DZINE

Grown-Up Man Cave

2012-01-27T15:37:00.000-08:00

By Beth Hughes
Special to the Chronicle

In December, San Francisco interior designer Kendall Wilkinson participated in the Maison de Luxe show home at the Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills.

Her South of Market artisans built everything in the room before packing and shipping it south to the national historic landmark, where they assembled the room for a three-week display in the benefit for the Friends of Greystone, a nonprofit devoted to the preservation and promotion of the 46,000-square-foot limestone mansion built in 1927.

Now she's reassembled much of the room designed for the Luxe magazine event in her Sacramento Street shop, filling the windows and the store itself with a must-see example of a designer working to please only her imagination.

"You could do whatever you wanted" for the show house, said Wilkinson, a veteran of such projects, including the 2010 Elle magazine project in St. Francis Wood and many San Francisco Decorator Showcases.

So Wilkinson did exactly that. She faced a 13-by-14 foot room with a great view and a wonderful light, and imagined it as boy's room transformed into a sophisticated space for a 20- to 30-year-old "night crawler."

She designed a pergola to create a room within a room that is sensual, luxurious and very, very grown-up with a hint of the libertine in the Phillip Jeffries gold-leaf paper covering the ceiling juxtaposed with a natural sisal floor covering from Stark Carpets. At the same time, the room suggests gatherings of good friends and good conversation, either before or after a night on the town, or collaborators hammering out a deal in Silicon Valley. It's masculine without the reek of big-screen, master-blaster testosterone.

"We wanted it to be a little edgy," Wilkinson said. "A lot edgy, actually, and I wanted an indoor-outdoor feeling" that maximized the view beyond a welcoming window seat.

Constructing the pergola, with its corner guards of brass with a soft patina, pushed her team. "At every stage of the game, we asked, 'Can you do this?'" she said. "We did a lot of tweaking to it. We had to figure out how to have electrical lights but without seeing the wires" to the Sonora suspension lamp by Vico Magistretti.

A huge iron foundation, hidden by the rug, anchors the structure. Wilkinson kept accessories and other decorative touches to a minimum. She paired vintage sconces with black crystal and cut glass with the Fog lamp from the Morosini Collection. She used photographs by Mark Shaw and Solve Sundsbo, both known for their fashion images.

Two striking elements dominate the Twilight Room: upholstered benches that appear to float in the pergola, their backs made from Victorian chairs, and an infinity mirror.

"The benches didn't look good without backs, and I didn't want to put typical backs on them," said Wilkinson. "I had the chairs...They were waiting to happen, but I didn't know how they were going to happen. I thought, 'here's a way to add a back without blocking the view.'"

The chair backs, lacquered in Benjamin Moore's Evening Dove, provided her signature, a classical element in even the most modern of rooms.

The wall-to-wall infinity mirror, designed so the images can be changed out, increased the room's already high wow factor. It reflects Diane James Home's handmade silk cherry blossoms without end. They're sandwiched between panels of mirror, and that's all Wilkinson will say about it, other than other images or things can be reflected.

"I can't tell you how it works, that's why I'm trademarking the whole thing and patenting it," she said. "It's smoke and mirrors - it's magic."

While Wilkinson said the bench "may be a one of a kind," or one with just a few iterations, Piece, the infinity mirror, which can be adapted to suit traditional as well as modern rooms, will be available as a custom order but without much of a wait. "Fabrications will take just a few weeks," she said, with quick delivery because "it's made in San Francisco."

Tokujin Yoshioka's Water Block benches at Musee d'Orsay - Paris

2012-01-23T14:50:00.000-08:00

Photographs courtesy of Tokujin Yoshioka

Musee d'Orsay, Paris, reopened its renovated spaces on October 20th 2011.

Tokujin Yoshioka was invited to participate in the renovation project of the Impressionist gallery in the Musée d’Orsay.

In the rooms on the 5th floor, together with master works of Manet, Degas, Monet, Cézanne, and Renoir,
the seats provided for the visitors are also works of art: the Water Block benches, created by Japanese artist/designer Tokujin Yoshioka.
His Water Block is designed as a block of water, a genuine sculpture that takes its dynamic form from nature itself. The delicate rippling of the surface and its transparency create a poetic atmosphere, similar to that created by the play of light on water.

New Flos Shop-in-a-Shop

2012-01-17T12:38:00.000-08:00

DWELL Magazine
written by Jamie Gross

Flos, the Italian lighting company that collaborates with many of the best designers working today, recently opened a San Francisco "store"—a shop within the cavernous DZINE design showroom. I was fortunate to visit the space on opening day, when Flos CEO and Chairman Piero Gandini and designer Ron Gilad were present, and I had the chance to sit down and talk with them about Flos's new retail approach and the company's latest designs.

As Gandini pointed out, this was the first time in America that the company was able to integrate their three lines—their decorative line, architectural products, and "soft architecture line"—into one space. I was particularly intrigued with the company's "soft architecture" concept, which they introduced in Milan in 2010. "Normally you put a sconce on a wall," Gandini pointed out. "Here, the two elements—architecture and light—diffuse into each other. It's a totally new dimension of architecture. Architecture is made to accept and give light."

A corner of DZINE was given over to Flos's shop-in-a-shop, which included this installation of Gilad's Wallpiercings.

Gilad, the Tel Aviv-born, New York City-based designer, showed me some of the products he's created for that line, including Wallpiercing: a semi-circular ring that appears to "pierce" the wall, and which you can arrange in a variety or forms, including a long chain, an interlocked ring, or as shown in DZINE, a series of four loops, repeated across a wall.

"All the engineering is inside the wall," Gilad pointed out. "You buy a piece of the wall" (the fixture embedded into a piece of drywall) and inset it into your existing wall, then plaster around it to cover up the seams.

Piero Gandini (left) and designer Ron Gilad.

An adjacent wall was dedicated to other examples of Soft Architecture, including a scattering of Round Lights and Sebastian Wrong's Spun Light. All the lights, including the Wallpiercing series, were on a computerized cycle of different colors, giving this corner of the showroom a kind of nightclub feel.

Two of Sebastian Wrong's Spun Lights hover over the floor, beneath three glowing Circle Lights. The lights cycled through a spectrum of colors.

Like 90% of all the new lights Flos has introduced in the past year, all of these pieces are LED-based. Though Gandini thinks LED technology still has a ways to go before it is able to provide the same light quality of incandescents, Flos is investing in the technology, trying to "push the technology to serve people."

A closer look at a Wallpiercing.

Another value of Flos is giving the designers they work with total creative freedom. "Flos is a total product-driven company," said Gandini. "We don't do market research, we develop pure products with the most creative minds around. We never worry 'will this be a success or not? Is this good or bad?' We just follow innovative ideas. We strongly believe in the talent we work with. In each piece you see the voice of the designer."

"Flos is so innovative, there are no limits," said Gilad. "Designers have the total freedom of dreaming. It's the closest a company can be to the joy of being back in the academy."

Another look at the Soft Architecture in action.

Gilad also showed me some of his designs from his Decorative line, including his clever Mini Teca Renaissance Cupola (a bit twee for me, but certainly charming) and the sleek Light Spring, a wall-mounted LED fixture whose head can be rotated 45 degrees on its vertical axis. As Gilad explains: "Power LEDs have become an excellent and functional source of lighting. The Lightspring collection has been created from 3D designs that reproduce classic candelabras and sconce lights."

Like many of Gilad's designs this light combines wit and aesthetic, with the abstract and the functional. The fabric shade seemingly floats in an acrylic box, and is lit by a halogen lamp creating diffused light.

Light Spring forms part of a series of wall lamps by Flos which feature a very simple and linear design and a die-cast, painted tubular aluminum body.

Architectural Record - Axelrod Architects

2012-01-13T12:42:00.000-08:00

Executive Suite: A modern retreat creates a quiet place to escape the noise of a cardboard factory.

By Clifford A. Pearson
Photo © Amit Geron

Commissioned to design a small suite of offices in a noisy cardboard factory near Ben Gurion Airport, in Israel, architect Irit Axelrod decided to create an interior that asserts a sense of “quiet power.” So she used materials like concrete, glass, and stainless steel in ways that emphasize both their industrial roots and their sophisticated finishes.

Visitors enter the new offices of the Cargal Group from an indoor walkway above the factory floor, where enormous machines crank out cardboard packaging and forklifts scurry from one place to another. To separate the 2,000-square-foot office space from the racket of the manufacturing facility, Axelrod erected a concrete-block wall that provides acoustical privacy and a rugged sense of enclosure.

“When the project was completed, I realized I had created a serene bubble in the middle of a factory,” she explains. But she connected the loud and quiet parts of the building with a 30-foot-long band of glass cut into the thick concrete wall just 3 feet above the office floor. At first the height of the horizontal window seems a bit odd, as if a Japanese aesthetic had somehow infiltrated the design. Then you sit in one of the offices on the opposite side of the lobby/reception area and understand the height is just right, providing an important visual link between executives and factory workers.

Axelrod, who splits her time between Israel and San Francisco, says that growing up in Tel Aviv, with all of its early 20th-century, International Style architecture, influenced her approach to design. “Tel Aviv's origins are in the Bauhaus. As a child, these were the buildings I saw every day.” The rigor of the buildings finds expression in the Cargal project's floor plan, a straightforward set of squares and rectangles. Private offices line the building's perimeter to take advantage of the daylight, while the long lobby/reception area flows into a kitchenette equipped with a freestanding plywood counter and metal stools. Floor-to-ceiling glass separates the private offices from the public areas while maintaining visual continuity and sharing daylight with the rest of the interior. Sustainability was not a major driver of the design, says Axelrod, but maximizing the use of daylight creates a more pleasant work environment and reduces operating costs.

While the plan and hard-edged materials express a sense of discipline, the architect loosened things up on the lobby's angled ceiling, where long fluorescent tubes seem to be randomly placed. “I wanted the ceiling to be more playful to provide a contrast,” explains Axelrod. “That's where I decided to break all the rules.” She specified a fluorescent lighting system that offers custom lengths and can be used either horizontally (on the ceiling) or vertically (on the concrete-block wall and in the kitchenette).

To make the small project seem bigger, Axelrod carried views from one space to another. Although executives can pull down privacy shades in their offices, they rarely do, preferring instead to maximize their visual domain. The architect also designed particular elements to give them the illusion of floating. She set the wooden reception desk on a smaller base and placed lights on the underside to shine on the floor and make it levitate. In a conference room at one end of the suite, she inserted a thin vertical strip of glass between perpendicular walls so they don't quite touch. And she attached stainless steel handles and hardware directly onto glass doors so they seem suspended in space. Such instances of elements floating and sliding past one another provide a welcome contrast to the solidity of polished concrete floors and concrete-block walls. They work together to establish a balance between the muscular and the nimble.

For furnishings, Axelrod selected a simple mix of molded-plastic Eames chairs, adjustable Meda chairs for the executives, and Joyn tables. She used a restrained color palette of whites, off-whites, and grays with occasional accents of black and clear-stained wood. In the lobby, three Gehry cardboard stools add a playful touch and remind everyone of the packaging material being produced in the adjacent factory.

What gives this project much of its character is the intriguing dialogue between sophistication and bottom-line toughness. As soon as you walk in the office from the factory, you know you're in a different kind of place, one where aesthetics matter. But you never feel that anything is wasted or put here for show. You might admire the poured-concrete floors, which, like those in art galleries, have no expansion joints, so the material develops those lovely cracks. But you'll also notice the large ventilation duct running through the lobby/reception area, exposed in a no-nonsense manner. And the simple plywood cabinets built into the private offices. The people working here have good taste, but they aren't squandering money.

The subtle back-and-forth between the slick and the rugged speaks to the key challenge of this design: creating a white-collar place within a blue-collar world.

Window Shopping: Nicole Hollis at DZINE

2012-01-09T09:55:00.000-08:00

CA Home & Design
by Erin Feher

The imaginative vignettes at San Francsico's Dzine always mix the latest in European design with owner Cardenio Petrucci's ingenious styling sense (think rotary phones and bundled newspapers). But to show off the latest offerings from Flos, he called in some professional help. Nicole Hollis created Dzine's premiere window display as part of what Petrucci hopes is a series of installations by the best Bay Area designers.

Hollis' muse was the Piani lamp by the Bouroullec Brothers, Erwan and Ronan, for Flos. Her playfully schizophrenic creation features shelves for six different personalities.

See full article here.

Interview with Ron Gilad at DZINE

2012-01-05T16:16:00.000-08:00

In occasion of the launch of FLOS San Francisco at DZINE, Ron Gilad introduced his "Wall Piercing" in the following interview.

Flos Lighting: Interview with Ron Gilad from DZINE store on Vimeo.

Below are some of the showroom installation images.

1. For new construction space the Wall Piercings in the desired configuration allowing for enough space between the panels so the 'Piercing' rings will not hit each other.

2. Fix the drywall up against the back panels for the Wall Piercings. Tape around the back panels with fiberglass tape and then mud in

3. Add two filler layers and one finisher layer to create a seamless transition from the back panels of the Wall Piercing and the drywall.

4. Finish by painting the wall and installing the 'Piercing' rings.

Flos opens SF store inside DZINE showroom

2012-01-03T17:26:00.000-08:00

Beth Hughes, Special to The Chronicle
Sunday, December 25, 2011

Flos, the Italian lighting company, prides itself on working with the luminaries of design for 50 years - Achille Castiglioni, Gino Sarfatti and Patricia Urquiola, to name a few.

The company started in 1962 with the idea of producing "modern lighting" and "developing new lighting concepts," according to its official history. In 1964, Sergio Gandini joined the outfit.

"It was a small company, but in the minds of the people, it could be built up consistently," says Piero Gandini, who has been the CEO since 1999.

Which is what happened.

The first Flos retail store opened in Milan in 1968. The first foreign subsidiary opened in Germany in 1971.

"In a way, to do something so new, it was practically exotic," says Gandini. "Fifty years later, (the company) is still growing, still keeping the free, crazy vision. I think we're a little bit crazy, yes, I think that's the trick."

Their collaborative efforts are well known. Often designers go to the company with ideas, saying "I have a dream, but I know it is impossible," says Gandini. "We say, 'Why is it impossible?' We believe in the creative mind, and so before we say, 'No, it is not possible,' we like to explore it. We like to see the energy, and if we realize there is something strong from the emotional point of view, from the functional point of view, from the lighting point of view, we really like to get there. Normally, we win the battle."

Flos opened its latest retail venture late last month, a store within the DZine showroom on Utah Street. "It's a city that has always been sensitive to design and creativity," says Gandini. "It's a beautiful city, astonishingly beautiful, so this ... was a natural decision."

The company with products priced from just over $100 to $16,000, opened a New York stand-alone store in 2010, and a Los Angeles store in June, according to Jan Vingerhoets, CEO of Flos North America.

He said that some Flos customers "are affected by the economy; some are not. We have quite a lot of young people who want a nice task light. They are really keen on beautiful design and willing to spend the extra money on it. ... We also have a fair amount of the people who do well and are able to afford our lamps without thinking much about it."

He points out that like shopping locally and buying clothes fashioned to last, "one of the greenest things is to buy good quality, so things don't end up in landfill. Beautiful design, good technology, it's rare when it breaks down, and good brands have the replacement items so you can get it to work again. We think there are many people who are starting to appreciate that."

Indeed, Flos carries lighting from its earliest collections. "Every time we do a new lamp, we think it may be the ultimate lamp," says Gandini, "but many old products are still very good sellers. In some cases, when they're no longer good sellers, we keep them in the catalog because (we) want to show a cross-section ... and to show what we were and what we are."

At DZine, along with noted designs such as the Glo-Ball line from mini to maxi ($120 to $700), the company introduced designer Ron Gilad's piece "Wallpiercing," which is tiny light-emitting diodes (LEDs) positioned inside lightweight hoops with the diameter of a large dinner plate. Calling the piece a light fixture is like calling a Maserati GranTurismo a ride. The design is part of Soft Architecture, a Flos line designed for minimal environmental impact during production and after sale.

"Wallpiercing" is already part of the permanent collection of New York's Museum of Modern Art. It is a plus for the design driven, and the design curious, that Cardenio Petrucci, who owns DZine, likes people "to come in and see the showroom. It's almost like a museum. Design students, they take advantage of us, and I love it. ... We try to be more of a community than store."

Gilad embarked on the project by learning the technology behind LEDs and coming to understand the quality of light they emit. A precise minimalist, he attached each hoop to a tile at a 45-degree angle. Each tile is embedded in a wall. There are no visible wires.

It is, if nothing else, a lesson in why Gandini suggests that property owners should figure out lighting design early in the building or remodeling process. "Try to think of the lighting from the beginning, not at the end. Then it is too late for many solutions and possibilities."

He has another tip for lighting your home: Rather than following magazines or the trends or "a famous guy somewhere," look into yourself. "People have to push themselves but, at the same time, they must choose the lights that match their style of life. There is no one solution. ... Do it in a way that makes sense."

Artwork by Daniel Diaz-Tai Featured at DZINE

2011-12-19T14:42:00.000-08:00

DZINE is pleased to work with San Francisco art gallery, Cain Schulte Contemporary Art, to showcase the talented artist, Dainel Diaz-Tai. His large scale artworks will be on display at DZINE for several months.

"My artwork is inspired by a continuous dialogue between subconscious writing and spontaneous movement manifested through non-representational images.

My multicultural background as a male Asian-Latino has had a significant influence in my creative development. Although I grew up moving around between Venezuela, Shanghai, Jakarta, Hong Kong, and the U.S, I identify with Latino customs and traditions. However my multicultural background can be easily perceived in the expressions of my artwork.

At the moment of creating an art piece, my thoughts and feelings are depicted through my own movement. The writing in my art does not translate into English, Spanish or Mandarin. Instead, there is an abstract interpretation of these three languages, allowing the art to express itself through a medium that has no specific language. My primary intention is for the viewer to relate to the movement of my writing. I accomplish this by creating my own asemic script, which allows the viewer to interpret the writing by reading its fluidity.

The moment I begin an art piece, I do not have specific images in my mind, rather my subconscious creates a momentum and a repetition of dialogue. While doing a mixture of writing and washing, I create layers upon a medium. My limited color palette allows me to remain connected with my concept. I prefer bold tones such as black and white, which creates a visual medium through my emotions providing a clear understanding of myself."

–Daniel Diaz Tai, 2011

LIGHT & FOOD: PICCINO IN SAN FRANCISCO

2011-12-17T13:31:00.000-08:00

by Jean Lin

from "Design Gossip".

We eat with all five of our senses. This makes the design and lighting in a restaurant especially important, a concept we will explore in a new, regular column entitled Light & Food. Piccino, a lovely restaurant in San Francisco, has recently moved to a new, larger location. I spoke with Piccino owner and architect Loring Sagan about the convergence of food, design and lighting.

COULD YOU START WITH A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE RESTAURANT AND HOW YOU CAME TO THIS NEW SPACE?
My wife, Margherita is from Lucca, Italy, and had opened Piccino 6 years ago in a very small (600 sq. ft.) location at the other end of the sidewalk. The neighborhood was changing and lacked any great food, coffee, wine, etc. so, the small place was an instant success. With lease going up for renewal, and a very challenging landlord, Margherita and her partner Sher Rogat were receptive to a change. And I had time to take on a smaller project as there was not a lot of design and development work 2 years ago.

One of their regular customers was a wonderful Italian woman whose family was from Lucca, and she and her cousin owned a beautiful old yellow building at the other end of the sidewalk - and there the story begins.. (and by the way, Margherita's brother is her new landlord's family doctor in Lucca!)

WHAT WERE YOUR GOALS IN THE DESIGN OF THE RESTAURANT?
To keep the personal warm comfortable neighborhood feeling from the former location, be respectful of what the building is, while at the same time creating a light, open, modern feeling.

HOW DID YOU ENSURE THAT THE BRAND OF PICCINO STAY INTACT WITHIN A NEW, UPDATED SPACE?
Using warm natural materials, such as recycled cypress for the tables and countertops, and black oak for the floors and soffits. There was no pretense in the old cafe, and the same goes for the new one. It is what it is, but with thought.

HOW DO YOU CARRY THROUGH THIS MESSAGE FROM FOOD TO DESIGN, TO FURNITURE AND LIGHTING?
The food is elemental and consistent with our design aesthetic - Margherita and Sher, and our chef Rachel Silcocks make food which is clean, clear, and do as little as possible to fresh ingredients. The vegetable, fish, and meats are all vibrant. My partner at my architectural firm, Sagan Piechota, Daniel Piechota and I took the same approach with the materials and space - do as little as possible and let the space shine.

HOW DOES THIS DESIGN RELATE TO THE MENU?
The menu is not huge and it changes weekly depending on what the farmers bring us. It is intentionally kept uncluttered with a balance of a few special items in each category. We also kept it simple in design, but strived to do simple well. Knowing where to stop and draw the line is an art: Whether in architecture, interior design, or food.

WHAT ROLE DOES LIGHTING PLAY IN ALL THIS?
Because a restaurant is active at night, lighting is an integral aspect of the experience, both in terms of being able to see, and feel the environment! The space itself is a three dimensional palette to be appreciated. Being somewhat asymmetric, the FLOS Glo-Balls do this beautifully. My partner Daniel chose them.

WHAT INFORMED YOUR CHOICE TO USE FLOS' GLO-BALLS IN THE END?
They are simple and beautiful!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SEAT IN THE RESTAURANT?
I enjoy the far corners looking back at the entry, as well as the counters and communal tables. All of them have their contribution to the experience.

THE FOOD ON THE WEBSITE LOOKS DELICIOUS, WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ITEM ON THE MENU?
Salads are extraordinary! Pastas too!

Nicole Hollis designs the window for FLOS San Francisco at DZINE

2011-12-12T15:36:00.000-08:00

For the launch of FLOS San Francisco, DZINE asked Nicole Hollis to design the first window display featuring the newly released Piani lamp by Erwan and Ronan Bourellec, available exclusively at DZINE.

The talented designer and her team at Nicole Hollis Design created a terrific installation. Watch her interview below where she describes the concept of her window display for "Piani" the latest light by the Bourellec brothers for FLOS.

Flos Lighting: Custom Display by Nicole Hollis from DZINE store on Vimeo.

Below the various "personalities":

The Architect

The Fashionista

The Jetsetter

The Gardener

The DeeJay

The Writer

RUPTURE by Thierry Dreyfus - FLOS Soft Architecture

2011-12-09T11:05:00.000-08:00

We have a crack on our wall here at DZINE, a very big one, called Wall Rupture designed by Thierry Dreyfus.

Wall Rupture appears as a fault within a wall’s surface, releasing a beam of jagged, radiant light produced by concealed LED lights. Evocative of a volcanic eruption or earthquake, Dreyfus has drawn on the world of contemporary art to create a striking sculptural light installation. Wall Rupture has two finishes: gold and silver, and, like all the Soft Architecture range, it uses LED powered lighting units.

This striking light installation adds a bold and unexpected artistic flourish to any interior space.

Wall Rupture has just been awarded best Lighting Product at the FX International Interior Design Awards. The Lighting Product Award celebrates interior luminaries, lamps and exterior lighting products for use in the workplace, retail, leisure, exhibition, public or commercial settings.

FLOS San Francisco launches at DZINE

2011-12-08T13:48:00.000-08:00

DZINE is proud to announce the launch of the FLOS shop-in-shop.

On November 30th, 2011 Piero Gandini, owner of Flos, together with Ron Gilad, designer of the "Piercing" fixture, were in San Francisco for the unveiling of the first installation of Soft Architecture in the US.

FLOS is showcased at DZINE in a dedicated space and throughout the floor, as well as exhibited in the central window where a FLOS display will be curated by a local Bay Area designer on a quarterly rotation. The inagural window is designed by San Francisco based Nicole Hollis Design.

Classic FLOS lights such as Arco, Taraxacum, and Toio by Pier Giacomo and Achille Castiglioni, as well as new favorites Ktribe by Philippe Starck, Glo-Ball by Jasper Morrison, and Skygarden and Zeppelin suspension lights by Marcel Wanders, are just some of the products featured in the showroom.

Along with a wide range of residential lighting, DZINE will showcase several unique and innovative lights appropriate for contract and hospitality settings. FLOS' Soft Architecture line features lighting that seamlessly fuses with the surrounding architecture. Created using an innovative composite material which is both light weight and high strength, Soft Architecture delivers performance, durability and perfect integration with normal plasterboard false ceilings. It also complies with the latest international safety and eco-compatibility regulations. Wall Rupture by Thierry Dreyfus, Wall Piercing by Ron Gilad, and Spun by Sebastian Wrong are some of the stunning Soft Architecture products that are on display.

Season by Piero Lissoni

2011-11-11T16:48:00.000-08:00

Piero Lissoni's new creation, Season, for Viccarbe was recently published in the Spanish design magazine Diseno Interior. See the images and sketches by Piero Lissoni below.

See DZINE's Viccarbe installation in the Boffi Studio.

21st Century Salon

2011-11-10T16:05:00.000-08:00

by Brian Anthony from CA Home & Design
Photography by Philip Harvey

Established & Sons 'Wrongwoods', designed by Richard Woods and Sebastian Wrong
Established & Sons is represented at DZINE

In 2009, while searching for a new home in San Francisco, newlyweds Aditya Agarwal and Ruchi Sanghvi were becoming frustrated because the good ones kept being snatched up as soon as they came on the market. The tech-savvy couple (early employees of Facebook who are about to start their own company) decided to play to their strengths: Agarwal developed a computer program that scoured the MLS and notified him the instant a property with their criteria hit the market. They found their Noe Valley flat before the paint had dried on the For Sale sign.

The open living area provided the perfect space for entertaining, but the drab taupe paint and generic fixtures throughout were definitely lacking in the personality department. Although Sanghvi had intended to decorate the space on her own, the realities of her work schedule and her husband's desire to have a finished home led the couple to seek help. When a techie friend recommended Lauren Geremia, it turned out that the couple, without knowing it, was already a fan of her work. Having frequented two SF establishments designed by Geremia - Bloohound and Coffee Bar - they were impressed with her ability to create bold spaces that didn't feel alienating or impersonal. The warm, unrefined materials used by Geremia provided the look that the couple was hoping to achieve in their new home. "Many of our friends were upgrading from Ikea to the next big-box store up the chain," says Agarwal. "We weren't interested in following suit."

Geremia had gained a reputation in SF for designing buzz-worthy hotspots (her projects also include Umami, Taverna Aventine, Citizen's Band and Churchill), but she was eager to expand her residential portfolio. "I love doing commercial spaces, but the turnaround time on those projects is often rushed," she says. "A residential space allows me to slow down and focus on every detail." A graduate in fine arts from the Rhode Island School of Design, Geremia fills her projects with custom pieces she creates herself or commissions from a select stable of local artisans and friends. "A home is very personal, and input is crucial," says Geremia. "I don't want to show people how they're supposed to live. I want them to show me how they want to live."

Not only are Awarwal and Sanghvi happy with the results, they have become vocal advocates for Geremia and the other artisans who worked on the project. It's no surprise that the former Facebook couple's home is now a regular venue for social networking, not unlike a Paris salon in the early 20th century - but here, when potential patrons and artisans discuss the art on the walls, the light fixtures overhead and the custom furnishings surrounding them, they're exchanging contact information with iPhone bumps rather than calling cards.

Ron Gilad - Creations of Poetry and Chaos

2011-11-04T17:35:00.000-07:00

By ALICE RAWSTHORN from the New York Times

NEW YORK — It wasn’t quite the response he was expecting. When Piero Gandini visits young designers in their studios and invites them to work for his company, they generally say yes, very quickly and very enthusiastically — but not Ron Gilad.

“Ron’s studio was inspiring, filled with precious little things he had made with incredible details: poetic and subversive,” said Mr. Gandini, who is president of Flos, the Italian lighting company that has championed a succession of great designers in the past 50 years, starting with Achille Castiglioni.

“So I said: ‘Don’t you want to turn these fabulous ideas into real products?’ And Ron said: ‘I’m not interested in doing real products.’ ‘But if you don’t do real products, how can you be a real designer?’ ‘I don’t care about being a real designer.’ ‘But surely you need money.’ ‘I don’t care about money.’ So we sat on the floor and talked. There was something so precious about the place and about him, that I had to try to do something.”

Eventually Mr. Gilad relented. The visually stunning, technologically ingenious lights he has designed for Flos were among the most talked-about products at the Milan Furniture Fair last year and at the one last month. He has since been bombarded with offers from other companies, but his reaction seems equally ambivalent.

“I am a little bit confused about it all,” he said. “I don’t want to take on too many projects. I work with two assistants three days a week and really need to be by myself the rest of the time. I don’t want to do the same thing for this company and that company with minor changes, as some designers do. Unless I have a good personal relationship with the people, I just don’t care.”

All of this could sound coy coming from anyone else, but Mr. Gilad is only willing to work on his own terms. A 38-year-old Israeli with long hair bundled into a ponytail, he sits in his Brooklyn studio smoking cigarette after cigarette, and stubbing them out in a broken wine glass. “It’s very hard for me to get rid of things,” he explained. “When the glass broke, it could no longer contain liquid, but it could contain ash, so I kept it. And everything breaks around here.”

“Here” is the eighth floor of an old warehouse where he lives and works with panoramic views across the industrial rubble of the Brooklyn Navy Yard to downtown Manhattan. Mr. Gilad spends almost all of his time there, except for work trips to Italy and a month in Israel each winter.

“It’s really, really hard for me to leave,” he said. “Once a week I go out to buy cigarettes and food. Once every three months I go to Chelsea to see exhibitions. And that’s it. I’ve never liked New York. I want to leave as soon as possible. But I’ve been saying that for 10 years. This space and the things in it are who I am — living on the edge of everything.”

The studio is filled with models, sketches, prototypes and finished objects. There are splashes of surrealism in his work — notably in the mirrors shaped like brushstrokes — but the dominant style is minimalism. Chairs, tables, bowls, even model houses have been reduced to linear silhouettes of archetypal versions of themselves. The contents of his studio act as a diary of his life there, down to the three planks of wood standing beside a pile of glass shards. The planks were shelves, which held his prototypes until they collapsed one night. The broken glasses were among the casualties.

Having studied design at the Bezalel Academy in Jerusalem, Mr. Gilad moved to the United States in 2001 to start a company, Designfenzider, with a friend. They manufactured his furniture and objects, until he quit last year. “There were too many responsibilities,” he groaned. “Design. Development. Production. Sales. Marketing. You need to take care of all these things. It took all my energy and every little bit of happiness. Never ever again.”

His work caught the eye of Paola Antonelli, senior curator of design at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. “It is so perfectly balanced and surprising,” she said. “Wry sense of humor and killer elegance. Very close to sublime.” It was she who suggested that Mr. Gandini consider commissioning him for Flos.

The timing was perfect. Lighting is being transformed by developments in energy-efficient sources, such as the tiny spots produced by light-emitting diodes or, LEDs. These new technologies offer opportunities for designers and manufacturers to produce radically different new forms of lighting, which Mr. Gilad has exploited with relish.

“As a super-minimalist by nature,” he said, “the reduction of the light source to something so small was heaven. You can do whatever you want with shape. It’s like being a kid in a candy shop. But there are limitations. As much as the technology has evolved, the light it provides is not as romantic as the old incandescent bulb. For me, it was crucial to keep some kind of poetry.”

For the Wallpiercing lighting panels he developed for Flos last year, Mr. Gilad created small circles of LEDs and positioned them super-precisely, but seemingly randomly, to create delicate layers of light. He produced a series of larger LED circles for 2620, a chandelier unveiled by Flos in Milan last month, and clustered them together in what looks like a vortex.

“It’s based on a childhood memory of a window display in a Tel Aviv flower shop,” Mr. Gilad said. “The plant pots were placed inside rings, which were connected to pedestals at single points, and positioned at angles so they seemed to be dancing. For me, seeing it as a child, it was magic. If you look at the 2620 from the bottom, you see a perfect flower, but from any other angle it seems chaotic. Complete chaos from perfect order.”

Published: May 22, 2011

Logomo Cafe` - Artek art installation

2011-11-03T10:34:00.000-07:00

From Abitare - Photos by Bo Stranden

German artist Tobias Rehberger has created in collaboration with Artek a comprehensive art installation called Nothing happens for a reason at the Logomo café.

This is not the first cooperation by Rehberger and Artek. In 2009, Tobias Rehberger was awarded with a Golden Lion for Best Artist at the Venice Biennale for the permanent installation he created for Palazzo delle Esposizioni in cooperation with Artek. “I like the idea of creating a visual art project which is about ‘not seeing something’.

The painting method of battle ships in the first and second World War, the so called dazzle painting, in a way for me perfectly represents this paradox. The sculpture I created for Turku is based on the same concept as the one in Venice.

It applies a completely different pattern to the space, but despite its very different look, it should have the same dazzling effect,” says Rehberger. “The Venice Biennale installation is a wonderful example of how art, architecture and design all come together in an outstanding international project.

Artek’s cooperation with Tobias Rehberger has been continuous as Artek is quite at home in the world of art, where new visions and bold actions create strong impressions and dialogue,” says Artek’s Managing Director Mirkku Kullberg.

Tobias Rehberger (b. 1966) began his career in the early 90’s and has exhibited widely world wide ever since. Rehberger is interested in the conflict between functionalism and aesthetics, and likes to question and play with the notion of art and its various strategies.

Using several media and different approaches, Rehberger’s conceptual work break traditional boundaries with exceptional combinations of painting, sculpture, architecture and design.

Artek can now be purchased at DZINE.

DZINE Introduces Matteograssi and Bonacina

2011-09-20T17:48:00.000-07:00

DZINE is pleased to announce the arrival of the new Matteograssi and Bonacina products to our showroom. DZINE is excited to be the exclusive representative for these two great furniture companies, both under Matteograssi Spa, that have a rich history and heritage in fine furniture making.

The history of Matteograssi began in Mariano Comense, a small town situated in a small area called Brianza, located in Lombardy, a region of northern Italy, where the head of what was to become a dynasty of leather craftsmen opened a workshop in 1880.

The sign over the entrance read “Saddlery”. Inside, the Grassi family - Matteo and his wife, and later on, his sons - would carefully craft articles made of coach hide, such as saddles, bridles, reins and the full harness which horses need for work and transport. At the time, the Brianza district was mostly a farming area, and the Grassi family business adapted to the needs of an agricultural economy in which the ability of the craftsman, and his skills in coming up with solutions, were the key to success.

At the end of the Second World War, the family business took on a different character. Brianza started to become one of the liveliest industrial furniture areas in Italy, and the Grassi family paid close attention to the changes that were occurring. From the 1950s to the ‘70s, thanks to their lengthy experience crafting fine saddlery, the family began producing coach hide components for other companies and their many customers included almost all of the most celebrated names in furnishings. As this work was performed, contact was made on a daily basis with designers and architects who would follow the various steps in the production process. Thus, the family developed a passion for design, along with a special talent and style, which ultimately led to the decision to found the Matteograssi company in 1978 and create its own line of furnishings.

The first item bearing the company’s name was the ‘Korium’ armchair by Tito Agnoli, an immediate success that brought the creativity of this small, dynamic firm under the spotlight. Since then, Matteograssi has enjoyed uninterrupted success and growth. After more than hundred years in business, its name is now found at international airports such as Dubai, Kiev, Rome, Paris, Athens, Beijing and Djakarta, amidst millions of people travelling daily. Although the old saddlery seems to have little in common with a company that is known the world over, there is a strong bond between the two. That bond is coach hide itself...and much more. The 19th century farms in Brianza and today’s futuristic airports in steel and glass are linked by the production skills of craftsmen who intelligently follow changes in taste and in the economy adapting their knowledge and experience to the needs of the present.

New Moroso Display

2011-09-13T15:52:00.000-07:00

DZINE is pleased to announce the arrival of our new Moroso display to our showroom. Showcasing some of our favorite Moroso pieces as well as some of the latest designs introduced at the 2011 Salone del Mobile in Milan.

'Lowland' sofa detail

'Klara' armchairs designed by Patricia Urquiola and 'Twist Again' stools designed by Karmelina Martina

'Fergana' side tables and 'Redondo' armchairs designed by Patricia Urquiola

'Bohemian' sofa designed by Patricia Urquiola

'Lowland' sofa designed by Patricia Urquiola

DZINE Contract Division

2011-09-12T10:49:00.000-07:00

DZINE Contract has grown out of the highly successful residential segment of the DZINE business. Eve and Cardenio Petrucci, founders of DZINE, have been selling and designing interiors projects for over 10 years. Their showroom has grown to 15,000 sq ft and their sales team applies the high level of hands on service that is synonymous with all aspects of work that DZINE does.

DZINE Contract supplies a wide range of high quality, contemporary, internationally designed furniture and lighting to architects, designers and corporate clients including offices, restaurants and bars, hotels and condominiums, department stores, museums, theatres and airports. In addition, we offer several outdoor lines as well as many products available for quickship. We deliver and manage projects on time and on budget in the United States and abroad. We are customer focused and provide excellent after-sales support.

Through our broad supplier network, combined with the experience of the dedicated DZINE Contract team, we can help provide imaginative and exciting solutions which are also practical and cost efficient.

Please visit our showroom at 128 Utah St to view the wide selection of contract furnishings and lighting available through DZINE or contact Samantha Hartley Hewitt at samantha@dzinestore.com.

Samantha Hartley Hewitt

Lines:

Artek

Agape

Boffi

Bonacina

Established and Sons

Flexform

Flos

Gervasoni

Kartell

Living Divani

Matteograssi

Moroso

Paola Lenti

Porro

Venini

Viccarbe

Vitra

Zanotta

Designer Tiles

2011-09-08T13:30:00.000-07:00

DZINE is excited to carry three Italian manufacturers of tile; Domenico Mori, Salvatori, and Mutina. The range in styles and materials varies between the manufacturers, but they all have in common a rich history in Italy and the production of high quality tile.

A family-run business composed of artistic craftsmen, Domenico Mori was founded in 1860. Domenico Mori, the founder's great grandson continues the company legacy, producing hand made tiles in small batches.

Piero Lissoni showcased Domenico Mori tiles in his Duemilaotto kitchen for Boffi. The tiles cover the hood of the kitchen. The off-white 1/2-inch thick tiles have a couple of different, subtle patterns on them that are artfully mixed to create a beautiful, unique hood that compliments and softens the clean lines of his kitchen design.

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Salvatori Tile has been making a name for itself in the natural stone industry since the late 1940s. Salvatori demonstrates their interest in contemporary design through their unique floor and wall collections made with their range of natural stone materials. They are an innovative company, always researching new design possibilities and looking for new materials.

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Salvatori was showcased by architect John Pawson in his "House of Stone" exhibition for the 2010 Think Tank Exhibition, Milan. Pawson built a house using Lithoverde from Salvatori that was cut with meticulous accuracy. The structure was lit with LED lighting to enhance the simplicity of the architecture and the texture of the stone.

Lithoverde- Piombo

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Lithoverde is the only natural stone in the world comprised of over 98% post-industrial material. Stone scraps are layered to form a block which is then infused with soy-based poly-amid binder to strongly bind the layers together. The block is then just like any other stone, it can be cut into slab or tiles, or carved for various other multi-dimensional products.

Mutina is a young company but boasts a history in the production of ceramics for over 30 years. Since 2006, a team of young managers has given the company new energy and challenges.

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Mutina's collections are characterized by hand-crafted details that enhance the qualities of the materials used. Graphic themes, plain, multicolored offerings allow for tailor made tile arrangements and the possibility to combine and interchange tiles from various ranges. Mutina is constantly updating it's catalog to stay current with design trends.

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"Folded" Tile Design by Raw Edges

Mutina works with several notable designers to provide new and interesting designs. Patricia Urquiola and Tokujin Yoshioka are just two of the designers that Mutina employs. Patricia Urquiola designed the Dechirer collection for Mutina. The collection explores the expressive potential of ceramics, incorporating patterns and colors that are inspired by the nature and the consistency of concrete.

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Tokujin Yoshioka designed the Phenomenon collection for Mutina. Yoshioka was inspired by the irregular patterns and textures found in nature, which is reflected in the unique textures of the tiles. The white color emphasizes the intriguing depth and dimension in the tiles.

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We invite you to stop by DZINE today to see our new tile manufacturers!

Rex Ray at Gallery 16

2011-08-29T16:58:00.000-07:00

Join us on Friday, September 9th at Gallery 16 for the opening reception for the new Rex Ray exhibit from 6-9pm.

Piero Lissoni's Apartment Featured in DDN Magazine

2011-08-22T15:49:00.000-07:00

Piero Lissoni's apartment was featured in DDN magazine Issue 167.
written by Elena Plebani
photography by Cristina Fiorentini

Light bathes the ample space of the apartment designed in Milan by architect Piero Lissoni. It is located on the top floor of a Rationalist building from the 1940's, in an area of the city with a specific identity rooted in the homogeneity and severity of the architecture of that period. The apartment occupies the entire floor and is open on all four sides, enjoying a full 360 degree view, where the light that enters through the large windows and glass doors determines the quality of the spaces. Its location on the top floor makes this apartment feel like a single family home on 200 square meters, surrounded by the sky. The two walls that lead to the terraces, 50 square meters each, were replaced by glass panels, giving the impression of living in a house. The outer perimeter walls were preserved, but inside all the partitions that divided the existing apartments were demolished to create a single space, where the sleeping area is distinct from the living area. The entrance door opens directly onto the living room: on one side it leads to the sleeping area and on the other to the living and dining room, and kitchen. The entire apartment creates a sense of order and continuity. The atmosphere of the home is distinguished by the style that Piero Lissoni brings to his design products as well: total respect for the human scale and for proportion, to create a balance between solids and voids, making the space essential, but not commonplace.

The strictly white floors and walls highlight the objects that tell the personal story of its inhabitant, along with the furniture, chosen specifically for its importance to the history of design. The result is an absolutely contemporary, but not trendy, home. There is very little furniture designed by Piero Lissoni, leaving much more space for the great designers: Le Corbusier, Achille Castiglioni, Ettore Sottssas, Poul Kjaerholm, George Nelson, Hans J. Wegner. Ethnic furniture and antiques are positioned with extreme care to enhance their value and their beauty. The living and dining room open with sliding doors onto the terrace; at the center of the living room stands the fireplace, underplayed by the projecting white brick wall. The other terrace is accessible from the bedroom, where the absence of curtains creates a total relationship with the outdoors and makes it possible to enjoy the light and the view of the city. The kitchen looks like a laboratory that turns ingredients into food. The man of the house likes to cook and have everything he needs at arm's length, therefore special attention was focused on the functionality. The kitchen is adjacent to the dining area: the regularity of the space is emphasized by the square table standing at the center of the space.

Paola Lenti - Display at this year's Salone del Mobile

2011-07-26T15:06:00.000-07:00

Here is a short video walking you through Paola Lenti's display at this year's Salone del Mobile. Enjoy!

DZINE store on Vimeo.

LUMINASTA event: Living Divani products reinterpreted by a young artist in Como

2011-07-22T10:58:00.000-07:00

On June 25th, there was an event in Como, Italy called LuminASTA. Living Divani contributed to the LuminASTA event by supplying some of their furniture pieces for the auction.

The cultural association Luminanda promoted a unique event, in which they auctioned off chairs designed by Piero Lissoni, Piergiorgio Cazzaniga and Harry & Camila for Living Divani. The products chosen were reinterpreted by local artist Gunza and creative tailors Sarta de qua Sarta de là. The proceeds from the event were given to the Artificio project, which aims to create a space for artistic research and production in the Como area.

Participation in this benevolent initiative further confirms Living Divani's active role within the local community.

TRENDS: High-end hygiene

2011-07-08T12:21:00.000-07:00

From the San Francisco Chronicle written by Blockshopper

Boffi's Iceland Bathtub has unique varying dimensions

DZINE, a high-end interior design store at 128 Utah St. in SoMa, is now carrying a new bathtub made by Italian-based manufacturer Boffi. The Iceland Bathtub, which was designed by Piero Lissoni, is a monoblock tub in white Cristal Plant with waste-drain, siphon and overflow. It's 71.25 inches in length, 35.5 inches wide and 18 inches in height.

Each of the tub's fittings is in chromium plated brass.

Cardenio Petrucci, DZINE's owner, said the tub's varying dimensions are what make the tub unique.

"It goes from thin in the center and then gets wider around," he said. "In my opinion, the beauty of the tub is its shape, which is beautiful, and the difference in thickness all around the edges."

The Iceland Bathtub is priced at $12,870.

Find the link to SFGate here.

Sketches by Piero Lissoni - Part 10

2011-07-07T11:35:00.000-07:00

Piero Lissoni created this sketch for Lisa and Jonathan Feldman.

Sketches from Piero Lissoni - Part 9

2011-07-02T10:42:00.000-07:00

Briggs MacDonald received this sketch from Piero Lissoni.

Sketches by Piero Lissoni - Part 8

2011-06-28T13:49:00.000-07:00

See the sketch below Piero Lissoni drew for DZINE's Rachelle Dural.

Klara: a contender for Dwell’s First Modern World Award

2011-06-24T12:48:00.000-07:00

Evoking a strong sense of a time and place that is as much nostalgia as actual, Patricia Urquiola’s Klara looks as though it belongs in a milieu of bungalows, roadsters and palm trees. And justly so: Urquiola’s inspiration is California of the ’50s, a place synonymous with movie stars, fast cars – and visionaries like Richard Neutra and Charles and Ray Eames. Introduced within the past year, Klara has already earned a place on Dwell ’s list of nominees for its first Modern World Award.

Juxtaposing strong textural elements with flat finishes and fabrics is a favorite technique of the designer. In Klara, Urquiola has created a chair with distinct components, permitting the use of different fabrics, leathers, dimensional weaves and canes to create a harmony of differences. Both functional and decorative, Klara successfully blends decorative art, craftsmanship and industrial design. The complete collection will include the dining chairs and barstools, and tables in a range of sizes introduced this year at Salone del Mobile in Milan.

To vote now click here.

Sketches by Piero Lissoni - Part 7

2011-06-20T09:50:00.000-07:00

Samantha Hartley Hewitt was honored with this sketch from Piero Lissoni.

Sketches by Piero Lissoni - Part 6

2011-06-18T14:15:00.000-07:00

Piero Lissoni created this sketch for James Briano.

ANDO for VENINI's 90th anniversary

2011-06-14T10:33:00.000-07:00

May 31, 2011 marked the 90th anniversary for Murano glass company VENINI. The special celebration was held in Punta della Dogana in Venice. VENINI unveiled "ANDO", a hand-made, blown glass sculpture designed by the world-famous Japanese Architect Tadao Ando.

“ From the time of its establishment, VENINI has continued to boldly take on challenges in its pursuit of the timeless theme to fuse tradition with innovation. The object made to commemorate VENINI’s 90th anniversary symbolizes VENINI’s esteemed creative spirit as an “encounter” between the 1000-year-old traditional Venetian glass craft techniques and pure geometric form. The object is composed from three elements of the same shape. These elements are triangular columns with curved surfaces that are generated from inverting isosceles triangles between the top and bottom of the shaft. The simple geometric operation conducted on the distinctively textured Venetian glass creates a glass product of a completely new character. By bringing together three of these elements in various arrangements, glass objects are made that take on different expressions with the light. The Venetian glass tradition that has been maintained for a thousand years will surely continue to live on through its further “encounters” with fresh, inspirational designs.”

-Tadao Ando

The manufacturing of “ANDO” requires the contribution of one glass Master and four helpers for a number of hours, utilizing tools to shape the object, as they were used centuries ago.

The creation process begins with the fusion furnace that transforms the mineral sands into boiling magma, in which the fusion temperature gives the material a strong orange color. The glass “Master”, a title only received after at least twenty years of experience at the furnace, manually rotates the cane, so that the vitreous mass maintains the desired shape. During this process, the object must be continuously heated in order to continue the shaping. The temperature of the glass during all working stages cannot be under 800° C.

Once manufactured in the furnace, “ANDO” keeps a temperature of 500° – 600° C and must be cooled slowly, in order not to create internal tensions that can cause breakages. This slow cooling is realized in some furnaces of “recooking”, the so-called “muffle furnaces”. The work cools gradually inside the “muffle” for twenty-four hours.

Once "ANDO" has reached room temperature, the art-piece begins a cold-working stage called “grinding”. The “grinding” is a very important stage in the manufacturing of glass, of which there are many grinding techniques to create refined effects on glass surfaces. The grinding Master proceeds with slow and wise movements in order to complete the art-piece. Numerous grinding techniques are part of the historic and artistic heritage of VENINI, as well as the unique colors of VENINI, are handed down from generation to generation.

Perfect evidence of the ability in works of glass, “ANDO”, is an absolute synthesis between shape and chromatism.

Sketches by Piero Lissoni - Part 5

2011-06-06T12:50:00.000-07:00

DZINE's Nikki Maeda received this sketch from Piero Lissoni.

Sketches by Piero Lissoni - Part 4

2011-06-03T12:30:00.000-07:00

Piero Lissoni provided this sketch for Lara and Chris Deam.

Piero Lissoni Lecture at DZINE

2011-05-30T11:43:00.001-07:00

On May 11th, Piero Lissoni lectured to a select group of design professionals during a breakfast presentation at DZINE. He spoke about his philosophy on design and the role an architect should play, which encompasses much more than just a building or structure. His perspective on design reaches across all scales as he aims to understand how people will relate to his work. Piero presented a handful of his latest projects, with some examples from his latest book ‘Piero Lissoni: Recent Architecture’.

Watch the Piero Lissoni Lecture from DZINE store below:

Sketches by Piero Lissoni - Part 3

2011-05-30T11:19:00.000-07:00

Michelle Kriebel from Lundberg Design received this sketch from Piero Lissoni.

Sketches by Piero Lissoni - Part 2

2011-05-24T14:34:00.000-07:00

Take a look at the sketch that DZINE's Laura Benevento received from Piero Lissoni.

Sketches by Piero Lissoni - Part 1

2011-05-21T15:34:00.000-07:00

At our special cocktail event for the launch of "Piero Lissoni: Recent Architecture" each guest was honored with the opportunity to have their book signed by Piero Lissoni. With each signature Piero included a unique sketch.

Take a look below at the sketch Roberto Tiscareno received from Piero Lissoni.

H.O.M.E Movie for Living Divani

2011-05-18T15:54:00.000-07:00

Last week we received a visit from Living Divani's Managing Director Carola Bestetti and Export Manager Francesca Citterio. During their visit, they shared with us the H.O.M.E Movie for Living Divani, which details their design philosophy and plans for the future. Take a look at the video below featuring Renata Pozzoli, CEO of Living Divani.

Piero Lissoni visits DZINE

2011-05-17T15:49:00.000-07:00

Last week DZINE received a special visit from Piero Lissoni. To honor our special guest, we hosted a breakfast presentation and a meet and greet cocktail hour.

During the breakfast presentation, Piero Lissoni spoke about his philosophy on design, of the need of an architect to also play the role of product designer, graphic designer and urban planner, all at once. His perspective on design reaches across all scales, small to large, as he aims to understand how we, as humans will relate to his work. Piero proceeded to present a handful of his latest projects, examples from his latest book ‘Piero Lissoni: Recent Architecture’, showing how a simple image of a Richard Serra sculpture is translated to a high-rise boutique for Benetton, or taking the idea of a toy crane and multiplying the scale to create a 250 meter cantilevered building. Piero pushes the boundaries of design not only through his concepts, but also through his execution, such as his 4-year undertaking to create gas-blown thermoplastic dining chairs which reduce the amount of nylon by 30% per chair, across a production of 100,000 chairs per year. Or his idea for the Coca-Cola headquarters to be fabricated of what looks like plastic straws.

After the showroom closed for business, DZINE opened its doors for a special cocktail event to celebrate the launch of Piero Lissoni’s book, where architects, interior designers and design enthusiasts got the chance to mingle and chat with Piero Lissoni. Also joining us were Carola Bestetti and Francesca Citterio from Living Divani, and Amelia Tagliabue from Porro, both companies in which Piero Lissoni serves as the art director. The lucky few that requested Piero Lissoni to sign a copy of his book, also received a unique sketch to accompany his signature.

Porro introduces many new pieces at the 2011 Salone del Mobile

2011-04-25T17:27:00.000-07:00

At this years Salone del Mobile in Milan Porro presented many new items to their collection. Displayed throughout a secluded 4 level structure made of white boxes and transparent polycarbonate, new and existing pieces were placed in different interior scenes such as residential, corporate, and hospitality.

Art Director for Porro, Piero Lissoni presented several new items this year. Take a look at the new products below.

The Shin bed and Truck night table.

The Metallico table has a hyper-thin top and is suitable for the dining room or for a working ambiance.

The D. Blue bed includes an inclined and padded headboard that sits flush with a white aluminum base.

The Ghiaccio armchair evolved from the popular Neve dining chair.

Piero Lissoni was not the only one to present new pieces for Porro. Design group Front also added to the collection with their take on the ancient and precious tradition of inlay with cabinet collection Inlay and the slender bedside table Showcase.

Update from Salone del Mobile: Moroso

2011-04-18T11:19:00.000-07:00

Take a look at the new designs by Patricia Urquiola for Moroso showcased in Moroso's booth at the Salone del Mobile below.

Update from the Salone del Mobile: Glas Italia

2011-04-16T10:35:00.000-07:00

Take a look at the images below of the Glas Italia booth and window dislays at the Salone del Mobile.

Table designed by Patricia Urquiola, chairs designed by Piero Lissoni

Kooinoor mirror and Trim table

Sturm und Drang mirror now available back lit

Coffee table designed by Naoto Fukasawa

Window displays designed by Piero Lissoni for Glas Italia and Borsalino, the worlds most famous hat designer.

Update from Salone del Mobile: Living Divani

2011-04-15T10:30:00.000-07:00

Take a look at the images below of the Living Divani booth at the Salone del Mobile.

Armchair designed by Paolo Cazzaniga

Armchair designed by Piero Lissoni

Armchairs designed by Piero Lissoni

Sofa designed by Piero Lissoni

Update from the Salone del Mobile: Established and Sons

2011-04-14T14:40:00.000-07:00

Take a look at the images below of the Established and Sons booth at the 2011 Salone del Mobile.

Gearing up for the Salone del Mobile: Porro

2011-04-12T15:57:00.000-07:00

We are looking forward to the new products from Porro designed by Piero Lissoni, Front, and Christophe Pillet debuting at the Milan Furniture Fair this week.

The first piece of the 2011 collection to be presented is Sundial, a wall clock that stands out for its circular form and glowing albescence. A metal disk 21-1/2" in diameter presents the twelve hours applied perpendicularly to the plane of the disk so that they can only be read via the shadows they cast on the white surface. An innovative concept: when viewed from the front it is transformed into a composition of parallel lines, while from the side it becomes a captivating superimposition of numbers.

Another project preparing for its debut is the Showcase Table: a coffee table / bedside table with graceful lines and a double top acting as a glass showcase for the objects that populate one’s daily life—books, eyeglasses, fruit—putting them on elegant display and elevating them to the status of art. Available in 2 formats, square or rectangular, it’s made up of an upper glass top and an inferior pullout surface in white lacquer, as its bearing structure, a real secret drawer hidden behind its apparent simplicity.

Piero Lissoni has conceived compositions whose volumes are cadenced by color, dimensional interplays, juxtapositions of materials, alternation of space and solids to make contemporary living spaces richer and more delightful.

For 2011, Modern plunges into the color, to show all the expressive possibilities of Porro new palette, debuting at Salone. It will be completely revised by increasing the number of colors from 18 to 24 and introducing 16 new vibrant nuances, from the warm and cold greys, to a series of soft tones, up to the brightest hues of fuchsia, yellow, blue, acid green, enhancing with pigments the purified geometries of the company’s proposals.

Following the success of H.chair, Soft Chair armchair, Nouvelle Vague chaise lounge, Nancy writing desk and Jade lounge chair with Shahan small table, mixing clean geometries with a typical discreet French elegance, Christophe Pillet is widening Porro's catalog with a passe-partout piece for both domestic and working ambiances.

The P-frame bookcase, a piece for the center of the room, perfect for dividing the dining room from the living room or the work spaces from the reception areas. The innovative structural system comprises a double frame, front and back, that ensures rigidity and light weight, and eliminates the need for a back. High thickness 1-1/2" suspended shelves thus trace out its design, which may be enriched with an optional sliding door, a mobile screen that introduces a pleasant dynamism into its setting.

Gearing up for the Salone del Mobile: Moroso

2011-04-11T12:26:00.000-07:00

DZINE is looking forward to the introduction of the Moon Chair designed by Tokujin Yoshioka.

Moroso expects perfectionism and simplicity from this talented designer, and he gives Moon an implicit elegance of sparseness. The underlying base of last year’s Memory chair is a basic shell that is the starting point for Moon. The originality of Moon lies in its relationship with light which it absorbs and diffuses. It will be presented in roto-molded polyethylene with and without lacquer and as fabric upholstered polyurethane.

"MOON is the chair inspired by the beauty of the light and shadow inherent in the moon. The moonlight is ephemeral light which is born and fades away momentarily. It is the finest expression of the universe," says Tokujin Yoshioka.

125th Birthday of Mies van der Rohe

2011-04-09T16:35:00.000-07:00

Platforma Arquitectura
by Giuliano Pastorelli

March 28th, 2011 was a special day for architecture: one of the great masters of the 20th century architecture meets his 125th birthday. Mies van der Rohe, a key figure in the course of modern architecture, probably an architect studied by every one of those who read these lines.

Mies delighted us not only with his exquisite architecture, but he was also able to create a new style that combined the simplicity, elegance and classic touch, which applied in works ranging from lightweight structures to skyscrapers.

Currently, Mies is one of the most important architects; his work has had a great influence and has played a large part in contemporary architecture.

See this article and other Mies van der Rohe related articles here.

Rafael Vinoly Architects - UCSF Stem Cell Building

2011-03-23T13:34:00.000-07:00

Seen here at Designboom
all images courtesy rafael vinoly architects
photographer: bruce damonte

The university of california's 'ray and dagmar dolby regeneration medicine building' designed by world-renowned firm rafael vinoly architects has celebrated its official opening. Located on a sloping urban hillside in san francisco, the continuous structure navigates the uneven site, responding with a serpentine form that is supported by a system of steel space trusses.

Hugging the curve of the topography and pre-existing site conditions, the building rests lofted on an organization of steel supports which branch out from concrete piers, minimizing excavation as well as incorporating seismic base isolation. the single-stretch structure accommodates one continuous laboratory on its main floor which steps down a half-storey to create four split-level areas. each level features an office cluster and a green roof with wildflowers and plants. A system of exterior ramps and stairs provide circulation between floors while an elevated pedestrian bridge connects the building to three nearby research facilities and UCSF medical center.

The transitional space between the split levels become a hub for activities, featuring break rooms and common areas for an open interface for communication and a cross-pollination of ideas. Largely outfitted with interior glazing, the laboratories further promote collaboration with an open-floor plan and a flexible casework system that can be quickly reconfigured to accommodate the programs' needs.

Agape Spring Sale

2011-03-18T11:35:00.000-07:00

Somnium Mattresses now at DZINE

2011-03-12T12:30:00.000-08:00

DZINE is proud to now represent the mattress manufacturer Somnium. What sets Somnium apart from their competitors is their OmniFlex springs, designed to increase comfort through better support.

Being the most advanced spring mattress available today, it relies on more than a century of experience in mattress making, European design and the latest medical and ergonomic research. Plus it offers much more than you come to expect from your bed!

For the healthiest and most relaxing sleep posture, your shoulder and hip should be allowed to sink into your mattress more deeply than the rest of your body. This is a design challenge Somnium has met head on by pioneering the use of two different firmness grades of springs within the same mattress, offering optimum support and comfort. The hourglass-shaped springs are made from the same high-quality elastomer traditionally used in the aviation and car industries and high-performance athletic gear. These innovative springs offer structural strength and exceptional durability that is superior to that of metal springs.

The OmniFlex spring is guaranteed to prevent motion transfer, even while sleeping next to a restless partner. So stop by DZINE today and test out our Somnium mattress! These mattresses are made in the USA and can be delivered in one to two weeks. Custom sizes are available.

Check out the Latest Additions to our Showroom!

2011-02-25T12:42:00.000-08:00

DZINE is pleased to announce the arrival of some of the latest designs introduced at the 2010 Salone del Mobile in Milan.

Porro added several new items to their collection. New from Piero Lissoni are the ‘Neve’ chair in wood and ‘Modern Light’ coffee table. The 'Jade' armchair, with coordinating side table, 'Shahan', designed by Christophe Pillet, and the 'Balancing Boxes' side table designed by Front.

The ‘Load It’ wall shelving system, designed by Wolfgang Tolk, has new life with the latest addition of mirror and steel finishes for the back panels. This system features thin, steel shelves that appear to float from between the back panels. With several options for back panel sizes and shelving sizes, the ‘Load It’ can be configured in endless combinations.

Neve chairs

Modern Light coffee table

Jade armchair and Shahan side table

Balancing Boxes side table

Our new Load It unit

Antonio Citterio, the art director of Flexform, presented the new ‘Soft Dream’ sofa collection at last year’s Salone del Mobile, which is designed with slender proportions and distinctive details. The collection includes several sofa sizes, as well as sectional modules and ottomans, allowing for just the perfect configuration.

Zanotta introduced the ‘Album’ table designed by Roberto Barbieri. The Album table is made of solid Oak or Canaletto Walnut wood, brushed and finished with a natural varnish. This simple table design is elevated with the detail of 45º angled legs, connected almost seamlessly to the table top. Available in two standard sizes or custom sizes.

Feel free to stop by the showroom to see the new pieces in person!

John Pawson - Plain Space

2011-02-24T14:01:00.000-08:00

Text by Beatrice Galilee
Photography by Luke Hayes

I was planning to start this review with a snarky whine that the John Pawson retrospective 'Plain Space' wasn't even remotely finished for the press preview, meaning that in order to write this article I had to make the journey to the Design Museum twice in two days. However, upon returning to the completed exhibition it became apparent that there are far more serious matters to be concerned with.

Let's start with the subject matter. It's clearly not John Pawson's fault that his back catalogue is the topic of a major autumn blockbuster at the Design Museum, (although one could argue that as he has been commissioned to build the new extension it is slightly predictable). Pawson's architecture has always been an art of the barely there. His design is a slither of polished stone and shafts of light. It's chapels and art galleries, private houses and closed collections; his name is a byword for expensive taste. The way his work has been treated, however, is so void of all personality, humanity and culture it has rendered the Design Museum an institution that is entirely out of step with contemporary discourse in architecture and architecture exhibitions.

The last five years has seen a sea change in approaches to architecture curating. DomusWeb published an essay on the topic by Carson Chan last week and this autumn's issue of LOG magazine directed by Tina Di Carlo is dedicating to curating architecture. The Venice Biennale of Architecture, directed by Sejima was a manifesto in the art of space. Both MOMA and London's V&A museum have commissioned 1:1 scale buildings in an effort to eliminate the layers of representation, create a critical and compelling narrative and captivate a mainstream audience.

If anyone was looking for evidence that using photographs and scale models in architectural exhibitions was passé and pointless, the Design Museum has provided it here. The purpose of the tens of models dotted around on plinths and tables, made lovingly from card or rich hardwoods, is hard to work out. The 1:20 model achieves so little, communicating just masses and scale from a perspective that is positively obstructive to anyone trying to interpret the space. They have their place when used cleverly or selectively but essentially the model and the vocabulary used to describe them is part of an abstract language learnt in architecture schools that is inaccessible to the public. To rely on scale models for a blockbuster show is at best unimaginative and worst reductive and elitist.

However it must be said that there was a concession to 21st century curatorial thinking. In pursuit of communicating the phenomenology that makes up much of the quality of a Pawson building, a 1:1 space was constructed in the exhibition. It's a strategy being deployed by some of the most interesting architecture galleries around today. Unlike these clever and thoughtful commissions, which generally resulted in spaces with a sense of individuality, using interesting materials to create rare or special spaces, John Pawson's 1:1 space was banal and confused.

The space was a white vaulted room furnished by two long wooden benches with a panel of misty white muslin at one end and a hazy white light at the entrance. Unfortunately it didn't have any sound insulation, so the calm white space just felt like another room in the calm, white gallery but slightly noisier. There is a sense that Pawson's tasteful minimalism should somehow speak for itself, that it doesn't have to justify its position or try to be understood. There were moments of intrigue in the film and the large-scale commissioned photography (no people, of course) was nicely done, but largely the exhibition just felt dated. There were huge chunks of various materials used in the building process laid out on the floor like a specification showcase at a cladding supplier.

It's a shame because Pawson's work, crafted for so many decades, has its roots in Japan, the buildings he works on are imbued with an almost mystical quality emerging from in his own religious beliefs, his rigorous training. He has a real obsession and dedication to building that is worth investigating and revealing. It's almost impressive that the exhibition has managed to eliminate everything interesting about what he does and replace it with a generic architecture-exhibition-by-numbers.

Perhaps it's possible to see this exhibition as a genuine attempt to document the work of one of the country's best-known architects. Maybe his relentless pursuit of quality could be a manifesto and inspiration for some younger architects. Or perhaps this kind of exhibition is exactly the kind that further alienates anyone with cultural curiosity from architecture.

There are so many fascinating people working in architecture today that are challenging the concept of the architect and questioning and reformulating what architecture really is and does in society. There are architects like Junya Ishigami working with a kind of minimalism that is more relevant and more exciting than anything on display here. There are people across the world turning design on its head, but instead of seeking them out, the Design Museum seems determined to restrict itself and its visitors to the architectural history of grey haired men with expensive clients.

Found at DomusWeb

3 San Francisco Firms made the list - "Top 50 Firms" of the Residential Architect Magazine

2011-02-21T15:24:00.000-08:00

Fougeron Architecture, David Baker + Partners Architects and Craig Steely Architecture are three architecture firms based in San Francisco featured in the "Top 50 Firms" in Architect Magazine's December 2010 issue.

Read all three firms featured articles below:

Fourgeron Architecture
by Cheryl Weber, LEED AP

“The main intent was to give the clients an atmosphere of beauty that expresses both warmth and worth and encourages their interaction,” Anne Fougeron, AIA, wrote about her design for Planned Parenthood at Eastmont Mall in San Francisco. That simple statement also could be applied to her light-box-like single-family residences, which are bold incubators for other project types, including health care and affordable housing.

High-end, low-end, private, public, and everything in between, Fougeron’s varied buildings are modern, sensual, and interesting to look at. Her own memorable kitchen, in an 1895 Victorian, has a cerulean blue ceiling, an ochre-colored cork floor, clear and sandblasted glass walls, and a soft green night-time glow emanating from gelled fluorescent strips in the adjacent bath. It’s not just look-good architecture, it also satisfies her curiosity about how layers of translucent materials interact with the changing light.

“We try to keep a diverse portfolio of work and bring the same voice of design excellence to all of it,” Fougeron says. “We’re interested in creating enlivened spaces that are about light, the expression of transparencies, and how well-crafted materials come together to reinforce those ideas.” She is currently working on Buck Creek, a cliffside house on the south coast of Big Sur, along with her first monograph, to be published by Princeton Architectural Press in 2011.

What is the most gratifying aspect of residential practice? Using single-family homes as a lab for creative architectural ideas, and the personal relationships we form with clients.

What is the most frustrating aspect? In the entitlement process, trying to convince people that design innovation is an essential part of a city’s growth. It’s also a struggle to be considered in the same league as firms owned by men.

What is your mission statement or firm goal? To join the opposites of old and new, industrial and residential, rough and refined, urban and natural in modernist compositions.

What is the most indispensable tool in your office? The people who work for me. Architecture is about collaboration, having the right team.

What software does your firm use? AutoCAD and Vectorworks.

Who is your ideal client? Someone who hires an architect not because they have to, but because good design is something that matters.

What is your favorite building? Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, or Sainte-Chapelle in Paris.

If you didn’t have time to design your own house, who would you hire? Japanese architect Kengo Kuma.
_____________________________________________________
David Baker + Partners Architects
by Meghan Drueding

Many architects design sustainable projects, but for David Baker + Partners (DB+P) the commitment to bettering the environment goes deeper. David Baker, FAIA, LEED AP, gets around San Francisco on a bike, and he and partners Kevin Wilcock, AIA, LEED AP, and Peter MacKenzie, AIA, offer their staff incentives to walk, bike, or take public transportation to work. Along with a comprehensive recycling program, the company provides a compost pile for food waste. “We really do try to incorporate sustainability into our office culture and lifestyle,” Baker says.

The firm has applied its bold, socially conscious design aesthetic to a wide range of project types, including affordable and market-rate housing, mixed-use developments, hotels, and custom homes. It often works with repeat clients, and emphasizes density, pedestrian-friendliness, sustainability, and residents’ daily quality of life. Over the past few years, DB+P has taken on some larger-scale projects that involve urban planning as well as architecture, such as Tassafaronga Village, a 7.5 acre, LEED-ND Gold community in Oakland, Calif. Wrote San Francisco Chronicle architecture critic John King in December 2009: “No local firm has a better track record than David Baker + Partners at mending the urban fabric.”

What is the most gratifying aspect of residential practice? For us, being in the affordable housing world, you change people’s lives.

What is the most frustrating aspect? Sometimes you’ll have a really good idea, but if it’s new, people will resist it.

What is your mission statement or firm goal? We sort of have a firm statement, on the front page of our website. It’s not really a mission statement: “Our work combines social concern with a signature design character, resulting in distinctive, high-quality buildings that provide residents with a strong sense of community. In this way, our work acts as an advocate for improved urban planning, where looking good only counts if it does good, too.”

What is the most indispensable tool in your office? The most indispensable piece of our practice is the culture and the people. In terms of an actual tool, the 3D digital building models make a huge difference. It’s a totally different way to design.

What software does your firm use? We use Revit.

Who is your ideal client? The ideal client is one who’s a nice person, and who’s involved without being oppressive about it. We really like intense client involvement. If they have an idea, we can respond to it. When you work with clients a long time, you develop a level of mutual trust that makes the process a lot of fun.

What is your favorite building? I can’t say I have a favorite building. I have a lot of buildings that I like a whole bunch.

If you didn’t have the time to design your own house, who would you hire? I can’t imagine having someone else do it. I’ve built several houses for myself and I just really enjoy it. You can do those things you’re worried about trying on someone else.

________________________________________________________
Craig Steely Architecture
by Nigel F. Maynard

It’s hard to stand out from the large collection of exceptional firms practicing in California, but Craig Steely has made a name for himself with finely detailed custom homes and apartment renovations recognized for their architectural rigor. “We’re focused on design,” Steely says. “And we like working with people who think less is more.”

Indeed, the firm is known for crisp, clean lines and for work with “formal elegance in the classic modernist tradition.” But it’s not all about design. Along the way, Steely has built a reputation as a problem-solver—handy for his efforts in both San Francisco and Hawaii.. “We’ve somehow developed a reputation as the one to call if you have a difficult lot but you want something special that fits,” he says.

The firm has remained small and chooses projects with a discerning eye. Although most of the commissions are for custom homes and interiors, Steely is not opposed to other types of work. “We wouldn’t mind a small big project,” such as a small museum or cultural center. “The type of projects that Rick Joy gets,” Steely jokes. “We’re looking for something with the details and proportions that a house has.”

What is the most gratifying aspect of residential practice? My favorite clients become my friends.

What is the most frustrating aspect? None that I can think of.

What is your mission statement or firm goal? One strong idea.

What is the most indispensable tool in your office? Flexibility.

What software does your firm use? Rhino, AutoCAD, HB pencil.

Who is your ideal client? Someone complex enough to want a simple house.

What is your favorite building? Casa Malaparte

If you didn’t have the time to design your own house, who would you hire? A Chilean—Smiljan Radic or Mathias Klotz.

Kuramata, Sottsass: The Importance of Dreams and Love

2011-02-19T10:40:00.000-08:00

A design report from Tokyo by Salvator-John A. Liotta

Both core figures in the modern history of design, Shiro Kuramata (1934-1991) and Ettore Sottsass (1917-2007) were searching for a design that would bring joy and a sense of surprise to life via different means of expression, unmindful of the functions and utility we believe objects should contain. With this exhibition, its curator Yasuko Seki and the museum's director Issey Miyake asks us to rethink the very meaning of the word "design". They are anxious to stress it is not a retrospective: not everything is easily classified and the deliberate focus is on a "non-period". For Seki and Miyake, the main aim of this exhibition – already planned before 21_21 Design Sight opened in 2007– was to convey the importance of dreams and love in design. The message is directed mainly at the new generations, unfamiliar with Kuramata and Sottsass's work.

The current times we are living in are very different from those when these two masters of design were to the fore. The 1980s, in particular, when Kuramata and Sottsass cultivated their friendship, was a golden age for Japan, which aspired to being the number one nation in the world. A time when the economic miracle of the Rising Sun prompted people to take an interest in the quality of life and in design. Thirty years on, the widespread use of information technology and the Internet as too the lesson taught by globalisation are making us wonder "What is design?"once again.

The exhibition uses design objects, period film-clips, slide shows and a number of quotations to show the greatness of these two designers, who never pursued success or riches. On the contrary, the very words irritated them. When presenting the exhibition, Barbara Radice-Sottsass said that the two designers should, perhaps, be seen as two modern witchdoctors who wanted to use design to cure the world; two poets who happened to be designers.

Kuramata was inspired by Sottsass's playful spirit and joined the Memphis collective. In Sottsass, he found not just a master but also a friend with whom to cultivate what proved to be a long professional partnership. Sottsass told Kuramata they ought to write the most beautiful poetry ever using the crudest language possible and produce a sort of alchemic reaction that turns lead into gold and distills the impurities. That is why they were not afraid to employ industrial materials and waste. Kuramata and Sottsass spoke two different tongues but had a common language: design. They came from two different cultures. One believed in traditional central European values and the other in the Japanese aesthetic, but they were travelling in the same direction. Together, they dreamt of an ideal of extreme beauty and they never stopped exploring the inherent possibilities of the creative process.

Approximately 60 of the pieces presented were created by Shiro Kuramata over a period of ten years, from 1981 until his death. They reflect ideas prompted by the Japanese master's lightness: "My ideal is to see objects floating in the air with no support; my design is born and evolves out of these images. I am attracted to transparent materials because transparency does not belong to any special place but it exists and is everywhere, nevertheless", he said. The pieces on show include many in acrylic, a material Kuramata loved for its sense of "non-existence", which suited his philosophy of presence-absence. The anti-objectual nature of his creations stimulates the observer's tactile and visual senses and reawaken images deep down in the mind.

As well as in interviews from the Memphis period, Ettore Sottsass is present with 20 previously un-shown glass pieces based on the drawings made shortly before his death. They were inspired by the native American Indian Kachina dolls that represent supernatural beings such as the sun, the clouds, the ogre or magic lizards revered by some Indian tribes. Sottsass evokes the spirits with the Kachina dolls and their sinuous, playful forms. He sees it as a way of overcoming fear, "a way of somehow blocking the unknown." In Japanese, the word Honshitsu means essential and it describes the intrinsic nature of a design work. This is because, from the very beginning, their first design works were offered to their gods and not conceived for functional purposes or for consumers. This word Honshitsu – a theoretical lens through which to appraise the two designers' work – explains the reasons behind the friendship of two souls who resonated in unison and spoke the same language.

This exhibition allows us to encounter and experience a design that has no creative limits whatsoever. The works by these two design legends exude love and invite us to dream and dream – a generous message of freedom for the new generations.

Article found at DomusWeb

eHouse by Axelrod Architects

2011-02-12T17:16:00.000-08:00

Axelrod Architects is an architecture firm based in San Francisco and Tel Aviv.

Text by Andrew Rosenberg

eHouse is a single family house that borrows from two traditions in architecture — a Mediterranean aesthetic of sun and light and a minimalist discipline of line and plane.

The design exhibits a masterful use of that most modern of materials, concrete. The core of the house, both conceptually and structurally, is several vertical and horizontal planes. Conceptually, the vertical planes define the axes of the house and the horizontal planes the spatial volume. Structurally, the concrete elements support every other architectural surface, predominantly glass and drywall.

The extensive use of glass allows that most Mediterranean element, sunlight, to permeate into every room. Whether, direct, indirect, or filtered, light fills this house. Many smaller glazed areas reveal hidden views of exterior garden. A large 14 meter expanse of glass floods the main living/dining/kitchen area with daylight. The entire 14 meter window system can even be rolled back to create one super room of indoor and outdoor space.

In plan, the house is defined by two axes; one running lengthwise through the main living space and one perpendicular from the main entrance to the staircase. The longitudinal axis is reflected in the roof plane with a long skylight that runs the entire length of the house. The transverse axis is punctuated with a dramatic front entrance of horizontal wooden slats and cantilevered canopy.

Found at Arch Daily

Moroso's 'FreeFlow' Seating System now at DZINE

2011-02-12T15:05:00.000-08:00

The 'FreeFlow' seating system, designed by Gordon Guillaumier for Moroso, is now being displayed at DZINE for a limited time. The 'FreeFlow' is a fluid, sinuous modular upholstered seating system designed mainly to suit large spaces. Its curvy, linear modules offer maximum versatility and is a perfect solution for contract projects.

"Based on the idea of a flyover, the sofa comprises two upholstered strips, one for the seat and one for the backrest. Depending on how it is used, these strips can criss-cross each other to create an inter-playing form, and at the same time, it also allows for back-to-back seating, ideal for central positioning within a room. Carefully thought-out in every detail, the triangular cross-section of the aluminium legs is designed to ‘hide’ the double legs when the modules are positioned together". Gordon Guillaumier

Tokujin Yoshioka in Dwell Magazine

2011-02-05T17:27:00.000-08:00

Tokujin Yoshioka is featured in Dwell Magazines Q&A section of the March 2011 issue.

See article below:

Two Million plastic drinking straws fill an exhibition space like haystacks of spun silk; a chair is "grown" from crystals in a transparent tank-Tokujin Yoshioka's work is characterized by a nod to the ethereal. After learning the trade from legendary industrial designer Shiro Kuramata and fashion icon Issey Miyake, the softspoken Japanese designer established his own studio in 2000. From products with Moroso and Swarovski, to retail spaces for Camper, to challenging architectural projects, Yoshioka's emphasis on the experience of design allows his "experiments" to truly transcend corporeal limitations.

Why design? I liked drawing when I was a little boy. When I was six years old, my father told me that there is an occupation called "designer," and I made up my mind to become one.

What is your process? I always ask myself objective questions: Is this idea worth creating? Will the result make people happy?

Is there a piece that typifies your approach? I still remember the day I presented Honey-Pop at Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan in 2002. As people saw a layered paper opening up and turning into a chair, a cheer arose in the space. At that moment I realized that I could communicate with people all over the globe through my design.

Does the world feel like it's getting smaller or larger? Today cities are so closely connected. I believe this has led-and will continue to lead-us to respect and enjoy the characteristics of each region, rather than blending them together. The uniqueness of cultures will always be stimulating the world of design.

How has your work evolved? On every project, I try to create something that has never existed, something that could amaze people. Each time I have designed something that excites me the most.

Where is your favorite place to design? I prefer to work where I can experiment. During the past 20 years in Tokyp, I have formed relationships with great researchers and technologists, which have been important for me to create new ideas that reverse common sense.

If you could design anything at all, what would it be? When I visited Henri Matisse's Chapel of the Rosary I had a striking inspiration, a part of which I presented at my solo exhibition, Tokujin Yoshioka SPECTRUM, in Seoul, Korea, in May 2010. Rainbow Church is a nine-meter high stained-glass structure made with 500 crystal prisms. I would like to build an entire church that further expresses this contrast of historic and futuristic beauty, making us feel the light using all our senses.

How has design developed since you began working? We are at a moment of significant change today, a shift from creating shapes and constructing sensations. The challenge is the pursuit of these new experiences, like a television in the future that can send us scent through the screen.

Can you characterize Japanese design? People generally say Japanese aesthetics are poetic, yet I do not think we can define it like that. Cultures grow, change, and evolve like living creatures; they cannot be defined, which is what makes them beautiful.

Porro Designs Showcased at the Restaurant at the Teatro Sociale in Como

2011-02-03T17:09:00.000-08:00

18.13 La Cucina Del Teatro, the new restaurant at the Teatro Sociale in Como, showcases Porro designs. Porro is the Italian furniture design brand founded in Brianza. Recognized all over the world for its immediately identifiable style and the high quality of its designs.

Pure volumes, pale colors with touches of red and the minimal design of Porro have been chosen for 18.13 La Cucina Del Teatro. The restaurant is connected to the theatre via a bright red corridor which leads to the counter of the bar, and opens into an attractive star motif. 18.13 La Cucina Del Teatro is distinguished by a pleasant double-height dining area entirely furnished with the latest designs by Porro.

Fractal square tables with white painted aluminum structure and matte moon white lacquered high resistance top and Neve white natural stained ash chairs with a minimalist purity have been chosen for the space on the ground floor. The ground floor courtyard allows for outdoor dining during the milder months. Dining on the upper floor benefits from the warmth of natural woods and suffused lighting.

For larger groups, an initial environment is devised. The space is furnished with the Synapsis table with white structure and moon white glossy lacquered top and Neve armchairs, chosen here in the black stained ash finish. Among the new creations by Piero Lissoni, Neve reinterprets the classic wooden chair in a contemporary style. While the supporting structure is characterized by a layout of clear lines of various thicknesses, slightly inclined, giving it a pleasantly aerodynamic quality. The roundness of the spindle legs, the slight curve of the back, and the suspended seat soften its figure. The scene is lit by two pendant Shadow Light lamps by Swedish designers, Front. When turned off they have a tidy and minimal design, in tune with the furnishing brand that has made elegant formal simplicity its calling card. However, thanks to their special "double skin" lampshade, and external white diffuser that conceals a chrome semi-dome inside studded with holes of various diameters, for a system of shadows and multiple reflections. Once turned on the pendants are covered in dots, projecting a fun and charming dotted motif throughout the room, a cascade of little bubbles to make the air more sparkling.

Another common area then proceeds into the two environments with vaulted ceilings overhanging the space below. Here white Fractal square tables are accompanied by Neve black stained ash chairs. On the walls, the Endless Shelf bookcase in the 'carbone' oak finish with black aluminum joints and low feet. With its fun square shape designed by Werner Aisslinger, it satisfies the storage needs of the dining room.

Nicole Hollis featured in Dwell's "Young Guns"

2011-01-24T16:10:00.000-08:00

by Miyoko Ohtake

To call interior designer Nicole Hollis’s portfolio “eclectic” is an understatement. On one page you’ll find a modern man-cave with a colorful LED-lit staircase and on the next, a rustic kitchen outfitted with copper pots and wicker baskets. Each project has its own merits, but Hollis’s greatest strength as a designer lies in her chameleonlike ability to channel her clients’ desires.

After working for famed Napa Valley architect Howard Backen, Hollis founded her eponymous San Francisco firm in 2003. “I was turning 30 and thought, What do I want to do?” she remembers. “I didn’t have a Rolodex of names but I knew I wanted to do my own thing and had my own vision.” That vision included preserving the craft of carefully curated interiors. “I worry that the art of architecture and design will be lost on today’s disposable society,” she says. “I don’t think there are five easy steps. You can’t just Google ‘the art of living.’ Anyone can pick a chair but is it the right scale, fabric, proportion, weight?”

To successfully design beautiful, functional spaces, Hollis insists that collaboration—–whether with the architects on her staff or out-of-house landscape or audiovisual designers—–is the key. “You can’t ignore architecture; it’s what activates the interior,” she says. Today, however, “everything’s become so specialized,” Hollis says. “You’ve got to collaborate if you’re going to create great interiors.” After all, as she likes to say, it’s not the Nicole Show.

To see more "Young Guns" click here.

Rex Ray Displays Artwork at DZINE

2011-01-24T13:02:00.000-08:00

Discolaria, 2010

DZINE has teamed up with Gallery 16 to showcase the artworks of Rex Ray. DZINE's white washed walls, high ceilings, and contemporary interior make for the perfect backdrop for Rex Ray's dynamic and vibrant pieces. All of the works on display are from Rex's collection of mixed media collages on linen.

Embudo, 2009

Rex Ray is a San Francisco based fine artist, whose collages, paintings and design work have been exhibited at galleries and museums, including the The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, University Art Museum in Berkeley, San Jose Museum of Modern Art, The Crocker Museum in Sacramento, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, Museum of Contemporary Art, Denver, Cheryl Haines Gallery, Gallery 16, and Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions.

Echinoculus, 2009

He is also a celebrated graphic designer. He has created work for Apple, Dreamworks, Sony Music, Warner Brothers, City Lights Publishers, Matador Records, Serpent's Tail, The New Museum of Contemporary Art, Rizzoli, Powerhouse, Mute Records and Crown Books. His designs for David Bowie, as well as for Joe Satriani, Diamanda Galás, Matmos, and Deee-Lite, have earned him an international reputation for his innovation in type and with original photographs, drawings, and collage. He has designed over 100 historic Bill Graham Presents rock and roll tour posters, including ones for The Rolling Stones, Patti Smith, REM, Bjork, U2, and Radiohead.

We invite you to stop by DZINE today to see the works of Rex Ray!

Rhizine, 2007

Nelastrus, 2008

Check out Rex Ray's website here.

Kartell is now at DZINE

2011-01-18T16:16:00.000-08:00

DZINE recently gained representation of the Italian manufacturer Kartell. With Kartell's San Francisco location closing it was the perfect opportunity for the company to move into DZINE!

Kartell's creative team includes internationally recognized designers such as Ron Arad, Anna Castelli Ferrieri, Antonio Citterio, Michele De Lucchi, Patrick Jouin, Ferruccio Laviani, Piero Lissoni, Vico Magistretti, Alberto Meda, Enzo Mari, Paolo Rizzatto, Maarten Van Severen, Philippe Starck, Patricia Urquiola, and Tokujin Yoshioka. The continuous exchange of ideas between designer and company, has influenced the development of new materials and forms, allowing for the evolution of the brand. Kartell's long history is best exhibited through the company's products, which express the language and the atmosphere of the period in which they were created. By incorporating contemporary values and messages they have become an integral part of our domestic environment. These products have gained prestigious international awards during the company’s fifty-nine years in business, including nine 'Compasso d'Oro' (Golden Compasses). The 'Compasso d'Oro' was the first design prize awarded in Europe and over time has become the most important award in this field.

Below are a few of the items featured at DZINE:

Louis Ghost armchair designed by Philippe Starck

Stone stool designed by Marcel Wanders

Cindy lamp designed by Ferruccio Laviani

Mademoiselle armchair designed by Philippe Starck

Glue Cinderella flats designed by Italian fashion brand .normaluisa

Dr. Yes armchair designed by Philippe Starck

Bourgie table lamp designed by Ferruccio Laviani

Frilly chair designed by Patricia Urquiola

Lizz chair designed by Piero Lissoni

Bio Tech House

2011-01-11T12:28:00.000-08:00

The Bio Tech House, a concept home looking to the future, presented eight years ago by Zanotta with the project designed by Studio BPM; a pioneer and still an effective example of integration between nature, living spaces and technology.

Zanotta participated with the Bio Tech House in the exhibition 'Abitare il XXi secolo' that was held at 'Abitare il tempo' in Verona, September 2002. The project is a futuristic living layout, both in terms of living concept and highly efficient bio-climatic structure from an energy standpoint. Architects Fabrizio Bertero, Andrea Panto, and Simona Marzoli have integrated the proposal with vegetation, natural light, and warmth. The project was developed off of the concept of the Court of Mies van der Rohe; a garden in the heart of the house, a powerful core on which the rooms open. It also revisits the concept proposed by the group MVRDV at the Expo held in Hannover in 2000; a building in which vegetation is an integral part of an ecosystem that captures and transforms natural energy sources.

The Bio Tech House started as "a glass box which closes the perimeter. Within, a series of Opaline and transparent wood and glass partitions define four separate rooms, creating perspectives that unfailingly ensure a view of the garden, the element around which the living unit is developed. We created this model by introducing the self-cleaning glass Pilkington ActivTM, which exploits ultraviolet rays to decompose and dissolve organic dirt," says Bertero. "Chlorophyll photosynthesis is exploited to purify and oxygenate air, making the green space the lung of the house. The system works on three premises: natural lighting, a self-supplied garden in terms of water and compost, and recycling for air purification. Soon the integration of various domestic technological systems will enable users to interact with equipment in order to use them in an increasingly calibrated manner through perception of sound and heat. Self-directional instruments will automatically light up, change intensity and color, and even dissolve fragrances in the air, adjusting the room we enter to suit our lifestyle." Anticipating future needs, Zanotta’s Bio Tech House proposes functional integration of forms and materials, using vegetation to balance humidity and temperature, among other benefits.

"With the Bio Tech House project, we have anticipated sustainable design that has gained extensive market space in recent years. It has become trendy," says Marzoli. "Considering the detailed knowledge provided by evolution to bio-construction and sustainability, I think that if we were to work on the same project today, we would also take other aspects into account, such as a recovery system for rain water, photovoltaic panels, LED lamps and eco-paints to reduce air pollution. There is much that can be done to save both resources and energy and for the well being of everybody. Sustainable thinking and designing means making an important investment for the future."

Established & Sons-Design Against the Clock

2011-01-04T11:30:00.000-08:00

During the London Design Festival Establish & Sons hosted "Design Against the Clock" as part of their LIMITED division. Five teams of designers were invited to the LIMITED gallery in London to show off their design skills. Each team was given 8 hours to design and construct their own unique pieces from scratch, which was open for public viewing. The design teams included Sebastian Wrong and Lars Frideen, Tord Boontje, Richard Woods, Gavin Turk, and Committee.

Check out the video below by Gestalten which includes exclusive interviews with the designers and their Design Against the Clock experiences.

Video by Gestalten

Established & Sons-Design Against the Clock from DZINE store on Vimeo.

Venini Chandelier now at DZINE

2010-12-13T17:23:00.000-08:00

Venini, the latest addition to the DZINE collection, is the largest and most successful of the Murano glass fabricators. The company was established in 1921 by Paolo Venini, who embraced Modernist trends in art and architecture with their elegant shapes and colors. Venini was also known for bringing in new ideas to Murano through acclaimed designers, including Napoleon Martinuzzi, Tommaso Buzzi, Carlo Scarpa, Gio Ponti, Tyra Lundgren, and Fulvio Bianconi. The Venini products consist of a collection of vases and table top items, and a lighting collection. Both collections include classic pieces, as well as new designs.

Paolo Venini, a law school graduate from Milan, came from a family with a long history in glass working. In 1921, he started Cappellin Venini & Co producing glass art objects. He took the Murano tradition of glass blowing and combined it with the French fashion industry tradition of collaborating with designers. The company broke away from the traditional Novecento style, which was based on ancient Roman designs found in oil paintings, and propelled the glass industry into the 20th century using the artistic designs of architect Carlo Scarpa and his ideas of modern shapes and experimental coatings. After World War II, Venini hired illustrator Fulvio Bianconi, ushering in Murano’s most important era of creativity, popularity and collectability. In 1956, Paolo Venini developed collaborations with the greatest architects in the window and lighting fields, and became a great designer in his own right. He is the creator of the Mosaico-Zanfirico and Murrine styles of glass work, both highly collectable because of their rarity. He also created the “Fazzoletto” (the handkerchief vase), in collaboration with Fulvio Bianconi. Today, Paolo Venini’s name is still synonymous with impeccable taste, style and entrepreneurship.

DZINE is pleased to have the grand 'Diamantei' chandelier installed in its Boffi showroom.

See detail images below:

Johanna Grawunder at DZINE

2010-12-08T16:18:00.000-08:00

Johanna Grawunder is a designer and architect based in San Francisco and Milan, Italy. Graduating from California Politechnic State University in San Luis Obispo with a bachelor's degree in Architecture, she completed her final year of studies in Florence, Italy and after moved to Milan. She worked with Sottsass Associati from 1985-2001, becoming a partner in 1989. At the Sottsass Studio she was involved primarily with architecture and interiors, co-designing with Ettore Sottsass, many of the firm’s most prestigious projects.

In 2001 she left Sottsass Associati and opened her own full-time studio in Milan and San Francisco traveling back and forth. "In the so-called new world given to us by the information revolution, one can theoretically live and work from anywhere. But, in fact, place matters. Being based in San Francisco, the capital of technology, and Milan, the capital of design, makes for an interesting and fertile dichotomy". Her work spans a broad range of projects and scales, from architecture and interiors, to limited edition furniture and lights for various galleries in Europe and the USA. She has designed products for many notable companies among them Glas Italia, Boffi, and Flos which are available at DZINE.

DZINE is fortunate to now have two limited edition pieces on display in its showroom.

This is the newest installation at DZINE from Johanna Grawunder's 'Superluminal' limited edition collection. Please inquire about pricing.

This is a one of a kind piece from Johanna Grawunder's 'Fractals' limited edition collection. Please inquire about pricing.

Johanna Grawunder with Cardenio Petrucci at DZINE

Below are some of the products available at DZINE:

Wedge mirror designed for Boffi

XXX part of a collection of side tables designed for Glas Italia

Wan S part of a collection of lamps designed for FLOS