Dezeen Showroom: three different backrests inspired by the shape of oyster shells feature in the Trioo series of chairs, designed by Johannes Foersom and Peter Hiort-Lorenzen for Swedish brand Lammhults.
The Danish design duo created the Trioo series to suit a range of interior environments, from the dining room or living room to university campus or cafe.
To realise this idea, they created three different styles of backrest, all inspired by the form and colours of oyster shells but offering varying kinds of support and degrees of enclosure.
The Trioo chairs feature a button detail on the back
"The idea of Trioo was to create 'one' chair but with three different characters," said the designers.
The Trioo chairs all feature a powder-coated or chromed steel frame with a moulded veneer seat and back.
Oversized buttons on the rear of the backrest are an additional aesthetic feature that also works to conceal the fittings joining it to the seat.
The designers wanted to create one chair with three different expressions
The chairs are stackable and available in either natural ash, natural oak or stained ash. Upholstery in fabric or leather is also an option.
Trioo is one of three new products Lammhults is launching to coincide with the opening of its revamped Stockholm showroom, which was designed by Atelier Paul Vaugoyeau.
They will feature in a new installation called Space Matters, which revolves around several curated, flexible, interactive room sets.
Like all of Lammhults' new products, Trioo is designed with circularity in mind, and can be easily taken apart to allow components to be replaced or recycled.
About Dezeen Showroom:Dezeen Showroom offers an affordable space for brands to launch new products and showcase their designers and projects to Dezeen's huge global audience. For more details email showroom@dezeen.com. Dezeen Showroom is an example of partnership content on Dezeen. Find out more about partnership content here.
Dutch studio Casanova + Hernandez has completed a landscaping project in the Albanian village of Shiroka, comprising a waterfront plaza and streetscape that uses granite stones to replicate a traditional carpet pattern.
The Rotterdam-based studio was commissioned by the Albanian Development Fund to oversee the redevelopment of the waterfront on the shores of Shkodra Lake, which is near the border with Montenegro.
The area had been occupied by private houses, restaurants and parking areas that were constructed illegally in the years following the fall of communism in Albania in the early 1990s.
Above: Albanian Carpet is a patterned plaza. Top image: it is made from blocks of granite
The Albanian Carpet project involved demolishing the existing structures to create Shiroka Square, a 20,000-square-metre public space from which citizens can enjoy views across the lake.
"The project not only aims to physically and functionally restore Shiroka waterfront but also to rebuild the feeling of belonging and attachment to the public space," Casanova + Hernandez claimed.
The entire square, as well as the pavements, street and seating were constructed using black and white granite blocks laid in a pattern typical of Albanian carpets.
According to the architects, the decision to use a design based on traditional carpets was intended to lend the public space "a unique and domestic identity".
It is intended to evoke traditional Albanian carpets
As well as being informed by carpets, the landscaping was designed to evoke the feeling of a house consisting of rooms with specific functions, the architects said.
The layout of the open-air zones is influenced by a kind of room called an oda, which is common in traditional Albanian homes. These rooms are typically used to entertain guests and feature low benches lining the space on three sides.
The paving doubles as steps and seating in some areas
Casanova + Hernandez reinterpreted the oda by introducing U-shaped benches to the waterfront plaza that partly enclose areas dedicated to different uses.
"These rooms open the views over the lake and stimulate citizens' interactions with different uses such as a playground room, picnic room, lounge room, amphitheatre and the fishermen's room," the architects added.
New and existing trees are integrated in the design
The benches are made from wood, which was also used for picnic tables and other street furniture nearby. At the apex of each seating area, the stone paving forms steps that can be used for seating to turn the central plaza into a space for performances or events.
Several existing trees around the edges of the square were integrated into the design and are joined by younger trees that will provide shade where it is required.
It is hoped to encourage walking in the area. Photo is by Jesus Hernandez
Shiroka Square forms part of a wider regeneration of the village's waterfront, which focuses on improving pedestrian access and minimising traffic.
A parking area has been created at the village's entrance to encourage visitors to walk rather than drive to the various amenities.
Street furniture features throughout. Photo is by Jesus Hernandez
A further phase of the project will see the construction of the Museum of Shkodra Lake on a promontory that will extend out into the water from the square. This will advance the Albanian Development Fund's objective to turn Shiroka into an important recreational, cultural and tourist centre.
Casanova + Hernandez previously transformed an old government building in the nearby city of Shkodra into the Marubi National Photomuseum, adding a two-storey extension with a gridded glass facade to an existing historic building.
London studio Assemble and experience designer Nelly Ben Hayoun are among ten teams commissioned to create "ground-breaking" large-scale public projects for the UK event that’s been dubbed the Festival of Brexit.
The event, which has the working title of Festival UK* 2022, is pitched as a celebration of UK creativity. It became known as the Festival of Brexit because it was conceived while the UK government was negotiating its withdrawal from the European Union and was timed to take place a few years after the UK left.
Originally commissioned by Teresa May's government in 2018, and since backed by current UK prime minister Boris Johnson, the event will receive £120 million of funding from the UK government.
Assemble to create "immersive experience"
Thirty teams consisting of scientists, artists, engineers, technologists and mathematicians from all over the UK were invited to come up with ideas for festival projects, with more than 500 people in total initially taking part.
Today, the ten teams chosen to take their designs into production for the 2022 festival were announced.
Top: Stock image of fireworks over the Thames. Photo by Mark Taylor. Above: Architecture studio Assemble
Among these are Assemble, the Turner Prize-winning London architecture studio, which is participating as part of the Assemble + 8 collective.
The collective also includes scientists and philosophers from the Universities of Sussex and Glasgow, Grammy-nominated Composer Jon Hopkins and a freelance team comprising a sound designer, digital producer and technologist and director.
Assemble + 8 will create an "immersive experience exploring the wonder of the human mind through architecture, neuroscience, technology, light and sound."
"Our main motivation for being involved is the opportunity to work with such an extraordinary group of collaborators, representing a range of disciplines outside our own," Jane Hall of Assemble told Dezeen.
"Our project is hugely ambitious and will engage mass audiences across the UK and beyond,” the studio said.
Nelly Ben Hayoun opens public hotline
French experience designer Nelly Ben Hayoun's collective will be behind "a cosmic adventure exploring immersive experiences, new technologies, science innovation, social media, youth culture and the power of imagination to change perspectives, dismantle boundaries and ignite the creative energy of towns across the UK."
Nelly Ben Hayoun is inviting people to call her to discuss the festival
As part of her project, Ben Hayoun has set up a hotline that the public can phone and ask her questions on, which is being livestreamed on March 24. This will be followed by a livestreamed conversation between the Ben Hayoun team and experts from the creative and scientific sectors.
"I see taking part in this as an opportunity and if you know my work, you will know that the way I function is to go within systems and change them from within," she told Dezeen when we called the hotline.
"The work I've been doing, whether it's at NASA or the United Nations or any other big scale institutions, I always work from within and, through the means of the event, modify it or change it for the long term."
Taking part in the festival gives her an opportunity to work with the public on a larger scale, the designer explained.
"The program that me and my team are putting together really is about rethinking systems the way they are in this country and beyond, and then also going well beyond the kind of governmental politics," Ben Hayoun said.
"What we are talking about here is public service, it's working with the public for citizens, that's why I'm taking part in it. The scale is bigger so you can make more and hopefully have more of an impact as well."
Festival UK* 2022 name a placeholder
Full details of the commissions are being kept secret but will be revealed later this year, when the festival will also announce its new name.
Projects will span from "the land, to the sea, to the air and even outer space, using pioneering technology and the power of imagination," according to a statement.
"We asked 500 of the best creative minds in the UK to tell us what a festival of creativity could be," chief creative officer for Festival UK* 2022, Martin Green, said.
"What they came up with has exceeded our expectations, and then some, which made deciding which 10 teams to commission very difficult. We believe the extraordinary breadth of talent, their thrilling ideas and geographic spread, will be ground-breaking, inspiring and exciting for millions of people across the UK and further afield."
The festival also named The British Council as its international partner for Festival UK* 2022.
Other teams taking part in the festival include Glasgow arts organisation Aproxima Arts, the Collective Cymru led by the National Theatre Wales, and Newsubstance Collective, which will create a physical manifestation of the British weather and celebration fo the UK coastline.
You have just one more week to enter Dezeen Awards 2021 at the early entry rate, which ends on 31 March. We've put together a list of the most frequently asked questions we've been getting over the last few weeks to help you with getting your entry ready!
Until when can I enter at the early entry rate?
Early entry closes at 23:59 British Summer Time on Tuesday, 31 March.
What are the entry fees for Dezeen Awards 2021?
Early entry until 31 March 2021
For individuals and companies with 10 employees or fewer: £80 per category entry
For companies with more than 10 employees: £160 per category entry
For individuals and companies entering media categories: £40 per category entry
Standard entry until 2 June 2021
For individuals and companies with 10 employees or fewer: £100 per category entry
For companies with more than 10 employees: £200 per category entry
For individuals and companies entering media categories: £50 per category entry
Late entry until 9 June 2021
For individuals and companies with 10 employees or fewer: £175 per category entry
For companies with more than 10 employees: £350 per category entry
For individuals and companies entering media categories: £80 per category entry
Are there any other hidden costs apart from the entry fee?
No, apart from the entry fee there are no other costs involved.
Do I have a chance of winning if my project has never been featured on Dezeen?
Absolutely! Our editorial team receive hundreds of submissions every day, so please don't take it personally if they haven't published your project. Keep in mind that if you get longlisted, shortlisted or win you will receive lots of exposure on all our channels.
All shortlisted projects are automatically written up as a story on Dezeen as well.
What materials are needed for my entry?
We will ask you for a short project description (max. 100 words), a long project description (max. 500 words) and we'll also ask you to tell us why you should win a Dezeen Award (max. 500 words).
You'll be asked to upload a hero image, which is a photograph that best represents your project, up to ten gallery images and up to ten supporting images which can include drawings.
Can I enter the same project into multiple categories?
Yes, as long as your project is suitable, it can be entered into multiple categories.
Who can advise on the category I should enter my project into?
If you're not sure which category to enter, please have another look at our categories page and carefully read the descriptions. If you're still unsure, please contact the awards team with details about your project and someone will assist you.
I am having trouble with saving my entry, what do I do?
If you're having trouble submitting your entry, please check that all images are smaller than 10MB and make sure that all required fields have been completed.
We advise you to use the latest version of Google Chrome. Please also try using an incognito window to clear any caching issues.
Can I enter a collection of products?
Collections to be accepted as long as there is a strong, easily demonstrable theme in common that unites all the products within it.
Can I submit a conceptual project or product?
No. Unfortunately we do not accept conceptual or unrealised projects. To be eligible to enter your project must have been completed between 1 June 2019 and 2 June 2021.
You may upload plans and drawings but please don't upload renders or computer-generated images unless you're entering one of our media categories.
Can the same project be entered two years in a row?
You may enter a project two years in a row as long as it is entered into a different category the second time around. Make sure your project was completed within the indicated time frame.
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I have a question that is not listed here...
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Dezeen Showroom: a continuous loop of steel tubing makes up the Corso chair, designed by Peter Andersson for Swedish furniture brand Lammhults.
Corso is distinguished by the uninterrupted line of its frame, which flows around two looped rear legs and up into a slightly rounded backrest.
A continuous loop of steel tubing makes up the Corso chair
A simple design with minimal upholstery, the chair began as a doodle in Andersson's sketchbook.
"The two-dimensional lines in the sketchbook, which intuitively just felt so obvious, have been translated into a cohesive loop of steel tubing," said the Stockholm-based designer.
Corso is available with black or sandy beige upholstery in either canvas or leather. Its steel frame can be chromium-plated or powder-coated in black, white or red.
The easy chair can be ordered with black upholstery
The easy chair is one of three products that Lammhults is launching to coincide with the opening of its revamped Stockholm showroom, designed by Atelier Paul Vaugoyeau.
The products will also feature in an installation called Space Matters, which revolves around several flexible, interactive room sets.
Like all of Lammhults' new products, Corso is designed with circularity in mind and can be easily taken apart for maintenance or recycling.
About Dezeen Showroom:Dezeen Showroom offers an affordable space for brands to launch new products and showcase their designers and projects to Dezeen's huge global audience. For more details email showroom@dezeen.com.
Dezeen Showroom is an example of partnership content on Dezeen. Find out more about partnership content here.
