Radar | Vol. 13

Variable Chair – Snøhetta for Varier

The unique ergonomic chair by Varier, designed in 1979 by Peter Opsvik, is still a model of relevant design due to the increase of remote work and the human need for multifunctional and space-saving objects. To revive the 'Variable Chair', the Norwegian architecture office Snøhetta chose new fabrics from the company Kvadrat, in two distinct colour palettes. One consists of primary colours, which emphasise the dynamic movement of the seat, and the other includes desaturated hues that emphasise calm movement. Fundamental criteria in the selection of fabrics were their sustainability, their texture and the combination with the overall colour palette of the company.

Concept by: Snøhetta (original: Peter Opsvik)

Photo by: Varier

Bit Stool – Simon Legald for Normann Copenhagen

Simon Legald is active in product design, designing functional objects that look up to traditional techniques as well as modern industry, with strong, honest aesthetics and an evident static system. The "Bit" series presents small robust objects made of 100% recycled plastic from household and industrial waste, which can be used as pedestals, small tables or stools, indoors as well as outdoors. The sculpting of “Bit” is inspired by the typology of simple but iconic monoliths and columns.

Concept by: Simon Legald

Photo by: Normann Copenhagen

Coffee Table – Matt Willey for Huguet x Pentagram

Matt Willey, a well-known graphic designer with numerous projects - including the covers of The New York Times Magazine and the opening titles of the series "Killing Eve" - ​​is a partner in the design studio Pentagram, which collaborated with the Italian graphic designer Astrid Stavro and tile manufacturer Huguet, to design a limited collection of objects inspired by the tradition of the Balearic Islands. Matt Willey's low concrete table has 16 tiles on its surface that can be moved, rotated and flipped, creating countless combinations that constantly transform the table itself and the space around it.

Concept by: Matt Willey, Pentagram

Photo by: Andrés Fraga

In Hale Wallpiece – Ben Storms

Belgian designer and craftsman Ben Storms combines traditional techniques with modern means of construction to render unusual sculptural forms in familiar materials, provoking surprise and disbelief in the user. The “In Hale” surfaces may look like soft cushions but they are actually “inflated” stainless steel or copper. Their manufacturing process is unpredictable, but always lends a three-dimensional feel to these otherwise solid and heavy materials, which reflect light in different directions.

Concept by: Ben Storms

Photo by: Alexander Popelier

Cabana Highboard – Estudio Campana for Edra

The mysterious hut-like object is actually a storage area consisting of shelves with a circular diameter that gradually decreases in height. This frame is covered externally with hundreds of silk viscose fibers, hand knitted in such a way that the fibers fall to the ground and create this playful design. It is a human-centered design, both in terms of the scale of the object and its handmade construction, but also in terms of preserving functionality since the user has access to the shelves from any point.

Concept by: Fernando & Humberto Campana

Photo by: Matteo Piazza

Garam Stool – Beomseok Chae

Beomseok Chae designs furniture and functional artworks in Seoul, focusing on industrial design and the aesthetics he can create using everyday materials. In his collection entitled "Glyphics", the designer draws inspiration from natural elements such as mountains and rivers, which he represents as three-dimensional hieroglyphs inspired by the East. The “Garam” seat captures the curves of a river bed in a linear course, retaining the characteristic blue colour. It consists of polycarbonate surfaces, supported by an aluminum frame.

Concept by: Beomseok Chae

Photo by: Beomseok Chae

Veyr Armchair – Madeleine Oltra & Angelo de Taisne

The installation "Sardine Sardine" by designer Madeleine Oltra and architect Angelo de Taisne at the Toulon Design Parade, presents the story of two campers who have gathered in a tent many objects from their previous trips and others they made to satisfy their desires. The retro, summer mood is very present in the furniture of this collection. The “Veyr” armchair is characterized by a thin metal frame, commonly found in camping furniture, but also the distinctive green fabric that evokes the inner lining of rucksacks, which campers often lie on. The design of the fabric came about after experimenting with and researching the parts of the body that require softer surfaces.

Concept by: Madeleine Oltra & Angelo de Taisne

Photo by: Mickael Llorca

Raw Industry – Daniel Enoksson Studio & David Ericsson Design Studio for Designgalleriet

In their first collaboration, industrial designers Daniel Enoksson and David Ericsson built coffee tables and stools from blown and liquid glass, using larger objects with a clear functional purpose as a "mould" but only after studying their archetypal forms as well as their traditional Scandinavian techniques. Their collection entitled "Raw Industry" was presented at Stockholm Design Week 2022 and is distinguished by simple geometries, which are emphasized by the transparency of the glass but also the vivid colour that has been imprinted on it, in specific parts of each object. The aim of the designers was to take Swedish glass design a step further, making it attractive on an international scale.

Concept by: Daniel Enoksson & David Ericsson

Photo by: Ida Jonasson

Ambrosia – Ciszak Dalmas for Marset

Ciszak Dalmas is a boutique studio based in Madrid, created by Alberto Gobbino Ciszak and Andrea Caruso Dalmas, who, using experimentation as their tool, design interiors, products and furniture. Their collaboration with Marset includes the “Ambrosia” lamps, which bring back the typology of the “Linestra” lamp, a linear lamp, in a more poetic and architectural form. Thus, the light source is now part of a larger system, namely a linear metal tube that hangs from the ceiling to reach closer to the floor, creating impressive diffused lighting.

Concept by: Ciszak Dalmas

Photo by: Marset