Tag Archives: Milan Design Week 2023

Alessi’s first foray into furniture collection with Philippe Starck is inspired by frying pans

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It’s normal for furniture designers to find inspiration from some pretty unusual sources. We’ve seen things that were inspired by nature, pop culture, art, architecture, and sometimes even science fiction. Sometimes we even get companies that are not necessarily furniture makers to create a line inspired by their original products to commemorate something or just because they can. It’s always interesting to see these kinds of collaborations and now we’re getting chairs inspired by the most unlikely of things: pans.

Designer: Philippe Starck for Alessi

Italian brand Alessi is mostly known for their kitchenware like coffee machines, toasters, and cutlery among other things. They have now created a furniture line in collaboration with French industrial architect and designer Philippe Starck. We’ve seen the latter’s minimalist yet unique designs on various furniture and now we’re seeing his vision applied to the Poêle Collection, a series of furniture that is uniquely inspired by Alessi’s frying pans. What we get are chairs, stools, and a coat rack that look sleek and contemporary.

The furniture are mostly made from metal elements, just like their frying pans for which the collection is named after. Because of the material, the furniture have a fluid look and mirror polish to it and it looks like anyone sitting might slide off at one point. The wooden elements help keep it grounded and adds an organic component to the furniture line. You get two kinds of chairs, a high stool, and a low stool, all using brown dye beech wood as their structure. There’s also a hanger coat stand that is mostly wood but has chrome-plated metal mirrors as inserts.

This collaboration has been twenty years in the making. Alberto Alessi says he has been trying to create something with Starck, asking if it was possible to create something using their cold-press metal high-technology. What started out as apparently a serious joke is now a reality and made its debut at the Milan Design Week. If your house has an industrial or metal aesthetic, then the Poêle Collection would look right at home there.

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McDonald’s designs takeout bags that turn into an outdoor table in Milan

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Most of the time, when I order take out from a fast food chain, that’s because I want to eat it at the office or at my house. Because I live in a pretty humid country, very rarely would I want to actually eat outdoors. And even if I wanted to enjoy fresh air while gobbling up fries , there are not enough places where I can just sit down (or stand up) and enjoy my lunch or snacks. If you live in Milan (I wish I did for many reasons), McDonald’s has a solution for you.

Designer: Leo Burnett for McDonald’s

For this year’s Milan Design Week, they released a limited edition TableBag which serves as not just your takeout box but can also be turned into an outdoor table, provided you have a post to place it on. They actually provided some of these posts and they come with a sign that says “Let me be your table.” although they didn’t really say if any other post or short pole will do.

The take out box doesn’t look like the usual one you get from the fast food chain. In fact, it is pretty big considering that you will turn it into a sort of table. Once you’ve unfolded your cardboard tabletop, it’s enough to fit in two sets of burgers and fries and cup holders for a pair of drinks as well. When you’re done using it as a table, you can bring it to a recycle bin since the entire thing is fully recyclable.

If you’re expecting this table top to be available at the McDonald’s near you, sorry to say that these were only for a few, lucky people who ordered through their app in Milan. It is a pretty interesting idea though that other countries can adapt, although as mentioned, it’s hard to eat outside where I’m from so it probably won’t reach a lot of places.

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GAC Van Life autonomously navigates using stars + has versatile interiors for adventure seeker’s needs

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Are adventure trips and camping always at the back of your mind? Then Chinese automaker, GAC Design has got you covered with its latest vehicle concept revealed at the 2023 Milan Design Week, Italy. The inspiration for this camper vehicle comes from the lingering need for a long-journey commuter which is a viable alternative to airplanes.

The four-wheeled off-roader as a part of the GAC Car Culture Series is built for extended journeys and with its zero-emission credentials gets brownie points for the health of Earth too. This boxy vehicle called Van Life, is true to its namesake and resembles an expedition vehicle destined for Mars, but for now, we stick to its utility for the planet we call home.

Designer: GAC Design

The electric concept is proposed to have a low carbon footprint since it’s crafted from lightweight materials salvaged from recycled materials including plastic, aluminum and carbon fiber. Being low on weight means, the vehicle has a far better range than any other concept vehicle destined for a real-life version. Even the solid-state battery, that’s safer and longer-lasting compared to current generation ones – is made from environmentally friendly materials.

According to Stéphane Janin, Director of GAC Advanced Design Milan, “This concept car highlights what is great about being able to go wherever you want to. We believe that cars are not just objects that move people from A to B, but also machines that create good memories.”

The all-electric Van Life has symmetrical proportions for a balanced stance – while riding tough terrains like mud, sand or rocks – aided by its massive treaded wheels with retractable flaps for superior traction control and high ground clearance. It can also move forward in autonomous mode with the four LiDAR sensors doing all the fancy work of analyzing what lies ahead. The EV uses a state-of-the-art GPS navigation system and in places where there’s no connectivity, the intelligent system uses the position of the stars to navigate accurately.

On the inside is where the undeniable USP of Van Life is evident. There are two seats and the rear has space for storing camping essentials. The benches can be folded out and slid out of the vehicle to enjoy the outdoors and extend the living area even further. Restful sleep during the night is also guaranteed with a modular arrangement that makes maximum use of space.

Then there is the orbital frame that embodies most of the interior and is used for attaching or detaching necessary items at will. Anything from a bag or smartphone to a tray or hammock. The sun’s energy-absorbing orbital frame doubles as a power source for juicing up electrical systems or onboard gadgets. Although the side windows are a bit claustrophobic, the panoramic sunroof makes up for it.

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Meritalia showcases unique Pesce furniture pieces at Milan Design Week

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Italian furniture brand Meritalia is showcasing some of its most unique and artsy pieces created by long-time collaborator Gaetano Pesce. The exhibit is called “Everything Is Gonna Be Alright” and launches at the ongoing Milan Design Week. The famous sculptor, designer, and architect has contributed a lot to the aesthetics of the furniture brand over the past years and the exhibit itself is more than just a look at various chairs and sofas but can also be considered an art exhibit.

Designer: Gaetano Pesce

Just like the actual furniture itself, the exhibit space brings an “unusual and unstable choreography” as it reaches toward the sky rather than just have a flat space to showcase pieces that can be right at home in a C.S Lewis or Neil Gaiman storybook. Pesce is well known for playing around with color and materials and he was able to bring this sensibility in the “characters” that he created for the brand. The dream-like pieces are more art than just functional pieces of furniture so they’re perfect for this kind of exhibition.

There are nine pieces included in the exhibit. This includes the modular La Michetta, made up of various colors and sizes of sofa pieces put together. You also see the soft couch called Nubola and the La Pagnotta chair that looks like a character from Alice in Wonderland. You also see the Shadow armchair with its various folds and creases as well as the Gli Amici, an upholstery collection with various fun characters.

The exhibit space uses a plane with neon green colored floors and walls sloping up to the sky. The walls also has various graphics that are also a reflection of the design aesthetics that Pesce brought to Meritalia. The “Everything Is Gonna Be Alright” exhibition can be found at MDW until April 23, 2023.

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Herman Miller design exhibit at Milan Design Week celebrates company’s 100 years

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Herman Miller, one of the most highly-regarded office chair designers and producers, is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its brand name. To celebrate, they will have an exhibit of the rich history of their company’s graphic design journey. The exhibit will begin at the Milan Design Week and eventually go to Chicago in June. You would think that this exhibit is all about the furniture but is more the visual journey of their design and marketing materials.

Designer: Herman Miller

Founded by D.J De Pree, Herman Miller was launched back in 1923 and by 1930, they hired Gilbert Rhode to bring modern design sensibilities to their previously traditional furniture. His wife Peggy Rhode was his partner as she took charge of designing their marketing materials, matching the new direction that the company was taking. When George Nelson started designing for the company in 1945, pioneer graphic designers like Irving Harper and Tomiko Miho also brought in a new look to their designs.

Designer John Massey and eventually his protege Steve Frykholm then brought the Pop Art look to the designs in the 60s and 70s. Barbara Loveland and Linda Powell then brought postmodern sensibilities in the 80s and 90s. For the textile division of the company, Alexander Girard is the name to remember as he used “graphics to create motifs with meaning” during his tenure as the founding director. His designs will also be on display at the exhibition. They will also be selling limited-edition prints of the Eames Soft Pad Group poster which is an iconic look for the brand.

The exhibit not only shows Herman Miller’s visual design journey but also looks like a history of graphic design over the past 100 years. You can see the various design movements for every decade so it’s also interesting how the company was able to keep up with all of that. It makes sense that they would put on this kind of exhibit rather than just show off their chairs or furniture (although they’re mostly pretty nice as well).

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