There are people here at (smow)HQ who believe this story is nothing more than PR gag.

But they are the same people who don’t believe that we have Eames Elephants to help with deliveries.

Fools.

At the Geneva International Motor Show Thonet, in conjunction with HEICO Sportiv and Volvo today launched a new gear shift knob.

Created exclusively for the new Volvo C70 by HEICO Sportiv and the new Volvo S60, the Thonet gear shift lever is crafted from oak, beech or walnut  - possibly also a metal edition, although the press release doesn’t mention such - and is available as a strictly limited edition.

Unmistakably Thonet with its smooth, natural curves, and effortless metal/wood combination we can’t say it’s our thing … but then it would in any case look daft on the (smow)blog bike.

And now we’re just waiting for the bent steel tube version.

Gear shift knob by Thonet

Adenike by Bao-Nghi Droste - as seen at DMY Berlin 2009

For us there are many highlights to the (smow) design year, Milan, London, Brussels, Copenhagen…. and of course DMY Berlin.

DMY Berlin isn’t the biggest design fair, but what it lacks in quantity it more than makes up for in quality. And for 2010 the organisers have not only found a new location; but also a new jury structure.

Rather than the normal “rotating heads jury” DMY Berlin now features a UN Security Council approach with 3 permanent members and 2 rotating.

The three permanent members will preside over the jury for the next three years, a decision which in our minds can only improve the quality of their decisions and so the standing and importance of DMY Berlin.

DMY Berlin 2010 New Venue for 2010

We believe on facebook people would give that a thumbs-up.

The first three permanent jury members are Werner Aisslinger (Designer, Studio Aisslinger), Jurgen Bey (Designer, Studio Makkink& Bey) and Jerszy Seymour (Designer, Jerszy Seymour Design Workshop), and they will be joined in 2010 by Hella Jongerius (Designer, Jongeriuslab) and - in all probability - Alfredo Häberli (Designer, Alfredo Häberli Design Development Zurich).

Now we know Ms Jongerius was there last year because we spied her quietly perusing the DMY Youngsters exhibition.

And so for those of you wanting to be part of the competition, and potentially impress Hella Jongerius and the other judges: The final deadline for entries is March 10th

Full details can be found here

DMY 2010 - Final call for entries

Trolley RW 103 from Muller Mobelfabrikation

As you know we here at smow(blog) aren’t fans of complicated designer furniture.

Really aren’t.

Less is more - so the grand theologian of post-war European design Dieter Rams - and let form follow function.

That’s us.

A side table or bedside unit need, normally, do nothing more than support a cup, glass or magazine.

Now you could add numerous extras to your table or you could - as with Müller Möbelfabrikation - bend some steel into the shape you want.

In 1926 Mart Stam bent some steel and got a chair.

In 1953 Egon Eiermann welded some steel and got a table frame.

Muller Mobelfabrikation - hand-crafted steel furniture

And today Müller Möbelfabrikation bend steel and produce wonderfully, elegant and practical tables and units.

Available in a fantastic range of colours, the mobile range from Müller Möbelfabrikation is produced in Germany from 3mm thick steel plate, come with lockable castors and are sturdy enough to be used a seat.
Should the need arise.

Full details can be found at the (smow) Müller Möbelfabrikation page.

The smow library

The snow is finally gone from the streets of Leipzig and that can only mean two things.

Dangerously large holes in the roads.

And Leipzig Buchmesse.

And as in 2009 (smow) is once again taking part in Leipzig Liest - Europes largest public book reading.

(smow)liest begins on March 18th with Grillsaison from Philipp Kohlhöfer. Less related to the Cobb Pro, Grillsaison is a humorous, occasionally deeply ironic, journey in search of the real Germany. David Hasselhof included.

On March 19 (smow)liest hosts the somewhat confusingly titled “New voices from Switzerland”. Profiling three young authors, only one of whom comes from Switzerland, the evening promises exciting new literature and an entertaining mix of literary styles.

(smow)liest 2010 ends on March 20th with “Meine Frau will einen Garten” by Gerhard Matzig. The desired garden is not directly intended for the newly purchased Vegetal and Bubble Club Sofa, but rather is a synonym for the eternal choice between the city life of ones carefree youth and the suburban life of responsible middle age.

In addition to (smow)liest the Leipzig Buchmesse and Leipzig Liest features numerous new - and not so new - publications on designer furniture and contemporary design. We will bring you reports and reviews of the best and worst of this years festival under (smow)liest.

The slightly more impressive Design Library in Milan

Ball chair by Eero Aarnio for Adelta - original

They say that imitation is the greatest form of flattery.

They, however, have obviously never spent hours, weeks and years sweating over a  project until it is perfect.

And so whether it is furniture designs, web site concepts or literature, they simply copy.

In January the winners of the 2010 Plagiarius Competition for excellence in copying the work of others were announced.
Among the happy winners a Chinese imitation of a German ice tray and Polish rip-off of a German toy combine harvester.

We never tire, honestly never tire of, pointing out the dangers and problems associated with buying cheap copies of designer furniture classics.

But, people keep asking, how can we identify the copies?

The biggest clue is the price. A serious retailer will never offer a genuine design classic for a ridiculously low price.

However, if the price appears reasonable…. how can you be certain.

In order to help customers avoid the sharks many producers now publish useful information on their websites.

Finish designer Eero Aarnio is not only one of the true pioneers of furniture design; but also a designer whose work is regularly copied.

Ball chair by Eero Aarnio - fake

No doubt the cheats thinking “Hey, it’s just plastic. How hard can it be?”

A lot harder than you think.

Eero Aarnio’s work is available exclusively from Adelta and on the Adelta website there is a good humoured guide to what to watch out for when inspecting a piece of, allegedly, Eero Aarnio furniture.

The points raised in the Adelta photos, however, also serve as a perfect guide to spotting fake of other designers works.

The upholstery. Especially in fakes of chairs such as Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona Chair from Knoll is the quality of the upholstery and the stitching an important indicator.

Equally important is the base. With copies of Eames Chairs from Vitra, for example, the bases often only have four rather than five feet - the simple reason being that the cost of organising a five foot mould is simply too high for the plagiarists.

The best advice is simply speak with the retailer. A serious retailer selling originally licensed products will always give a straight answer to a straight question.

As many of you will be aware, the construction of the VitraHaus was not without it’s controversy.

For all the decision to paint the outer walls black.

We at (smow)blog can however exclusively reveal that other options were considered.

And below we publish exclusive pictures of the rejected colour schemes.

VitraHaus in Hella Jongerius Polder sofa look

Berlin based, Dutch designer Hella Jongerius has created the Vitra Colour Laboratory to help encourage VitraHaus visitors to be more imaginative and creative in their use of colour. One version of the VitraHaus colour scheme played with Jongerius’ Polder Sofa colour scheme.

VitraHaus with an Algue by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec finish

Breton brothers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec’s classic Algue room divider was also considered as a possible colour scheme for the outer walls of the VitraHaus. Was however rejected owing to the number of Bouroullec items that are on display inside the VitraHaus.

VitraHaus a la Kast by Maarten van Severen

Belgian designer Maarten van Severen is one of the real “in house” favourites at Vitra, and a man whose time came far too soon. As a tribute to one of the true legends of Belgian design a colour scheme was created that paid homage to Maarten van Severen’s Kast shelving unit.

VitraHaus in Verner Panton Panton Chair classic red

The cooperation between Vitra and Danish designer Verner Panton opened a whole chapter in the Vitra story; the creation of specially commissioned pieces in collaboration between Vitra and the designer. In honour of the life and work of Verner Panton the possibility of painting the outer walls of the VitraHaus in Panton Chair classic red was considered.

VitraHaus from Vitra as a homage to Charles and Ray Eames

No two people are more intimately associated with the Vitra story than Charles and Ray Eames. And so it was no surprise that one of Ray Eames’ classic textile designs - namely small dot pattern - should be considered for use on the outer walls of the VitraHaus.

In the end, black won through as the outer colour of the VitraHaus…. but it could all have been so different…

VitraHaus as it could have been: In Millerstripe Multicolored Bright by Alexander Girard finish

If a picture really does paint a thousand words; a dozen VitraHaus photos here saves us an awful lot of typing.

Below a few of our favourite images. And if you have any of your own photos that you would like to share with us, please email them to blog@smow.de Full credit will naturally be given for any photos used.

VitraHaus: The media await the start of the press conference

VitraHaus: Rolf Fehlbaum, Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron

VitraHaus: Rolf Fehlbaum in the media focus

Vitrahaus: As seen through a Living Tower from Verner Panton

VitraHaus: Spiral staircases are an important feature of the VitraHaus

Akari lamps in the VitraHaus

VitraHaus cloakroom: Obviously with Eames Hang it Alls

Maarten van Severen and Verner Panton in VitraHaus

Fourth floor of the VitraHaus by Herzog and de Meuron

Amoebe by Verner Panton in the VitraHaus

A House of Cards by Charles and Ray Eames in the VitraHaus

VitraHaus by Herzog and de Meuron: Organic forms

Vitrahaus: Vitrine

One of the last remaining Eames Mammoths has taken up residence in the VitraHaus

The lesser-spotted woolly Vegetal graze on the VitraHaus Cafe Terrace

Some 285 journalists were present for the press preview of Herzog & De Meuron’s new VitraHaus in Weil am Rhein on February 12 2010.

285 journalists who were then obliged not to breath a word about what they had experienced until Saturday 20.02.2010……

Vitrahaus by Herzog and de Meuron

Lets get the obvious point out the way first.
The VitraHaus is magnificent.

We approached Herzog & De Meuron’s construction on foot from Mühlheimerstrasse and the first view over the car park was every bit as wonderful as we had expected.

Like 10 year olds on a school trip we spent the first two hours photographing the VitraHaus from outside, driven part by fear that it would vanish and part wanting to avoid that stomach sinking feeling of getting back to the office and realising that we really should have taken that shot.

Walking around the outside of the VitraHaus, however, it is easy to understand from where the complaints originate.

Vitrahaus next to Richard Buckminster Fuller's Dome

The building stands not only on the very edge of the Vitra Campus, but also on the very edge of Weil am Rhein. And so just as the town gives way to the gentle, rolling countryside one is confronted with this huge, chaotic, brooding, dark structure.

Herzog and De Meuron may claim that “[t]he charcoal colour of the exterior stucco skin unifies the structure, ‘earths’ it and connects it to the surrounding landscape”. For us that is architect speak; the building is immense and we can well imagine it will take a lot of getting used to by those motorists who drive past or those “Weilers” out walking their dogs.

Which isn’t to detract from the architectural splendour of the construction.
As we say. Magnificent.

Then after failing to find any further angles from which to photograph the VitraHaus …. we went inside.

And found it good. But not as good as outside.

Inside looks like a Vitra showroom.

Which is of course what it is.

Just we didn’t expect it to look so much like a Vitra showroom.

The longer we spent inside the less it felt like a Vitra showroom. But it still looked like one.

VitraHaus: View from fourth floor over the Tüllinger Hill

Not being the brightest peas in the pod, we viewed the VitraHaus in the wrong direction…. We started at the bottom.
Only later on the train to Aschau im Chiemgau and Moormann, did we realise that you are supposed to start at the top … and work down.

Had we started at the top our first impression would have been an absolutely gorgeous view across the immediately neighbouring vineyards and orchards, over the Tüllinger Hill and on towards the Black Forest.

And of a Spin Table Candelabra by Tom Dixon. A product not produced by Vitra.

We were very impressed to regularly find items on display that aren’t made by Vitra, and can only express our admiration to Vitra for taking the brave step. But then those who have studied, if not personally followed, the “careers” of Rolf Fehlbaum and Vitra know that for them the quality of the work is always, always, more important than any potential financial gain. In addition to the Tom Dixon Candelabra we also spotted “non-Vitra” works by Konstantin Grcic and Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec.

Vitrahaus: A series of different styles in one building

Each “room” in the VitraHaus is given over to a different style of room design/room usage. Room layouts that will hopefully change with the seasons to best optimise the light and backdrop in each location.

For as you move through the VitraHaus - downwards in the correct direction - you are presented with continually changing views of the surrounding landscape; not just new views, but the same views from different perspectives. We cant agree with Rolf Fehlbaum when he said that he had received wonderful new perspectives of the views over Weil am Rhein and surroundings countryside thanks to the VitraHaus.

But that’s only because we haven’t seen Weil am Rhein as often as the Vitra Chairman.

That said as one moves through the VitraHaus, the borders between inside and outside really do melt into one another and the surroundings do become part of the building.

It’s an old architectural trick, but a good architectural trick. And an architectural trick that makes the VitraHaus a truly wonderful experience.

Vitrahaus. Vitrine, the only part of the VitraHaus that is a "museum"

As you move through the VitraHaus - downwards in the correct direction - you are also actively encouraged try out all the products on display. Despite offering a true journey through post-war furniture design, the VitraHaus isn’t a stuffy furniture museum. Rather visitors can sit in the chairs, lean on the desks and wrestle with the Eames Elephants. More practically you can also examine quality of the craftsmanship and experience the haptics of the articles.

Something which we found good.

What we didn’t find so good was the fact that the press conference took place in the from Hella Jongerius designed Vitra Colour Laboratory.

Vitrahaus: Prototype for Hella Jongerius Vitra Colour Laboratory

To judge from the amount of coverage Ms Jongerius has received, the Vitra Media Moles have clearly been very busy placing the Vitra Colour Laboratory in the international, for all the American, press. But then with over 250 journalists and photographers in the VitraHaus, not only can no one see and experience the Vitra Colour Laboratory. But there is also no information on it in the press kit.

Rolf Fehlbaum did make mention of the Vitra Colour Laboratory and his hope that it would encourage people to be braver in their use of colour, if not as brave as when Verner Panton furnished one of Herr Fehlbaum’s previous flats…. but at that moment the laboratory was packed away and we all sat on elephant stools not really knowing what to expect.

Which was a real shame.

Otherwise we had no other real complaints.

Vitrahaus: A secret world of space, light and designer furniture

Architect Jacques Herzog stated that for him the user experience is more important than the architect’s description of how the building functions and what it should be.

And we couldn’t agree more.

VitraHaus is not for everyone.

A lot of people will just find immensely dull and pointless.
We didn’t.

Nor is it particularly worth the trip to Weil am Rhein just to see the VitraHaus.

However, as an extension to the Vitra Campus and as a further reason to spend time in and around Weil am Rhein, the VitraHaus is fantastic.

And personally we can’t wait for SANAA’s new production building to be finished later on this year.

Vitrahaus and Vitra Design Museum

Some 50 years ago Rolf Fehlbaums mother, and Vitra co-founder, Erika Fehlbaum bought the land on which the Vitra Campus now stands, and so in effect created the conditions which have allowed not only Vitra to expand, but have given Vitra the space on which to create their homage to modern design.

It is therefore more than fitting that the new VitraHaus is dedicated to Erika Fehlbaum.

The VitraHaus opens for the public on February 22nd 2010 and is open Monday - Sunday from 10am to 6pm

Weil am Rhein Rathaus

When we were still young, fit and healthy, towns and cities existed.

Just existed.

These days in order to exist a city needs to be the city of something.
And so  as one drives along a German motorway, every ten metres or so comes a large brown sign announcing the next conurbation as “Chemnitz - City of the Modernity”, “Pied Piper City Hameln” or “Prien am Chiemsee - City of the criminally lazy taxi drivers”.

Not wanting to be the outsider in this age of claims making, Weil am Rhein has decided to call itself “Weil am Rhein - City of Chairs”

And what could be more appropriate for a city that uses an image of the Vitra Design Museum to illustrate the “Economy and Tourism” section of their homepage and which welcomes 100,000 tourists a year to the Vitra Campus in the Charles Eames Strasse.

And it’s certainly a lot catchier than “Weil am Rhein - City of the huge goods train station”

There’s just two things that bother us.

Trifling, small,  things, but you know us….

Apple Honey by Shiro Kuramata in Weil am Rhein

In front of the modernistic and inspirational “Rheincenter” stands a huge statue of a chair.

A chair that isn’t, wasn’t and never will be produced by Vitra. Rather by Dutch producer USM Pastoe.(Obviously not to confused with Swiss producer USM Haller)

Apple Honey by Shiro Kuramata is a wonderful chair.

Shiro Kuramata did partake in the very first Vitra Editions, alongside the likes of Frank Gehry and Ron Arad.

Vitra even produced Shiro Kuramata’s equally delightful “How High The Moon” chair.

But not Apple Honey.

Much more confusing is the image painted onto the side of one of the four tower blocks that “tower” over the Vitra Campus and the new VitraHaus.

Next to the text “City of Chairs” is a picture of a chair.

A most curious, three leggeed, chair.

Weil am Rhein City of chairs ... but which chairs

Our initial reaction was that it was a DCM by Charles and Ray Eames. And very fitting we found that too given the close ties between the the Eames’, Vitra and Weil am Rhein.

Except the DCM is of course a four legged chair.

And try as we might we simply cannot think of a single three legged chair that Vitra produce.

Our next guess was that it was an “Ant Chair” by Arne Jacobsen…also an excellent representative of 20th century chair design. But in the Ant Chair the seat and the back are formed from one piece of wood. And the single leg is at the front.

Then we really thought we had it: SE 69 by Egon Eiermann. But no the SE 69 also has the single leg at the front.

Egon Eiermann’s SE 42 does have the single leg at the back, but is made of wood.

Indeed the longer we stood in the middle of Römerstrasse, holding up the traffic and irritating the good folks of Weil am Rhein, the more we struggled to think of a three-legged chair which has a steel tube single back leg.

Principally on account of the instability factor.

Only once we were back in Leipzig could we track it down, thanks to the MoMA New York archive.

Charles Eames Three legged side chair from 1944 (photo via http://www.moma.org/)

Three-Legged Side Chair by Charles Eames for the Evans Products Co from 1944.

A chair which may or not have been taken on by Hermann Miller when they acquired the Eames rights from Evans in 1946. And so which may or may not be part of those Charles and Ray Eames products to which Vitra the European production rights posses.

Which is a long way of saying, Weil am Rhein appears to celebrate it’s “City of Chairs” status with two chairs which have nothing to do with it’s status as one of the most important centres of contemporary European designer furniture production.

Visitors to the new VitraHaus can ponder this paradox from the fourth floor window.

Or simply enjoy the wonderful view over the Vitra Design Museum and the orchard meadow.

System USM Haller forms an important part of the airport design at Leipzig Halle airport

Despite the many disadvantages, problems and general chaos budget airlines have brought into our previously well structured and ordered lives, they have brought one clear advantage: The opportunity to visit really remote airports.

More through necessity than freewill, thousands of air travellers now find themselves avoiding the likes of Heathrow, Charles de Gaulle or Frankfurt am Main Airport, and instead experiencing the delights of Klagenfurt, Tampere or Altenburg.

At least in all modern airports the quality of the airline design and for all the airport furniture is guaranteed.

At Leipzig Altenburg, for example, those passengers wanting a last cigarette before boarding their flight can enjoy it in the comfort of an original Herman Miller fibre glass Eames Armchair. Or while reporting your luggage as having been left in Milan is never an enjoyable experience; at Leipzig Halle Airport you can at least admire the aesthetic and practical beauty of the System USM Haller elements while you wait. And then again at the hire car desks; where the USM Haller elements are cleverly colour matched to the corporate design of the car hire companies.

Hall D at Toulouse Airport

One of the real winners in the era of budget airlines however has been Toulouse Blagnac Airport. Construction of the airport started in 1939; while on the one hand not the best year to start a major construction project in Europe, it did at least provide the occupying Germans with a base for the production of V1 and V2 rockets as well as a dive-bombing school.

Following the liberation of France civil operations began again at Toulouse Blagnac. In 1953 27,000 passengers passed through the airport. By 1990 this had risen to 3 million passengers a number which then exploded to 5 million in 1999 and six million passengers a year in 2007.

A fact no doubt helped by the fact that the airport is much beloved by budget airlines.

This growth in passengers has of course necessitated a need for ever new buildings, and Toulouse Blagnac Airport is currently in the middle of a large expansion programme. An important cornerstone of this expansion is the new Hall D, a facility which will allow the airport to process some 8,5 million passengers a year.

Airline airport seating by Sir Norman Foster for Vitra in Toulouse Blagnac airport

A, dare we say, typical and somewhat passe all glass facade means that passengers at Toulouse Blagnac Airport could have the feeling of being at any airport in Europe; could - were it not for the wonderful utilisation of Sir Norman Fosters Airline seating system from Vitra.

Created in 1998, the Airline system is used in many airports throughout Europe, but always in black.

In Toulouse however the architects have opted for a range of colours; the resulting 1970s bus station effect is both more playful and relaxing than the norm.

In addition the Foster Airline seating has been wonderfully complemented with a range of .04s by Maarten van Severen on traverses, again from Vitra.

For those of you wanting to wanting to experience the Toulouse Blagnac Airport design yourselves; fights to Toulouse can be found starting form all minor European airports. And Heathrow, Charles de Gaulle or Frankfurt am Main.

And for those of you looking for Vitra, USM Haller or indeed any designer furniture for your airport, hospital, hotel or bus station the (smow) contracts team can offer professional and competent advice.

Airline seating as part of airport design