“sharon marston specialises in the design and creation of unique, bespoke and sculptural light installations, focusing on introducing light creatively through the use of fibre optic technology. the work encompasses materials sampled from a gamut of industries and craft disciplines crossing boundaries between art, fashion and product design”

Sixixis is cornish design and manufacturing company which is environmentally and socially responsible whilst being dependent on constantly developing new ways of working with unseasoned timber. “Through developing a new method of steam bending wood, sixixis has been able to accurately manipulate any dimension of timber in any place and on any plane to create complex 3D forms only restricted by the imagination. The Chaise Loungue No. 4 demonstrates the creative freedom, which can be obtained using the new process. The result is a beautiful, sculptural seat, which is as pleasing to sit in as it is to look at.”

winner of the red dot award for product design, the omi pendulum light produced by materialise.MGX the “lamp features a nylon structure made from one material. The nylon diffuses the light well and creates the illusion of a “solid light”. The form of the object, together with the natural flexibility of the nylon, creates the impression of a biological organism. With a bent or a twist, the shape of the structure can be formed in different ways. Like a worm or an armadillo: if one twists one end, the rest will follow. This behaviour makes the lamp a versatile object adjustable to different spaces, or functioning as space manipulator using different light diffusions and sculptural elements.” via red dot

designed for materialise mgx by patrick jouin “OneShot is a folding stool. It’s also a smart trick: no axle, no scew, no spring or visible hinge. Only by virtue of gravity, a vertical bundle of polyamide rods fluidly unfolds to become a seat. The miracle lies in the technique of Selective Laser Sintering that allows the fabrication in just one shot of the seating surface, the legs and the hidden and integral articulations. OneShot is manufactured in the folded position, which thereby enables the creation of 15 pieces simultaneiously in a machine whose size would normally barely contain 2 unfolded ones.”

“What if buildings could function like living systems, altering their shapes in response to changing weather conditions or the way people use them? That’s the vision of a new breed of architects who are working on what they think is the future of architecture - “responsive structures” that observe their internal and external environment and change form to suit any situation. A building that mimics a living system would be able to sense and respond appropriately to exterior conditions like varying winds, temperature swings or changing sunlight. Inside, the building might change to accommodate crowd flow or better circulate warm air.” via wired.

“Elica is proud to announce a stunning new range of extractor hoods; a range which has already caused much debate by crossing new frontiers in style and design. A range of visually stunning products which are stirring up the concept of exactly what an extractor hood is and even where it can be situated. Star, shown right, blurs the boundaries of light and air, extraction and illumination. Star’s highly decorative spherical form, an entrancing cascade of crystal, is composed of hundreds of tiny glass prisms that make it a sophisticated and fascinating light source that shines out personality and style.”

“Chista explores the roots of primitivism and modernism, the found and the sculptural in the everyday and the monumental, expressed through furniture, lighting and installations.” Shown above the Meteor table, is made from reclaimed wood from southeast asia, and cut from the root structure of a teak tree making each table unique. The patina-like surface has been created by a french polishing technique and not the result of staining.

the MVS Chaise by Maarten Van Severen was designed for vitra. “Although MVS looks like a sculptural object at first glance, as soon as you use it you realize just how comfortable it is. The soft, elastic upholstery fits the body’s contours, making it an extremely comfortable recliner. The frame construction makes it easy to shift from a sitting to a lying position.”

fluttua is a bed by lago which appears to hover above the floor, but it is supported by a single foot in the middle and attached to the wall.

south african designer heath nash has been named international young design entrepreneur of the year award for 2006 by theh british council. heath creates beautifule lifestyle objects from other people’s rubbish. he is trying to make the point that these materials can be transformed to a sophisticated level, while also trying to find a contemporary way to express the aesthetic of his country. via pingmag