Vitra Design Museum: Essence of Things. Design and the Art of Reduction.

Parallel to its exhibitions the Vitra Design Museum organises workshops designed not only to accompany the exhibitions but much more to expand on them and so offer participants a new, active, insight into the theme. Or at least an aspect of the theme.

For the current exhibition “Essence of Things. Design and the Art of Reduction” this means, among others, workshops on cardboard furniture production.

Cardboard is without question one of the more challenging products that one can choose for furniture design.

As a cheap, plentiful and - generally- environmentally responsible product it appears to be perfect for use in modern furniture design.

Perfect that is were it not for its inherent instability and fragility problems.

Loving problems as we do we signed up for the workshop.

Having committed our first task was to decide on the product we wanted to develop.

Three sources of inspiration were to act as our guides.

Firstly the concept of the exhibition: Essence of Things. Design and the Art of Reduction. Reduction. Regardless what we decided upon it had to involve using the design process to help “reduce” the product.

Chairless by Alejandro Aravena for Vitra

Among the current products on the market that make use of reduction in design is Chairless by Alejandro Aravena for Vitra.

As a product Chairless claims to remove the chair from the chair. And as such was our second source of inspiration.

For although we like the Chairless concept, for us what is actually does is take the static equilibrium that exist in a chair and replaces that with the system of muscular forces within the human body.

As such the user of Chairless is restricted in his or her movement, as every movement upsets the distribution of forces within the system thus creating instability. If you want to read your friends magazine, but it’s lying to far away - you have to “break” the chair in order to reach the magazine.

And so we decided to take up the “Chairless” idea and develop it with the intention of creating a truly “chairless” chair system that still allows the user full mobility.

MVS Chaise by Maarten van Severen from Vitra

Fairly quickly we landed upon the idea of a foldable system and taking our guidance from Maarten van Severn, an expert in reduced design, we based our concept on the geometry of his MVS Chaise.

The principle problem was - as always with cardboard - how do we guarantee the stability of the product?

With other materials such as plastic, wood or concrete one has a certain degree of inherent stability.

With cardboard one has to introduce the stability as a component of the design.

Frank Gehry, for example achieved the stability in his “Easy Edges” series through the layering of cardboard: chairs such as the Wiggle Side Chair being created by gluing numerous layers of cardboard together under extreme pressure.

The other “classic” solutions when working with cardboard are folding and insertion.

The question facing us was how could we best design our product, without losing sight of the desire to have it as “reduced” as possible.

And it was this question that was to dominate the development phase.

Vitra Design Museum: The Essence of Things. Design and the Art of Reduction

The (smow)blog team outing to the cardboard furniture workshop was coupled with a visit to the current Vitra Design Museum Exhibition: The Essence of Things. Design and the Art of Reduction.

We must admit to finding it more than a little ironic that an exhibition on “Design and the Art of Reduction” should be taking place in a building designed by Frank Gehry, especially when Tadao Ando’s Conference Pavilion is only some 10m away.

And after the long journey to Weil am Rhein this thought honestly kept us amused for about 4 hours.

The exhibition itself is divided into 12 thematic sections each of which deals with a different aspect of “reduction”; be it elements that the end customer is aware of, for example, geometry or lightness or those that remain hidden from the customer, for example reduction in logistics.

Stephan Schulz: Concrete Bowl

Some 160 objects illustrate the various themes ranging from design classics such as Michael Thonet’s Chair No. 14 or the Ant Chair by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen onto objects that are less well known - if every bit as interesting - such as Stephan Schulz’s concrete bowl or Marcel Wanders‘ Knotted Chair for Capellini.

Good design needn’t be complicated, less but more, form follows function - the number of design theories that encapsulate the practice of “reduction” are as numerous as they are legendary: yet at design show after design show we are confronted with products that attempt to win us over though their complexity and extravagance.

We also don’t know why that should be, but we suspect it has a lot to do with a saturated market and the associated increasing role that the internet plays in ensuring that your - probably completely superfluous - work is seen.

Which design blog is going to feature Jasper Morrison’s Ply-Chair when they have photo of a bookcase that looks like to two paradise birds engaging in a mating ritual atop Carmen Miranda?

Ok we would. But not many others.

For us the true art of reduction in design is when the designer reduces the volume of the product down to the absolute minimum - be it through the use of a new material, innovative joining of the individual elements or through reducing the exterior measurements.

.03 by Maarten Van Severen

One particular example that occurs to us being Maarten van Severen’s’ .03 with its integrated compound spring supports that give the chair its comfort and stability without unduly adding to the weight, volume or outer dimensions.

However as the exhibition “The Essence of Things. Design and the Art of Reduction” ably demonstrates  reduction can involve other processes.

Joe Colombo’s No 281 lamp, Wilhelm Wagenfeld’s tea service or Donald Judd’s Chair 84 proving nice examples of what can be achieved with the necessary talent and motivation.

On the negative side we must add that for our taste the exhibition highlighted the work of Charles and Ray Eames a little too heavily - specifically the dedication of the complete section “development” to their work looks suspiciously like a bit of editorial shoe-horning on the curators part.

That aside, for all interested in the design process, and especially where the difference between “designer” furniture - i.e. those furniture pieces where a targeted design process occurs- and cheaper, generic products lies, the Vitra Design Museum exhibition “The Essence of Things. Design and the Art of Reduction.” is definitely worth the trip.
The Essence of Things. Design and the Art of Reduction at the Vitra Design Museum runs until September 19th 2010. More details can be found at http://www.design-museum.de

If we’re honest - and when are we not - the news caused more than little unrest in (smow)blog HQ:

Last Wednesday the VitraHaus in Weil am Rhein greeted it’s 100,000th visitor.

And that in only 12 weeks!

And with the VitraHaus now looking likely to attract more the 500,000 visitors in its first year, Herzog and de Meureon’s structure is well on its way to becoming one of Germany’s leading tourist attractions.

Lovely!

Admirers and fans of the VitraHaus can interact and share photos, tips and experiences at the VitraHaus Facebook Fan Page

VitraHaus and it's creators - Rolf Fehlbaum, Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron

On account of the horrendous hotel prices demanded during design week the (smow)blog team camp in Milan.
And that despite last years near-drowning episode.

This year the decision was a real blessing.

Spared the torment of those trapped by Eyjafjallajokull at Milan Airport our return journey this year took us via Weil am Rhein, Vitra and the VitraHaus.

What a difference the weather makes!

When we were there for the opening in February architect Jacques Herzog commented, somewhat solemnly, that the snow and grey clouds shrouded the constructions true grandeur.

Having now experienced the VitraHaus against a clear blue spring sky, and for all with the wonderful cherry blossom, we can now fully understand what he meant. And his emotions that day.

But not just the outside. Seeing the inside of the VitraHaus alive with “real” visitors rather than journalists was also to experience the building in a completely different context.

As ever an experience we can only recommend.

Below a few new VitraHaus photos.

VitraHaus Weil am Rhein; A place to explore designer furniture

VitraHaus, Weil am Rhein

Relaxing at the foot of the Tüllinger Hill, from inside the VitraHaus

VitraHaus Weil am Rhein ... a home from home

On Saturday 20.03.2010 the latest Vitra Design Museum exhibition “The Essence of Things. Design and the Art of Reduction” officially opens.
An exhibition very much after our own hearts.

“The Essence of Things. Design and the Art of Reduction” explores the logic that “it is in the nature of human beings to seek the simplest solution” Although admittedly this is a logic that - despite its logic -  all too many designers somehow manage to ignore, there are thankfully enough examples of good, reduced, design to prove that simple really is best.

The exhibition features works from, for example,  Michael Thonet, Le Corbusier, Charles and Ray Eames, Jasper Morrison and naturally the doyen of “less is more” Dieter Rams.

In addition to featuring items dating from a Stone Age stone axe, over the  Thonet Chair No. 14 and up to the iPod, the designer furniture is complemented by photos from the fields of architecture, fashion and art.

“The Essence of Things. Design and the Art of Reduction” runs at the Vitra Design Museum until 19.09.

Our tip: visit in April, combine it with a trip to the VitraHaus and enjoy the wonderful cherry blossom in the orchard between the VitraHaus and the Vitra Design Museum.

"The Essence of Things. Design and the Art of Reduction": A stone axe, good, simple, design (foto: Andreas Sütterlin, copyright Vitra Design Museum)

"The Essence of Things. Design and the Art of Reduction": Eames Chairs good, simple, design (foto: Copyright Vitra)

"The Essence of Things. Design and the Art of Reduction": Panton Chair good, simple, design (foto: Andreas Sütterlin, copyright Panton Design, Basel)

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.

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