Cubes Preview Mag issue 54

D e s i g n s p a c e L i f e

feb/mar 2012 s$8.00

The Ways and Workings of PlysTudio

Marcel Wanders sPeaks

M-house byong&ong

design invenTory 2012

WelcomeHome

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design

in the design world, the word ‘iconic’ is often applied to buildings or furniture but rarely to utilitarian sanitary fixtures. With VOLA, however, sleek, well-proportioned designs, streamlined functionality and unrivalled quality epitomise the highest standards in the industry – garnering it a spot alongside Lugwig Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona Chair in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), and in the projects of some of the most reputable architects worldwide – Peter Zumthor’s Therme Vals in Switzerland, Sir Norman Foster’s Reichstag building in Germany and The Park Hyatt Hotel in Seoul by Super Potato, just to name a few.

Its story goes back to 1961 when Verner Overgaard, the owner of VOLA (the ‘L’ and ‘A’ derived from Lund A/S, Overgaard’s business manufacturing brass taps for hospitals), conceptualised a wall-mounted tap that had all its pipes and plumbing hidden in the wall, leaving only the spout and handle exposed.

A Danish

Good design stands the test of time. For VOLA, no other phrase rings truer.

Text by Luo Jingmei Images courtesy of Vola

Icon

He approached architect and designer Arne Jacobsen, who had just won the commission to design the National Bank of Denmark, to help him realise this then-revolutionary idea. One of Danish modern design’s luminaries – he designed the famous Egg chair – Jacobsen’s brand of elegant functionalism resulted in a classic: the VOLA KV1 in 1968. It made its first appearance in the bank, and received the ID-Prize in the subsequent year. In 1971, the wall-mounted mixer was created.

40 years on, Jacobsen’s design remains largely unchanged, save for technological improvements – flow regulators can now be easily installed without changing the entire product – and thermostatic varieties. Finishes comprise polished or brushed chrome, brushed stainless steel, natural brass, a recently developed gunmetal that is virtually scratch-resistant and a range of 14 bright shades, including the grey hue that Jacobsen developed to match the National Bank’s concrete.

Compared to other brands where releasing a new range every season is considered de rigueur in keeping up with trends, VOLA retains a single range. It’s a benefit VOLA fans appreciate – spare parts are still available for a tap bought decades back. However, the modular system has now been developed to include handles, spouts, cover plates and accessories

that can be mixed to create flexible and personalised combinations.

New products based on the solid stainless steel cylinder – these include shower mixers, modular heated towel rails, the Freestanding series (FS) of shower and tap mixers and bath fillers as well as the Round series of sleek bathroom waste bins and paper tissue

smooth operator: Each VOLA product is built to order at the factory in Horsens, Denmark

classic Form: VOLA introduced clean, modern design into the bathroom

pioneering precision: Verner Overgaard, the founder of VOLA holding the iconic KV1 tap, designed based on the golden section

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composed chic: The Freestanding range considers the trend of merging bedroom and bathroom

a true modernist: Arne Jacobsen was already a famous architect and designer when he met Verner Overgaard

colour bath: Coloured taps (pictured here on the HV1 tap) are one of VOLA's trademarks

dispensers – are still being added to the range with help from Danish architectural firm Aarhus Arkitekterne A/S.

Carsten G. Hartmann, the Asia Pacific sales manager of VOLA who was recently in Singapore, affirms, “When we develop a new product it has to be spot on because people’s expectations are really high and we only come up with a few products each year.”

No doubt VOLA designs have been endlessly copied but, not surprisingly, without the precision and quality of the original. Up till today, all VOLA products are made in its factory in Horsens, Denmark, instead of cheaper locales in the Far East. This enables a high level of craftsmanship to complement work done by machines – the quality finish of VOLA taps can only be achieved by hand and production lines are based on the principle of ‘one man, one tap’ where each tap is unique and built to order. Attests Carsten proudly, “It makes us proud that many manufacturers produce in China and send to Europe, when we manufacture in Denmark and send to China.”

In line with the brand’s principles, the VOLA Academy was built in 2008 as part of its 40th anniversary. It houses showrooms, offices, and a lecture hall for presentations by architects and training rooms where Danish plumbers are taught and certified to correctly install VOLA products.

Today, VOLA is owned and managed by Overgaard’s sons, Carsten Overgaard, the managing director, and Poul Overgaard, the sales and marketing director. Keeping the business in the family is very much a key to its success. “We do things very differently from any other tap manufacturer in the world,” says Hartmann. “We go our own way. We don’t want to do what’s trendy today. We want to do timeless design.” vola.com

volumefivehome.com

“We go our own way. We don’t want to do

what’s trendy today.”


design

Cast off materials are not what one would associate with luxury furniture but for e15, they sparked the birth of the brand. In 1994, while studying architecture at the Architectural Association in London, Philipp Mainzer teamed up with fellow German, Florian Asche, a product designer, to create a series of furniture with recycled solid wood. The first four oak tables were made in Hackney, London – e15 is the London zip code where it all began.

“We didn’t start with a business plan. It started with a desire to produce nice, modern, very simple pieces of furniture with strong characters [and] wood was the

starting point,” says Mainzer who was recently in Singapore. But back then, not everyone appreciated the kind of unrefined beauty Mainzer favoured. “The first time we showed at a furniture fair, they were laughing at us,” he recalls.

He points out the iconic Backenzahn™ (German for “molar”) stool made of four roughened tapering wood pieces – initially made from left over pieces of wood from making tables – while running his fingers over the radiating veins of the Big Foot™ table, its four legs made from the centre of tree trunks. “No companies want this part. They usually discard the centre of the tree

e15’s thoughtful and holistic approach to design paved its way from the bottom to the top of the design ladder. Text by Luo Jingmei Images courtesy of e15 unless otherwise stated

Raw Perfection

at the helm:Philipp Mainzer, e15's co-founder, managing and creative director

green Centre:e15 now uses wood from sustainable

forests (pictured here are tree trunks centres for the Big Foot™ table)

brandb e h i n d t h e

e 1 5

photo Credit: JUStiN Loh, ShiNiNg head Media photo Credit: iNgMar KUrth

photo Credit: aNdreaS MiKUtta


because it cracks. They use it for heating. But we wanted those cracks.”

Fast-forward 16 years and it’s a different story. These very “flaws”, together with the brand’s pure design language, perpetuate e15’s popularity today. e15 is now sold in over 550 retail shops in 40 countries. It also has a dedicated showroom on Via Tortona in Milan. The list of materials has now expanded from just oak to include European walnut, stainless steel, brass, copper, aluminium, glass, fabrics and in 2012, marble in its new Enoki range of low tables. Bathroom (The New Places Bathroom collection

modern lines:The Habibi side table, Eugene armchair and Kavir carpets come together in a contemporary symphony

– a joint project with Dornbracht and Alape) and office collections were also added, the latter bringing e15’s brand of warm minimalism into contract spaces.

Consistent throughout all its designs are quality make and a clear, distilled expression of both concept and form. Take for example, Mark Holmes’ Seam One Lamp with a distinct geometric form made from just three folded sheets of aluminium, or Stefan Diez’s celebrated Houdini family of chairs – their slim, faceted, wood veneered forms as if taken directly from a two-dimensional sketch. The Martha coat rack Mainzer designed back in 1996 is made from a single wood panel that leans against the wall, with eight angled incisions acting as ‘hooks’ that reduce the need for additional elements. On its own, it is also a modern sculpture.

Unlike other brands, e15 doesn’t churn out products to satiate market demand. The concept for each piece is well thought through and collaborators are carefully chosen. Not one to trawl design fairs looking for the next big thing, e15 prefers partnerships that develop organically – Stefan Diez is a close friend and photographer for the e15 catalogue, Mark Borthwick, a like-minded acquaintance.

One of the brand’s most significant partnerships is that with Iranian-born Farah Ebrahimi, whom Mainzer met in New York

natural forms:The iconic Big Foot™ and Backenzahn™ stools showcases solid wood's natural beauty

“They usually discard the centre of the tree because it cracks...we wanted

those cracks.”

photo Credit: iNgMar KUrth


Dining

3171 Bench

Børge Mogensen was one of the champions of mid-century Danish design alongside Arne Jacobson and Hans Wegner. We like the 3171 bench with its slim

leather seat on an oak frame with distinctive clean lines that shows off the quality of craftsmanship. Available at Danish Design. danishdesignco.com

hyannis Port DisPlay caBinet

Void of fussy lines and elaborate patterns, Ligne Roset’s Hyannis port display cabinet features brilliant chrome handles and metal underframes that elegantly showcases your fine china in its full glory. Choose from a classic gloss lacquer or dignified ebony-stained oak veneer finish. ligne-roset.commonticellodesigns.com

Daiginjo glass

The Daiginjo is made from usuhari (“thin glass” in Japanese) – the extremely delicate glass is less than 1mm thick but is as robust as ordinary glassware – and was

designed to draw out more of the flavour and taste of the fruity Japanese sake it was named after. Available at Atomi. atomi-jp.com

Voiles Dinnerware

Puiforcat’s Voiles porcelain tableware is inspired by the sea. The graphical pattern on each piece is a contemporary depiction of white sails against a background of blue in three shades – indigo for the sea, Persian blue and vibrant blue for the sky. Each piece has its own distinct design, bringing variation to the tablescape. Available at Hanz Artistique. [email protected]

Design inVentory


212 Dining taBle

Progetto Domestico uses contemporary techniques and experimental procedures to turn recycled materials like fibreglass, wax, leather, brass and iron into artful furniture and lighting fixtures. Amongst

them is the 212 iron dining table with a strong industrial form and tactility. All pieces are produced in limited editions. Available at P5.progettodomestico.comp5.com.sg

citterio 98 cutlery

Designed by Antonio Citterio and Glen Oliver Löw, the Citterio 98 flatware series for Iittala is a contemporary classic recognised by its bold, distinctive form that tapers towards its middle. It comes with generously proportioned handles that one’s hand moulds to easily. Available at Style Nordic. iittala.comstylenordic.com

naoshima stool

Four identical pieces of plywood fold down the edges of Ziru’s Naoshima stool in angled facets, giving it a visually light and vibrant character. Available in either natural oak, or dyed or

lacquered beech, it also comes in three heights – perfect for extra seating at the dinner table, drinks by the kitchen counter or at the bar table. Available at Foundry Store. zirucontract.comfoundry-store.com

Fruity Fruit Bowl

Charlotte Arvidsson’s Fruity fruit bowl for Normann Copenhagen was inspired by the idea of a raindrop hitting water. The fun and functional bowl can be used flat, suspended or freestanding and comes as a flat-packed kit of parts that can be assembled or disassembled quickly and easily. Available online at Normann Copenhagen. normann-copenhagen.com

armless chair

Tamotsu Yagi’s Nextmaruni Armless Chair for Japanese furniture company Maruni is best viewed from the back. It has an intricate design inspired by origami and is realised with different processing techniques such as yosegi (mosaic woodwork), mageki (bentwood work) and kumiki (assembling wood without clasps). Available at Atomi.maruni.comatomi-jp.com


A Simple lifeFor architect teo Yee chin oF red Bean architects, the design of his home started as a fundamental questioning of ‘norms’. “It’s a reaction against current trends in architecture where we tend to over-articulate,” he says.

In the context of this 5,920-sq-ft house in the East Coast area – Teo lives here with his parents (his father is the client), architect wife Yih Hsiu and three young daughters – he has only provided for what he thinks is necessary by eschewing conventions of maximising the available site.

“I didn’t want to do a full three-and-a-half storey house (the “half” refers to the attic). A proportion like that is not a house to me,” he remarks. “A house to me is horizontal, [where] you can enjoy the landscape because you are close to the ground – first storey living spaces, second storey bedrooms.”

A house by Red beAn ARchitects Rethinks the foRmulA foR A fAmily home.

Text by luo Jingmei Photography by Jeremy san

at sUndoWn:The brick facade originates from a pixelated sunset scene

clear deFines:The driveway leads into the service ‘band’ defined by a protruding concrete wall

space FeatUre

Home



NEUtral PalEttE:Dutch design studio D/Dock’s Room 21

Palatial trEatmENt:The hotel is set in a 13th century château

trUst the Dutch to turn the concept of the boutique hotel on its head. In Maastricht’s Château Bethlehem, you may find yourself bedding down under a swimming elephant, awaking in an autumnal forest setting, or discovering that the furniture in your suite is made from a combination of paper, cardboard and papier-mâché.

The 26-key property, which also features a 130-seat restaurant and bar, is set in a historic 13th century château fringed by lush parkland. But there’s an added twist: the hotel is staffed entirely by hospitality students from the Hoge Hotelschool Zuyd (HHM; Maastricht Hotel Management School), making it a unique teaching facility. “All positions are filled with students and a team of lecturers coaches them,” explains Vera Duehring, dean of relations and commercial affairs.

Suite SurpriseExpect the unexpected at this hotel in the Netherlands, where designer guest rooms exhibit all manner of eccentricity and whimsy.

Text by Aaron De silvaImages courtesy of Third Year Photography students, Academy of Fine Arts maastricht, and Robert Kot / citizenRK

dEstiNatioNs


ChambEr of Whimsy:Designer Richard Hutten’s Room 9 features a swimming elephant painted onto the ceiling

“Our main program is a four-year Bachelor degree which is based on theory and practice. Especially for the workplace learning experience in the first two years, we felt it would add value for the students to have a training facility that is embedded in the school environment,” she adds. “The advantages are that the interaction between theory and practice can be optimised; students are coached by lecturers in a real-life environment; and, as the students are always the first contact for a guest, they are from the first moment fully responsible for their area.”

The school, which owns the heritage building, invited interior architect Henk Vos to oversee the transformation of the premises from medieval digs to state-of-the-art guesthouse. Assuming the role of art director, Vos in turn solicited the expertise of a dozen Dutch designers like Studio Job and Jurgen Bey to come up with plans for the individual rooms. As a result, an amble through the property becomes a veritable lesson in contemporary Dutch design. Each designer was tasked with the responsibility of designing between two to four rooms, while Leon de Lange, a graduate from the prestigious Design Academy Eindhoven, did up restaurant L’Etoile.

Other than the requirements to keep to the budget, maintain the integrity of the listed building and produce an educational and innovative environment, the designers were given carte blanche. “We asked the designers to share their visions of what the ‘nomad of tomorrow’ needs. The idiosyncratic designs offer challenges on all levels (intellectual and practical) that our students have to solve,” says Duehring.

The diversity of rooms is even more pertinent give the concept of the HMM. Not only does it keep things interesting for guests, it also lets students work with and adapt to different types of rooms – perhaps a taste of their future experiences with the various hotels that they will work in. Indeed, it provides the ideal platform for elevating the standards of the Dutch hospitality industry.

Dutch design is important as a symbol of national pride, just as haute couture fashion is to the French or mechanical watchmaking is to the Swiss. “Dutch design is an ambassador for the Netherlands in the world and we’re educating future talent for the international hospitality industry,” explains Duehring.

Ultimately, the hotel is a real treat for design addicts and those looking for a unique, off-the-beaten-track experience. But in case you’re concerned with the quality of service rendered, an in-house survey found 82 per cent of guests happy with the level of service, while 97 per cent indicated that they would recommend the hotel to family and friends.

“The most important thing is that the guest who is booking the hotel understands the concept and wants to experience this unique combination of new design in a historic château with students providing the service,” says Duehring. hotelschoolmaastricht.nl/teachinghotel

skElEtal strUCtUrE:Exposed timber beams highlight the pitched roof in Studio Job’s Paper Suite

EClECtiC styliNg:Restaurant L’Etoile was concieved by Design Academy Eindhoven alumnus Leon de Lange

dEstiNatioNs

Hotel

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Cubes Preview Mag issue 54