The Top 5 chairs from the smow design spring. In no particular order.

Foldable cardboard chair by Stuart Miller at deignersblock, Milan

We lie: there is a slight order. First up is our favourite chair from the smow design spring: Stuart Miller’s unnamed foldable cardboard chair from the designersblock showcase in Milan. Over the course of the smow design spring we didn’t see any thing that even came to close to capturing Stuart’s simple, practical and comfortable chair. We’ve sadly lost sight of the project a little, and lack the requisite degree in Information Technology to navigate Glasgow Caledonian University Website, If any one knows anything please let us know!! Unnamed foldable carboard chair. Quality seating instrument!

And as of now … In no particular order.

Duct Tape Chair by Jason Miller

Duct Tape Chair by Jason Miller. In our original post from the floor of the ICFF press room we mentioned the similarity between Jason Miller’s Duct chair and Easy by Klausner and Carpenter for Established and Sons. After long and careful consideration, however, we decide to include Duct chair in our  tip five. A form sicher and wonderfully comfortable chair, Duct Chair is also not only aesthetically pleasing but intrigues the viewer so shifts from passive chair to active element of a room. Duct Tape Chair. Quality seating instrument!

404 H by Stefan Dietz for Thonet

404 H by Stefan Dietz for Thonet. In our world bar stools count as chairs, mainly because we spend a lot of time on bar stools - having as we do a raised breakfast bar in the kitchen of the (smow)flat. For Thonet Stefan Dietz has created in 404 H a wonderful addition to one of the most tradition-conscious German design houses. In comparison to some other long established design houses, for Thonet tradition if more than just marketing rights tio the name of a long since deceased designer; rather for Thonet tradition means continuing the tradition that made that designer successful and famous - and in the case of Michael Thonet that means innovation.404 H. Quality seating instrument!

And uncomplicated, high quality wooden furniture.

Such as the 404 H.

Vegetal by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for Vitra in Milan

Vegetal by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for Vitra.  Even before the start of the Milan design week Vegetal had already established itself as one of the stars. And it didn’t let us down. Yes it looks like a cheap garden chair, yes it reminds one of Chair One by Konstantin Grcic, but no it is neither of these things. The fruit of four years labour by our favourite porcupine and fox, Vegetal is a wonderful, stable, comfortable and versatile chair perfect for indoor and out. And we’re fairly certain unbreakable. Vegetal. Quality seating instrument!

Bansko Bo lounger chair and Ottoman by Design Apparat

Bansko Bo by Design Apparat. Without question one of the finest proper loungers we saw this spring, and that from one of the best new design studios from the smow design spring. We live in Leipzig, we don’t like nOSTalgia, we do like many elements of the design style that developed in Eastern Europe  during the decades of iron curtains, Warsaw pacts and ICBMs. Bansko Bo is a wonderful new design, but one that has its roots unmistakably in the Bulgaria of the 1970s. Looks good, works and will probably last longer than the regime of Todor Zhivkov. Bansko Bo. Quality seating instrument!

In our entry on the designersblock showcase we mentioned a foldable cardboard chair that had caught our attention.
Now we know as well as everyone else that are our heads are readily turned by free beer and bagpipes (thanks Calum) - and if you throw in some dub and finest Italian ska and we would lie for you in court.
And so we thought we had better wait a day or two before saying anything more about Stuart Miller’s fine folding cardboard chair. In case we found something better. We thought we had last night, but no…

Stuart is a student at Glasgow Caledonian University, and the chair is part of his final year project. And as yet unnamed.

As your smow(blog) team were impoverished, over-worked and under-nourished students at Glasgow Strathclyde University, regardless of much stick we took from the oinks at Glasgow University we could at least take solace in the fact that the Glasgow Tech students were even lower down the social scale than us.

That hasn’t changed, but Glasgow Tech became Glasgow Caledonian University and the industrial design department has also grown up. And there were genuinely a few good works from the Glasgow students on show in Milan, but the pick was Stuart’s chair.

It is comfortable. It is stable. It looks good.

But the important factors are the ease with which it folds flat and its lightness.

Stuart brought two chairs with him in a budget airline - and we all know how strict they are; on account of the weight we once had trouble checking a club sandwich in as hold baggage…

They are light.

And fold flat.

And as such perfect for either keeping in a cupboard in case extra guests turn up unannounced; for putting in the car if your heading-off somewhere and planning camping or stopping for a picnic; or if your flying off to a holiday cottage in the sun and don’t fancy sitting on a cheap plastic chair.

Theoretically you could even strap them to the back of your bike…

The range of uses is almost unlimited - for example, as seating while decorating a room - yet the stability and comfort remains.

And as you can see from the video - they take seconds to assemble.

As we said earlier: “Took a problem, analysed it, solved it. And that with style and comfort. Lovely.”

In terms of the “extra seating market” the folding chair was, until now, the unquestioned king, queen, prince and illicit son idling in exile and planning his bloody revenge …

Until now…

A foldable chair made from a recycled cardboard is a real alternative. And not only because of the space and weight savings - aesthetics are also important.

And so if Moormann, Lampert or SCP are reading…

(P.S. Sorry, we weren’t thinking when we made the film, hence the sideways image And sadly here in Milan we have neither the software nor the RAM to change that, but once we’re back in Leipzig…)

Here in Milan we have the main trade fair in the exhibition centre, the main “off-site” around the Via Tortona, and then the more extensive off-off-site which encompasses more or less the whole of the city.

And so it was that we ventured yesterday evening into the wilds of north Milan in search of the designersblock showcase - the 9th of its kind organised by the London based collective

After the compulsory getting lost and walking in the wrong direction we eventually arrived … and quickly regained our calm thanks largely to the works on display.

Truly, after a couple of days at the “proper” exhibition it was a real joy to view some truly innovative, interesting and functional designs.

Space prevents us from naming all that we liked, however, by way of a short selection.

Beachballs by TOBYhouse at designersblock

Beach Ball Lamps by TOBYhouse (England)

These are real beach balls, coated in resin and then cut open. Colourfully painted on the outside and white on the inside they are a delightful play on classic “ball” lamps. Bright without being garish, retro without being cliched, and a serious adult design that can also be appreciated by children.

Ropeshelf by Laszlo Rozsnoki at designersblock

Ropeshelf by Laszlo Rozsnoki (Germany)

As with all well named products the name leaves little room for misinterpretation. it’s shelves formed from rope. Tightly stretched, secure rope. Although clearly not an object for storing small objects, Ropeshelf is ideal for books and/or CDs - although the user should always be aware that under the weight of the articles the shelves sink and so plan a little in advance A nicely constructed product that not only looks good but works.

Origami Chair by So Takahashi Design at designersblock

Origami Chair by So Takahashi Design (Japan/USA/Norway)

At first glance the Origami Chair looks like it could barely resist the force a slight draft - far less a well fed north European male. But just as origami gives paper a deceptive strength, so the construction of the Origami chair allows the wonderfully waif-like design to provide  comfortable, secure support.

Foldable cardboard chair by Stuart Miller at deignersblock

“Unnamed” by Stuart Miller (Scotland)

My notes on this simply say “Chair, cardboard, comes apart, very comfy, bloody students” More on what that all means later. However for now it suffices to say that for us this foldable cardboard chair is one of the discoveries of the fair so far. Took a problem, analysed it, solved it. And that with style and comfort. Lovely.