Cool hunting in Salone Satellite 2011. In search of the latest trends.
One of the best experiences offered by the Milan Furniture Fair is a visit to the Salone Satellite. In it, seven hundred young designers from thirty-three different countries work hard to stand out and catch the eye of the press and possible publishers. The majority pay for the trip out of their own pocket, spend endless hours at their small stands and build their own prototypes. Their enthusiasm can conquer all. They are tireless and always ready, as the genie of the lamp willing to edit their design to reappear at any time. They welcome you with friendliness, giving the best of themselves, and always delighted to show you their ideas. They are truly commendable!
Be it the outbreak of eco-friendly in the world of design, be it the fashion of the urban plots or just by sheer coincidence, this year there were designs of flowerpots all over the town. In Satellite we saw several ideas that caught our attention. One of them was Roots, the modular system by MUT Design (Spain) that allows as many combinations as you want thanks to its reversible leg structure.
The one of the Mexican Monica Moreno is called Punch a Hole! And it is as biodegradable as you can get. Made in cork, it is only necessary to make a hole in them, water a little and …surprise! Each flowerpot has a cooking herb and can be transplanted wherever you want without having to take it out of the pot, as the pot will decay by itself.
Cork is also the protagonist in the series of lamps called Annexo by the Creative Affairs Studio (Barcelona, Spain). The unlikely combination of materials and the touch of colour of the cables (black, blue or red) are the main attraction of this new creation.
Invited by Marva Griffin (creator, director and curator of Salone Satellite), the Chilean TheAndesHouse® (formerly madeinMIMBRE©) presented their recently opened studio for the first time in Milan. Their creative work stands out for its use of materials such as wicker, wood and stone.
The products of the group Fresh From the Mint were among the most talked about. These include, the skin lamps Montag, Dienstag, Mittwoch by Kathrin Schumacher and the chair-bed Pause by Meike Langer, ideal for unexpected guests.
Backed by the multidisciplinary platform Mikser of young designers from the Balkans, Dimitrios Stamatakis (Greece) presented Lighthouse Lamp, a lamp-object torn between functionality and personality.
The guys from the studio Mermelada (Spain) have had the good instinct of designing products that are scarce in the contemporary market. Among their Weekend Objects, the stand outs are the elegant Druid barbeque and the outdoors shower Delta, shaped as a standing lamp, which needs no installation.
We discovered the multidisciplinary group Kaamos (Finland), whose stand showcased accessories of recognisable Nordic identity. The Matti Syrjälä lamps showed they are masters in the use of wood. Unlike anybody else, they can make the best of this most noble material. And the collection of plates and bowls 3rd Quality of Vesa Kattelus reminded us that ceramic is more fashionable than ever.
We also found ceramics at the booth of Tania da Sacro (Portugal), whose eccentric ideas confirm that from an ancient material can emerge avant-garde designs. Her Sacro Cuore lamp and Wig vase attest to this.
The Norwegian Simen Aarseth, Christoffer Angell and Øyvind Wyller, took special mention in the Design Report Award for their Mono Cup, a stackable cup made in ceramic with a handle that invites everyone to hold it any way they like.
Another mention in the Design Report Award was for Daniel Lorch (Germany). Among his new features, the multi-use lamp Aladdin stood out, with a kilometric cable and a practical hook that adds a touch of Aladdin’s lamp.
The other mention in the prize went to the Norwegian Siren Elise Wilhelmsen. Her clock 365 Knitting Clock caused a sensation. Instead of counting the hours, it counts the passing of time by following the knitting of a sock.
And more knitting: between recycling and crafts, the Korean Soojin Kang (based in London) presented the Knitted Chair.
Also following the reuse philosophy is the Salvage Stool by Designtree (New Zeeland). The top is made 100% of recycled aluminium, the legs, cut by hand, have been rescued from junk shops, and it is delivered in a mega-reduced package making it easy to transport.
In collaboration with the Berliners Nachacht (Designers of the hangers Pauli edited by Sancal); Anne Keiffer (Luxemburg) introduced us to Roberto and Francesca, a bedside table and a cabinet made of whitened oak, with integrated LED lamp and a curious fabric curtain as a sliding door.
The accordion style is also part of the collections of Elisa Strozyk (Germany). We discovered her Accordion Cabinet at the last edition of [D3] Talents; a collaboration with artist Sebastian Neeb. In Satellite we saw the whole family of designs made with wooden textile.
So, the 14th Edition of Satellite has confirmed that the stakes are getting higher…congratulations to the young designers!
