Biodegradable stools and a eating table that discretely turns right into a desk are amongst Dezeen editor-at-large Amy Frearson‘s picks of essentially the most progressive furnishings launches at this yr’s Milan design week.
Furnishings manufacturers have been launching new merchandise and collections throughout Milan, with some exhibiting on the Salone del Mobile furnishings truthful and others in showrooms and venues dotted across the metropolis.
A number of stood out for a way they addressed sustainability challenges, with newly developed supplies and revolutionary meeting strategies leading to merchandise with a diminished carbon footprint.
Some addressed challenges referring to range inside the design business, whereas others explored how advances in know-how are altering {our relationships} with objects.
Learn on to find 10 key examples:
A discretely height-adjustable desk
Nastro by Daniel Rybakken for Alias
With distant working nonetheless the norm for a lot of, Norwegian designer Daniel Rybakken has devised a eating desk that may be simply adjusted to as a substitute perform as a seated or standing desk.
Launched on the Salone del Cellular by Italian model Alias, the Nastro desk incorporates a hid belt-and-pulley mechanism that permits the floor to be raised or lowered by hand with none want for electrical energy.
A video posted on Instagram by Rybakken reveals how simple it’s to regulate.
“On the lowest peak, the desk’s distinctive options aren’t revealed in any respect, making it superb for the house – from eating on the lowest peak, to cooking meals and drinks at medium peak, to working with a laptop computer on the highest peak,” stated the designer.
Biodegradable furnishings in an array of colors
Alder by Patricia Urquiola for Mater
Danish model Mater has turn into identified for its patented materials, Matek, which mixes waste plastic with biomaterials corresponding to sawdust and low bean shells.
The model has now developed a biodegradable mix of this heat-pressed materials, because of the usage of a bioplastic constructed from sugarcane. Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola has turned this into a set of tables and stools that are available in colors together with terracotta and sandy yellow.
“Biodegradable plastic, on this case sugar cane, is a quickly renewable supply that may be harvested 1-2 occasions a yr,” stated Ketil Årdal, CEO of Mater.
“It naturally absorbs carbon dioxide whereas rising and could be decomposed by residing organisms in the identical means as wooden or every other pure materials.”
Rugs that embrace feminine identification
Impolite Assortment by Faye Toogood for CC-Tapis
Of the numerous merchandise that British designer Faye Toogood unveiled in Milan, essentially the most provocative was a variety of rugs she unveiled with Italian model CC-Tapis in her Rude Arts Club exhibition.
That includes summary photos of female and male physique components, alongside blood-red blobs, these multi-textural carpets have fun intercourse and the human type from a feminine perspective.
Toogood instructed Dezeen that she needed to have fun feminine power and womanhood in a means that’s seldom seen within the design business.
“It is a form of expression of the human physique – male, feminine, everybody – but in addition the sexual power that may be a massive a part of being human,” she stated.
Lamps containing an revolutionary LED strip
Superwire by Formafantasma for Flos
Italian lighting model Flos has developed a brand new sort of LED mild supply, a skinny and versatile strip that emits heat and homogeneous mild throughout lengths of as much as one metre.
By encasing this strip inside hexagonal glass tubes, Italian design duo Formafantasma has produced a set of lamps that includes flawless mild stripes of various widths.
Andea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin of Formafantasma stated the challenge “represents a change of tempo in LED lighting”.
“The filament obtained is, to all intents and functions, a brand new mild supply with nice potential which we will definitely use sooner or later,” stated the pair.
A stool referencing West African tradition
Euclid Stool by Limbo Accra
At a time when range remains to be sorely missing within the design business, Ghanain studio Limbo Accra introduced a West African perspective to Milan as a part of the Prada Frames symposium.
The polished and lacquered plywood Euclid Stool combines references to unfinished structure with Euclidean geometry, exploring notions of what it means to be “in limbo”. Limbo Accra is self-producing the stool in a restricted version.
“We’re at all times looking out, pushing ahead in the direction of the unknown and the unseen,” stated studio founders Dominique Petit-Frère and Emil Grip.
“The stool represents explorations that permit us to consider the realm of limbo in new methods and encourage us to proceed looking out.”
Seating that explores a brand new method to radical design
Morphologica by Misha Kahn for Meritalia
American artist Misha Kahn has pushed furnishings manufacturing to the restrict with this design for Meritalia, an Italian model finest identified for producing the irreverent designs of figures corresponding to Gaetano Pesce and Mario Bellini.
Exploring what it means to be radical in the present day, Kahn developed a settee and armchair combining an assortment of irregular bulbous shapes, all based mostly on varieties discovered contained in the human physique.
Kahn describes it as a “surprising coach”, whereas Meritalia calls it “attractive greater than playful”.
Furnishings produced with a fabric-first method
Hana-arashi by Nendo for Paola Lenti
Leftover materials and offcuts from Paola Lenti’s outside furnishings merchandise offered the place to begin for this range of furniture designed by Japanese studio Nendo.
The challenge represents a departure for Nendo founder Oki Sato, who’s extra used to working with an object temporary than experimenting with a recycled materials.
The ensuing assortment is extra vibrant than Nendo’s sometimes pared-back, monochromatic aesthetic. The recyclable polypropylene textiles are steam-bent to create objects with playful curves, colors and overlap particulars.
“We sandwiched the fabric in wax paper after which ironed it,” Sato instructed Dezeen. “By controlling the strain and warmth, we seen that it turned a semi-solid cloth. That was the ‘aha’-moment.”
A settee that nods to Nineteen Nineties streetwear
Parka by Draga & Aurel for Poltrona Frau
Whereas many designs in Milan this yr paid tribute to the glamour and extra of the Nineteen Seventies, Italian studio Draga & Aurel confirmed how furnishings may lean into the casual-cool aesthetic of the Nineteen Nineties.
Produced by Italian producer Poltrona Frau, the couch reinterprets the squishy padding and hooded form of the ever present jacket in comfortable cushion-like leather-based upholstery.
“The weird elliptical form of the backrest, which inclines to turn into an armrest after which a seamless seat, creates a concave or convex house that’s each audacious and welcoming,” stated the model.
An intuitive desk lamp constructed from aluminium
Set Lamp by Jamie Wolfond for Muuto
There have been many examples of aluminium merchandise on present in Milan this yr, as the fabric turns into more and more widespread as a extra recycle-friendly various to plastic. One of the crucial well-resolved was a desk lamp by rising Toronto-based designer Jamie Wolfond, for Danish homeware model Muuto.
Designed as an enormous screw, the lamp successfully communicates the way to modify the peak of its shade. You merely spin this round factor to maneuver it up or down.
“I feel you want recognisable components to speak with individuals in the identical means that if you happen to’re verbalising one thing to somebody, you must use language they will perceive,” stated Wolfond.
Furnishings filled with recycled plastic
ZA:ZA by Zaven for Zanotta
Italian model Zanotta is certainly one of many furnishings producers exploring methods of producing sofas with out upholstery foam or glue, to make them extra eco-friendly.
This resolution, developed with Venetian studio Zaven, is as a substitute fashioned of cushions which are filled with recycled polyester balls and strapped in place over a steel body.
Following the launch of the preliminary ZA:ZA couch in 2023, Zanotta has expanded the vary with modular components that permit for a number of configurations. A ZA:ZA mattress was additionally launched.
Milan Design Week came about from 16 to 21 April. See Dezeen Events Guide for extra structure and design occasions around the globe.