail glasses. In this ironic way, the agency draws attention to the pressing issue of climate change. This approach demonstrates creative solutions that can be useful in emergency situations, emphasizing the importance of adapting to new environmental conditions.

In disasters such as floods caused by rising sea levels, the availability of necessary resources becomes critical. As the agency's founder, Pål Malmström, noted in an interview with Dezeen, wealthy people can feel safe and comfortable. Designed for wealthy clients, this sofa symbolizes the opportunity to relax and escape problems when the water starts to rise. Furniture design not only meets aesthetic requirements but also emphasizes the importance of emergency preparedness in the face of climate change.

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