Who needs architects anyway?

Following the disappointment of Burg Giebichenstein it seemed that Urðr, Shai and Nortia had once again collectively abandoned us as we strove northwards through the rain and thunder towards Berlin.

Alone the fact that we were unwittingly party to that age old eastern Germanic ritual of the summer migration to the Baltic Sea keeping our mood high.

From Berlin Hbf the transient throng continued on to Rostock, Warnemünde and the other traditional Sachsen summer feeding grounds on the Baltic coast, and we headed to Berlin-Charlottenburg.

Where we were relieved to find the Gods of Fate enjoying a cup coffee in the UDK student cafe.

The principle focus of the Universität der Künste Berlin Rundgang 2010 was semester projects.

Der Trockenschirm by Janja Maidl at the Universität der Künste Berlin

A selection of the diploma projects was on display on the landings; although somewhat regrettably not all diploma projects. “Jack” by Julia Reischel and “Qabel” by Philipp Frank being just two of the projects we liked the look of, but which we sadly only saw on paper and not en persona.

The semester projects themselves were generally fairly restrictively set. On the one hand a legitimate method to focus the concentration of the students; however, we did occasionally have the feeling that the projects had been a little too heavily shoehorned to match the demands of commercial partners.

The cooperation between design schools and commercial partners being a subject we will discuss at a later date.

And so whereas projects such as the candle design class “Light my Fire” or “Lichten” which posed the question “How much illumination does a light need?” produced a couple of interesting results; for us they were much more about observing and understanding the learning process.

A particularly delightful visualisation of the learning process being the questionnaire all students of the class “Industrial Design Basics” had completed. Through naming their favourite project, their personal disaster and the moment when “the penny dropped” one could clearly see several similarities between the  new design students. The most common problems being starting too late with the preparation and not properly prototyping and modelling a concept before starting to produce. Consequently the exhibition to the class was less relevant than the noticeboard in the corridor.

Sno by Louise Unbekannt at Universität der Künste Berlin

In an otherwise highly informative and very enjoyable exhibition we found nothing that one could truly class as innovation, and only found one class - Rapid Up -where we could see any real commercial potential.

With Sno, Louise Unbekannt has developed a wonderful Moormann-esque coat rack/clothes hanger: Three curved pieces of wood that slide into and support one another. Not only has “Sno” a wonderful geometry, but also a couple of nice little details that indicate the talent behind the design.

Mesa Portador by Ben Raubold also appeared to have its origins in Aschau in Chiemgau. Although we liked the idea of the table supports that can be used at two different heights what we really excited us was the further development.

Mesa Portador by Ben Raubold at Universität der Künste Berlin

Portador is Spanish for carrying/bearing as in weight - does however also conjures up the concept of portable.

If Ben can develop the design so that it all the components can be locked together flat, thus allowing easy transport then we can imagine a few very practical uses for Mesa Portador.

As we say apart from these two works we saw very little in terms of “products”: but that shouldn’t be understood as criticism. The tone of the exhibition was very much about showing the development of the students and how the students learn - and in such cases you don’t expect “products” but “ideas” and “possibilities”. And they were as plentiful as sunburnt Sachsen on Warnemünde beach.

A further highlight awaited us in front of the main UDK building in the Hardenberg Strasse.

A wind turbine created from old oil drums.

We don’t know any more as the information board was missing.
We assume that such constructions can be found on a hundred thousand smallholdings in India and Africa. Indeed we hope so.

The concept however being the first thing in Berlin that had really inspired and motivated us.

A selection of photos from the Universität der Künste Berlin Rundgang 2010 can be found on (smow)flickr

And so after a highly enjoyable and entertaining day at the Universität der Künste, we headed north east to the Berlin Weißensee Kunsthochschule Rundgang 2010.

More (smow) videos

Name: Stephan Schulz

Born: Schwerin, 1983

Studies:
2003-2009  Industrial Design, Burg Giebichenstein, Halle
2007-2008 Erasmus studies at the Design Academy Eindhoven

Internships: 2008 Bellini Design Studio, Milan

Products:
Stellvertreter for Nils Holger Moormann, Aschau im Chiemgau
Concrete bowl series “frisch ausgeschalt” for Betoniu, Leipzig

Stephan Schulz

(smow)blog: Why Industrial Design?
Stephan Schulz: It sort of just developed. I’ve always built things and experimented with different materials, and everything somehow came together. I’ve always had this need to create things and to work with objects.

(smow)blog: Any particular influences on your development?
Stephan Schultz: As a designer you are always influenced, much of it subconscious. I think its fair to say that my generation, at least here in Germany, has been influenced by Konstantin Grcic. Although in design influences are necessarily always positive. The first time I was really aware of design was Bauhaus, especially the work from Mies van der Rohe. But I honestly couldn’t hold one person up as an influence.

(smow)blog: Why did you decide to study at Burg Giebichenstien?
Stephan Schulz: It was one of the first colleges I applied to. I passed the test, the school has a good reputation and the town itself appealed to me.

(smow)blog: You are now finished with your studies, have taken up a studio here in Design Haus Halle, do you plan to remain here in Halle?
Stephan Schulz: Initially yes. On the one hand here I have the opportunity to use the college workshops, and on the other if I was to go elsewhere I would never find a studio as cheap as here in the Design Haus. Also here I have my network of contacts which at this stage in my career makes everything much simpler. That said I’m not permanently fixed to Halle, not least because I’m not from here.

Stellvertreter by Stephan Schulz for Moormann

(smow)blog: You are still at the start of your career, but what is the highpoint thus far?
Stephan Schulz:
[laughs]
I really am at the very beginning, but the highpoint is definitely the coat rack from Moormann [Stellvertreter]. I completed my degree three months ago and last year during my studies brought a product on the market with a producer. And yeah that is the highpoint.

(smow)blog: And how did your concrete bowl end up in the Vitra Design Museum Exhibition “The Essence of Things. Design and the Art of Reduction”?
Stephan Schulz: Martin Hartung, one of the Vitra Design Museum curators saw it in another exhibition, liked it and included it. [laughs] Sometimes it really is that simple.

(smow)blog:When we think about your concrete bowl, on your clay panels or your wood and china articles. Do you like working and experimenting with different materials?
Stephan Schulz: Definitely. I couldn’t specialise on just one material and say I’m only going to work with china, or I’m only going to work with concrete. For me that is the most interesting on industrial design, that you can go in any direction and experiment as and when you want.

(smow)Blog: And in general, where do you see your future?
Stephan Schulz: I have specialised on furniture and interior products and want to develop in that direction. I don’t want to just make individual objects, I also want to create products for series production.  As a designer you have the need to show that what you create works, also in terms of producibility. That the market is currently over saturated many designers are currently going in a more artistic, experimental direction. It’s part of the job and often the first step, but my goal is to bring products to the market that people are happy to buy.

Concrete bowl by Stephan Schulz for betonui

(smow)blog: In that context, as a young designer, how do you reach producers?
Stephan Schulz:It’s difficult. I don’t really know. Obviously you go to exhibitions as the principle method of exposing your work to the public, but it is very difficult. With Nils Holger Moormann I showed him the product and he liked it. Which is obviously the perfect scenario. But such is also the exception, and the next 10 times it wont work.
It’s a long hard road. And the biggest problem is that there is no marked paths. No one can tell you how you should proceed or how you should approach a producer. It’s a long hard road.

(smow)blog: Then good luck!

More information on Stephan Schulz can be found at at studio-stephanschulz.com/

Comfy Cargo Chair by Stephan Schulz: An empty frame you can fill according to mood and situation

Foam soft pad chair by Stephan Schulz

Bone china jugs by Stephan Schulz

Tischlader by Stephan Schulz

Although always a hard fought encounter this Holland - Germany match had an added edge; the winner proceeding to the semi-finals of the 2010 (smow) designer furniture World Cup.

Ahead of the match the Dutch decided to switch Hella Jongerius for Marcel Wanders; hoping that the creative force behind moooi and droog could better counteract Grcic’s clear, linear forms. And the tactic worked. With first his Knotted Chair and then his New Antiques combination for Capellini, Marcel Wanders took a deserved 2:0 lead. Becoming increasingly frustrated by his inability to make headway Grcic unleashed an unnecessary 360 degree chair and was rightly booked for a dubious bit of “product reference” to George Nelson’s 1964 Nelson Perch.

At half-time the Germans substituted Grcic for Nils Holger Moorman, and the wily old man of modern German design quickly brought the score back to 2:1 with an unbelievably cheeky Rechenbeispiel. As the second half progressed it was clear that Nils Holger Moormann’s more authentic, soulful anarchy was stronger than Marcel Wanders’ carefully considered, calculated imagination and so it came as no surprise when Nils Holger Moorman drew level with his Bookinist before taking the lead with Liesmichl.

A thoroughly absorbing and dramatic encounter ending 3:2 for Germany.

The Group B table and all Group B results can be found here.

Konstantin Grcic is booked for his 360 chair

You know how it is.

You arrive early in the office….. Make a coffee….. Turn the computer on…….. Check out the tabloid press websites….. And break gently into the day with stories as irrelevant and vacuous as they are compelling.

It’s just a comfortable and familiar way to start the day.

This morning was different.

The story had all the makings of normal tabloid nonsense: a pop star, a footballer’s wife and a party guest list that you suspect had been thrown together by a tired and bored PR company who distribute invites by clicking “resend” .

“The popstar wife of footballer David Beckham, who has her own fashion label, revealed that she has been asked to design the interior of the new X Y Z - extending the ever-expanding ‘Brand Beckham’ into the world of motoring.”

“On her new role as car designer, she said: ‘I am incredibly excited to be collaborating with X Y. I like to take on a challenge and I’m ready for it.’”

Vehicles by designers aren’t new.

The Interior of James Irvine's bus. Roomier than what Mrs Beckham has to work with.

In cooperation with the Expo 2000 exhibition James Irvine and Jasper Morrison designed trams and buses for the cities of Hanover and Leipzig; London Transport recently unveiled their new routemaster bus from the pen of Thomas Heatherwick; Thonet have developed a delightful gear shift knob in collaboration with Volvo.

Aschau im Chiemgau design legend Nils Holger Moormann has as even designed a complete range of vehicles for nomadic bibliophiles; the Bookinist and Easy Reader.

But “car designer” Victoria Beckham?

Is that really “design”?

Or just an obvious and cheap PR gag from a company whose tradition and customer list would tend to imply that they really don’t need to resort to tired PR gags?

We go with the later. But know that in doing so we’re opening a large can of worms.

The delightful Volvo gear shift knob by Thonet

Is every new Philippe Starck product really necessary? When company A, B or C hire Patricia Urquiola to design a new sideboard - do they really need the sideboard, or Patricia Urquiola as a designer in their portfolio? In a saturated media market are “star” designers being increasingly abused as “blog fodder”? A quick look in our twitter and RSS feeds would tend to imply yes.

Ronan Bouroullec certainly provided a fairly broad hint in that direction during his conversation with us in Milan.

But also did little more than confirm what we all know.

A lot of the products that are launched at design shows are superfluous.

Completely.

They are superfluous because they are not necessary, because they exist only as marketing vehicles for the company; but principally because everyone can see that the designer has given practically no thought as to what they are doing or why.

Consequently, many of the products in Milan might as well have been “designed” by Victoria Beckham.

Which is why we’re not going to Milan 2011: Too irrelevant.

Bookinst by Nils Holger Moormann - a real designer car

Clearly Mrs Beckham isn’t “designing” the interior of the new X Y Z; she’s choosing the fabric.
And it will probably be black leather.

And as such we shouldn’t get so wound-up.

But it does get our goat when something as involved and creative as “design” is reduced to nothing more than a marketeers line in a press release designed to ensure media coverage and thus sell a product or brand.

A marketeers line that is then gleefully repeated ad captandum vulgus by the international press.

Just as it gets our goat when designers who we know are blessed with talents far beyond the normal turn out pointless tat that no one really needs in order to make a quick buck. A little more self-control would be nice; from the designers as well as from the click hungry blog community who give the producers the oxygen they crave - yet often don’t deserve.

“Car designer” Victoria Beckham.

We’d love to be a fly on the wall as Victoria Beckham “designs” the X Y Z interior.

The careers of Konstantin Grcic and Patricia Urquiola could barely be more different; whereas Patricia Urquiola has steadily and confidently moved through the traditional Italian designer furniture producers, Konstantin Grcic has skipped from cult producer to cult producer with only the occasional diversion into the mainstream of European designer furniture producers.

Opening with a Hut Ab for Nils Holger Moormann, Grcic then complimented this with an  ES shelving system for Moormann before eventually taken a deserved 1:0 lead with an Osorom seating unit for Moroso.

Obviously taken aback by this unexpected foray into what is traditionally her territory, Patricia Urquiola seemed stunned, and Grcic used the opportunity to increase his lead to with a quick Tom Tom side table for SCP.

Despite Patricia Urquiola’s best efforts there was simply no way back.

The Group B table and all Group B results can be found here.

The Stature of Liberty, New York ...

We’re not in New York for ICFF this year.

Last year was just toooooo traumatic…

Which is a shame because our inbox is full of the most wonderful shows and products - not least the lamp collection from “the new American lighting company” Roll and Hill.

In many ways a vehicle for Brooklyn designer - and our personal highlight from last years ICFF - Jason Miller, Roll and Hill carries a wide range of lighting from contemporary US designers including Lindsey Adams Adelman, Paul Loebach, Sarah Cihat and Michael Miller as well as the design collective Rich Brilliant Willing.

Lighting is one of those complex design fields; whereas choosing seating or storage units is normally a decision based around functionality.

Lamps illuminate.

True technical innovation such as with Richard Sappers Tizio for Artemide or aesthetic innovation such as Nils Holger Moormann’s Pin Coat Pin Light being rare exceptions; many producers simply assume the consumer doesn’t care, as long as the light illuminates.

With the Roll and Hill collection, however, the lamp is undoubted the star.

And that’s a good thing as it acts as a check on the uniterrupted flow of tat being produced on the basis that no really cares.

Our personal favourite remains Jason Miller’s Modo Chandelier, a product of such dignified elegance it truly blow us away last year in New York.

The complete Roll and Hill collection can be viewed at http://www.rollandhill.com/

Modo Chandelier by Jason Miller through Roll and Hill

We don’t have to go to Milan to visit Moormann.

We can just go to Aschau.

But we do enjoy visiting Moormann in Milan, because they always make that little more effort.

After Moormann’s 2009 Saloni Milano stand with Liesmichl, Strammer Max, Steckling et al, 2010 is looking a little more reserved.

That said Else is already promising to be one of the highlights of Milan 2010 for us.

Else is not a Moormann employee, lovely as they all are, but a new shelving concept by Werner Gasser.

As you know the all time favourite (smow)blog furniture piece is Gangsta Lean by Matt Braun.

A truly marvellous product.

And Else by Werner Gasser is in many ways an extension of the Gangsta Lean concept to an individually configurable shelving system.

Gangsta Lean for those who prefer “Lean” to “Gangsta” - if you follow us.

And for those who don’t, a short video introduction.

(smow)liest, Liesmichl holds: Roman Graf, Ursula Fricker and Arno Camenisch

For us Switzerland means three things.

USM Haller

Tax avoidance.

Phil Collins.

With the evening “Neue Stimmen from Switzerland”, organised  by SWIPS - Swiss Independent Publishers - and supported by Pro Helvetia, the (smow)room in Leipzig hosted the second (smow)liest event during the 2010 Leipzig Buchmesse.

And proved that the Alpine Republic, does have more to offer. A lot more.

Roman Graf opened proceedings with his debut novel “Herr Blanc”. As a young man Herr Blanc left possibly the only women with whom he could be truly happy. And spent the rest of his life regretting the fact; without realising it. Only at the end of his life, when any hope had - literally- died, must he face the truth that was his life.

The themes of lost love, failure and the eternal search for elusive happiness were then continued in “Das letzte Bild” by Ursula Fricker. In her second novel, Ursula Fricker tells the tale of photographer Flloyd and the, less than succesful, reunion with his 15year old daughter. Set in the wilds of rural Brandenburg, “Das letzte Bild” is a dark, brooding celebration of human nature and fate.

Swiss furniture, Swiss author - Arno Camenisch and USM Haller

The final author Arno Camenisch brought a new tone to the evening. And indeed another language; Romansh. Although officially presented as Arno Camenisch’s first German language novel “Sez Ner” springs back and forth between German and Romansh. And that to great effect. Superficially a comic novel, “Sez Ner” is much more a novel the uses comedy to explore issues of human relationships and the daily problems we all face.

The evening was expertly hosted by Berlin based, Swiss born, journalist Michael Angele who, in addition to presenting the three authors and their works, also stimulated and guided the various discussions.

Is Herr Blanc typically Swiss? And what is Swiss? Can a Swiss author write in German, or should they write in regional dialects?

All in all Neue Stimmen from Switzerland was a highly entertaining and at time thought provoking evening that was very well received by the (smow) audience.

And thankfully no-one thought about Phil Collins the whole evening.

Herr Blanc by Roman Graf is published by Limmat Verlag Zürich.

Das letzte Bild by Ursula Fricker is published by Rotpunktverlag.

Sez Ner by Arno Camenisch is published by Urs Engeler Editor

Michael Angele, Ursula Fricker, Roman Graf and Arno Camenisch

(smow)liest, Liesmichl holds: Grillsaison by Philipp Kohlhöfer.

It’s not easy being German.

It really isn’t.

Fortunately, it can be highly entertaining; as Philipp Kohlhöfer more than eloquently demonstrated to a full house at the opening event of (smow)liest 2010 in the (smow)room in Leipzig.

From David Hasselhoff karoake with South-Central LA gangsters to dinner with Nelly Furtado via the moral dilemmas of associating oneself with childless individuals, Philipp Kohlhöfer led the audience through an amusing, and at times highly poetic, evening of anecdotes, observation and memories.

One of the real joys of the reading was that the majority of the stories told would never happen to the majority of the audience. They are the stories that evolve in the work of a journalist. Those side events associated with the real work. “Normal” people don’t go there, can’t go there and if offered the chance probably wouldn’t want to go there.

Journalists often only realise later that they were even there.

And yet despite the fact that the listeners couldn’t always place themselves in the situations Philipp Kohlhöfer found himself in, they could empathise with his handling of the situation, and somehow knew that he had done the right thing.

Or at least assumed he had, largely due to Philipp Kohlhöfers, relaxed, friendly and highly competent presentation style.

If we are genuinely to believe that this was Philipp Kohlhöfer’s first public reading, then we have to ask why.
Grillsaison by Philipp Kohlhöfer is guaranteed not a book for everyone; but if you are looking for a tome to keep you entertained on the journey to work, or as a companion for longer flights, then the format combined with Philipp Kohlhöfer’s easy, flowing style and the absurdity of the stories should make the journey a little more bearable.

Grillsaison by Philipp Kohlhöfer is published by Goldmann.

High above the mean streets of downtown Leipzig, Philipp Kohlhöfer reads from his debut book, Grillsaison.

Moormann Haus, Aschau in Chiemgau

Following our visit to the #VitraHaus this coming Friday, the (smow)wintertour 2010 then proceeds, by ski, along the alps to Aschau im Chiemgau, Bavaria and a visit to Nils Holger Moormann and the, so-called, Moormann Haus.

Constructed in 1859 by the Bavarian star architect/stage designer team of Christian Jank and Eduard Riedel, who later went on to find wider acclaim with the construction of Schloss Neuschwanstein, the Moormann Haus was built to commemorate the presentation by Maximilian the Second of Bavaria to the citizens of Aschau of the rights to produce “ye olde mdf and veneer plywood furniture in ye olde colors red, white and black”

Built using traditional Bavarian carpentry techniques, the Haus initially carried the name “Kampenwand Haus” after the mountain at whose feet it stands.

Following the death of Ludwig the Second in 1886 the population of Aschau were so overcome with grief that production of the mdf and veneer plywood furniture ceased. In 1992 the rights were acquired by Nils Holger Moormann who restarted the production of quality designer furniture in Aschau. As a token of the towns gratitude the “Kampenwand Haus” was renamed “Moormann Haus”.

In addition to serving as an inspiration for the new VitraHaus, the Moormann Haus also served as inspiration for one of Nils Holger Moormanns most successful designs; the Liesmichl.

Liesmichl by Nils Holger Moormann

One of the most innovative and functional of all Moormann products, Liesmichl beautifully combines the two traditional strands of the so called “Aschau School”; veneer plywood and the colours red/white/black with modern hot rolled steel into a delightful reading/bedside table.

The form of the Liesmichl is based on the shape of the internal supporting structure of the Moormann Haus. Just as the inside of the Statue of Liberty is, more or less, the Eifel Tower.

We will provide not only regular (smow)blog posts and (smow)twitter tweets from our journey to and time in Aschau, but will also report a little on the “behind the scenes” daily reality at Moormann and for all the technology behind the ingenious Moormann webmic communication system.

And from the Moormann Haus, Aschau im Chiemgau the (smow)wintertour 2010 goes further …. but more later.

Moormann webmic communication system