As we admitted, “time management challenges” saw us visiting Design braucht Täter 2012 in Cologne before it officially opened.

And before all exhibitors had arrived.

We know it’s not good. And we’re still not sleeping properly.

Outsider by jp designs

And so it was especially nice to receive an e-mail from Julia Pfizenmayer from jp designs – one of those exhibitors we never got the chance to see – introducing us to her modular storage system Outsider.

Because it means that the exhibitors don’t hold it against us.

Now you know us, we’re not going to judge a piece of furniture without having tested it. Experience, as they say, being the mistress of disappointment.

However, looking at the pictures and video, Outsider certainly looks like the sort of design we could get excited about.

Essentially a series of plywood boxes that can be stacked on top of one another, the delight in Outsider is the system by which the individual boxes can be offset from one another.

Now we can hear one or the other of you grumbling, “… but why do I need a storage system where I can offset the different levels by a couple of degrees?”

We don’t know what the background thinking was, but for us… on the one hand, if your anything like us you’ll have items in your shelving that protrude a little too far forward. Shove the unit back and they don’t.

We also have a few spaces where shelving doesn’t really fit; either because the walls aren’t as as straight as they could be or because structures and fittings get in the way. Skirting boards, plugs, etc… The freedom to move individual units a bit to the right or left would be very useful in such cases.

Then there is simply the aesthetic perspective. Especially when using your shelving as a room divider.  Outsider can not only be moved laterally, but also turned to create spiraling structures. And sometimes it’s good to have alinear forms.

But as we say the real delight is not that the elements can be offset, but how the movement occurs.

The individual boxes aren’t fixed to one another, simply placed on top of one another. Yet the system is stable in all positions and the boxes can be “locked” in place.

But how?

As with all good design Outsider performs like a street magician. You watch closely. Can’t see the trick. You look again. And still can’t see it. Your impressed, But just can’t work out how they are doing it.

We cheated. We asked Julia. We know. We’re not going to tell you.

As we say, we’ll have to wait until we’ve actually seen and tested Outsider before we can deliver a final verdict. But from what we’ve seen and heard Outsider by jp designs is certainly a concept worth exploring further.

And so thank you once again to Julia for getting in touch.

Full details can be found at: www.jpdesigns.de

Outsider by jp designs. A Video Introduction.

Bhocker by Marco dos Santos Pina @ Design braucht Täter 2011, Cologne

One of the things that separates the world of independent product designers from the commercial giants is the level of cooperation and community that exists.

Whereas one can’t really imagine, for example, Vitra and Fritz Hansen jointly presenting Verner Panton re-issues at a trade fair; among young and independent designers there are fewer such hang-ups.

And even a few “cooperatives”  – for want of a better phrase – who regularly put on collective shows during design weeks and on the fringe of furniture trade fairs.

One such is “Design braucht Täter” – “Design needs Perpetrators” – a Cologne based platform that regularly present the work of young international designers.

During IMM Cologne “Design braucht Täter” have their base in a props company warehouse – a setting which literally allows the works to be “set in scene”

Among established (smow)blog favourites such as Becherlicht by Martin Neuhaus and Stefan Weiser’s chair series – Design braucht Täter 2011 presented a couple of other works that caught our attention.

Bhocker by Düsseldorf based Marco dos Santos Pina caught our attention, not because of its form, craftsmanship or function – but because we first came across it as part of a stool competition during Vienna Design Week.

And we voted for it as our favourite.

It came second – but only because the winning entry fitted slighter better to the competition rules.

And so it was wonderful to see it in such a setting.

Based on a delightfully simply principle, Bhocker is a wonderful “folding” stool which is perfect, for example, for packing in the car and taking out for roadside picnics.

Part of the hommage au velo range by Sebastian Donath @ design braucht täter 2011, Cologne

As every fool know we don’t like furniture made from everyday items – interesting student projects, daft real life products. And no its not recycling!

That said we were impressed by Berlin designer Sebastian Donath’s “hommage au velo” range of furniture based on bicycle components.

Not because of the use of bicycle components – but on account of their uncomplicated, unobtrusive form and the craftsmanship of the pieces.

Something which indicates more than a little talent and for us a designer worth getting to know a little better.

A notable mention also goes to amba by ellips design. Amba is a hanging chair that looks like a bird cage for humans.
Which is why it gets a notable mention

For us shows such as “Design braucht Täter” are important not only because they offer young designers an efficient platform from which to present themselves – but because they do such independently of the design week organisers and so can present their own accent and direction.

And of course because they give visitors the chance to see a wide variety of designers in one location.

All “Design braucht Täter 2011″ participants can be viewed at www.design-braucht-taeter.de

Design braucht Täter 2011