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Monday 6 December 2021

Made Thought to form The New Standard collective with Universal Design Studio and Map

Design office Made Thought is teaming up with Universal Design Studio and Map Project Office to form a new design collective, after selling a majority share to digital agency AKQA.

AKQA now owns a controlling interest in all three London-based studios, having bought a majority stake in interiors office Universal and digital design office Map Project Office back in 2018.

Its latest acquisition, Made Thought, is a leading design branding studio founded by Paul Austin and Ben Parker.

New collective called The New Standard

The move allows the three studios to come together to form The New Standard, a collective with the ambition to "redefine the contemporary design agency".

All three companies will remain as distinct entities, but will come together on projects that span different design fields.

To allow effective collaboration, Made Thought will move into the Universal and Map office in London's Clerkenwell.

"Universal, Map and Made Thought are pioneers and innovators with an unmatched track record for design excellence, influential and distinguished work," said Ajaz Ahmed, CEO of AKQA.

"This partnership represents the next wave and set The New Standard. It is founded on the beliefs that form and substance are inseparable, and creativity is both revealed and enhanced in an atmosphere of collaboration."

Ushering in "new age of design"

Austin and Parker will stay on as principal directors of Made Thought, whose clients include Stella McCartney, Tom Dixon, Adidas, MoMA, Sonos and & Other Stories.

The studio specialises in projects that look to the future of design. Recent examples include branding for the world's first plastic-free supermarket aisle and a pop-up that merged elements of the physical and digital retail experience.

The New Standard is borne out of the shared belief that "design will play a pivotal role in our imminent futures", in the context of significant global events like the Covid-19 pandemic and the climate crisis.

"Creativity is the most important currency for business in the 21st Century and we believe collaboration is the key to bigger, bolder thinking," said Austin and Parker.

"For us, the coming together with Universal, Map, alongside AKQA, is the best way to see in this new age of design."

Focus on experimentation

This will be the second time that Made Thought has come together with industrial designers Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby, who are the founders of both Universal and Map.

Made Thought and Universal shared a studio 20 years ago, when Universal was known as Barber Osgerby Associates.

The three studios intend to collaborate "in a collegiate manner", with a focus on experimentation and cross-platform work.

Their efforts will be supported by AKQA, which has a global team based in 50 different countries around the work.

Richard Stevens and Jason Holley, principals of Universal and Map, said they plans to use "the power of our collective to remain at the forefront of creative transformation, always challenging the status quo".

"The New Standard will encourage the creative talents of each studio to flourish, whilst nurturing ideas at all scales and across all disciplines," they said.

The post Made Thought to form The New Standard collective with Universal Design Studio and Map appeared first on Dezeen.

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Watch our live talk on circularity in design with Tarkett, IKEA and WALD

Dezeen has teamed up with sustainable flooring specialist Tarkett to host a live talk exploring sustainability and circularity in design. Watch live from 10:00am London time on 7 December.

Titled "Sustainable meets style: how design advocates can guide consumers through their circular journey," the talk will explore how circular product design principles can be made accessible to consumers.

The speakers will include Florian Bougault, design director at Tarkett EMEA, Mirza Rasidovic, range engineering leader at IKEA, and Flavien Menu and Frederique Barchelard, co-founders of WALD architecture studio.

The panel will discuss topics such as how consumers can look out for sustainable credibility in brands and avoid greenwashing, as well as how designers can design sustainable products at a large scale. The talk will be moderated by Cajsa Carlson, Dezeen’s deputy editor.

Bougault is design director at Tarkett EMEA, and has been working with the brand for over 10 years. His past experience spans a range of scientific, business and artistic disciplines.

At Tarkett, his role includes new collection development and collaboration with international design studios. Among Bougault's projects is Tarkett’s circular selection, which comprises a range of tiling and flooring materials that are recyclable post-use.

Mirza Rasidovic will be representing IKEA on the panel

Rasidovic is range engineering leader at IKEA. In his work for the brand, he has helped develop a circular product assessment methodology.

Rasidovic joined the company 12 years ago and has held roles in areas ranging from product development to leadership at IKEA.

Architects Flavien Menu and Frédérique Barchelard will be joining the panel

Menu and Barchelard are co-founders of architecture studio WALD.

Menu holds a dual-degree in Urban Affairs from Sciences Po Paris and London School of Economics. He previously taught at the Architectural Association in London, Venice Bienalle and Harvard Kennedy School.

Barchelard is an architect, designer and painter, working with buildings, installations and design objects. Barchelard previously taught at the Architectural Association in London and London Metropolitan University.

The pair recently created Proto-Habitat, a pop-up home made from 100 per cent local timber. The house can be assembled and disassembled easily by three people, allowing it to be re-used and recycled.

Partnership content

This talk was produced by Dezeen for Tarkett as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

The post Watch our live talk on circularity in design with Tarkett, IKEA and WALD appeared first on Dezeen.

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Light Soy lighting by Heliograf among new products on Dezeen Showroom

A lamp shaped like the iconic soy sauce packets that come with sushi is among nine new products featured on Dezeen Showroom this week.

A photograph of Light Soy lamp being held

Light Soy lighting by Heliograf

Light Soy, a lamp that references fish-shaped soy sauce packets, is now available in a version made from recycled plastic bound for the oceans.

Designed by Australian studio Heliograf, the lamp is intended to be fun and playful while also bringing awareness to the risks of single-use plastic to marine life.

Light Soy was featured on Dezeen Showroom this week, alongside products including a vegan-friendly leather fabric and a collection of tiles that takes cues from art deco design.

Read on to see the rest of this week's new products:

A photograph of Onice tiles used on floor and walls in a bathroom

Onice floor and wall tile collection by Ceramiche Keope

Onice is a porcelain tile collection made from the semi-precious material onyx, designed by Italian tile brand Ceramiche Keope.

The tiles, which are suitable for walls and floors, are available in three colour options that each weave delicate shades of marble together.

Find out more about Onice ›

A photograph of the Z-Bar Gen 4 lamp in a living room

Z-Bar Gen 4 lamp by Kenneth Ng and Edmund Ng for Koncept

Z-Bar Gen 4 is a stick-like lamp that features flexible moving joints, designed by Kenneth Ng and Edmund Ng for lighting brand Koncept.

Users can reshape the lamp into angular silhouettes and fold it down against itself to save space. Z-Bar Gen 4 is available in three sizes of desk lamp models and as a floor lamp.

Find out more about Z-Bar Gen 4 ›

Ubik tiles used on an outdoor terrace

Ubik tiles by Ceramiche Keope

Ubik is a collection of tiles that feature the veiny appearance of natural slate, created by Italian wall and floor tile company Ceramiche Keope.

The tile collection is available in five neutral colours and can be used both indoors and outdoors, making them a versatile design option.

Find out more about Ubik ›

A photograph of swatches of Deca vegan leather fabrics

Deca vegan-friendly leather alternative by Camira

Deca, a polyurethane (PU) upholstery fabric, is the first vegan-friendly leather alternative to be released by British textile brand Camira.

Deca is designed to withstand high levels of heat and humidity while giving the appearance of high-quality leather.

Find out more about Deca ›

Ikon tiles used on floor and chimney breast walls

Ikon tiles by Ceramiche Keope

Ikon is a tile collection that resembles the look of concrete and can be used on floors and walls, created by Ceramiche Keope.

The collection is designed to suit a range of architecture and interior projects and is available in a number of sizes, thicknesses and colours.

Find out more about Ikon ›

A photograph of Omina tiles used on a wall with a blue chair in front

Omnia tiles by Ceramiche Keope

Omnia is a collection of porcelain stoneware tiles that can be used both indoors and outdoors, designed by Ceramiche Keope.

The design is informed by ancient stone and the collection is available in varying degrees of roughness and texture.

Find out more about Omnia ›

A photograph of the Stella tableware collection

Stella tableware by Sieger Design for Fürstenberg

Stella is a porcelain tableware collection with an ornamental relief pattern, designed by Sieger Design for interiors brand Fürstenberg.

The relief lines form a radial pattern and give the tableware a ribbed texture. Stella is handcrafted in Germany and consists of 17 dining pieces, each available in three finishes.

Find out more about Stella ›

9Cento tiles used on walls and floors in a bar setting

9Cento tiles by Ceramiche Keope

9Cento is a marble and porcelain tile collection, designed by Ceramiche Keope, that takes cues from art deco design.

The collection, which includes six different styles, is intended to evoke the atmosphere present in luxury modern villas during the art deco period.

Find out more about 9Cento ›

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. To launch a new product or collection at Dezeen Showroom, please email showroom@dezeen.com.

Dezeen Showroom is an example of partnership content on Dezeen. Find out more about partnership content here.

The post Light Soy lighting by Heliograf among new products on Dezeen Showroom appeared first on Dezeen.

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Sunday 5 December 2021

Antoine Peters creates optical illusions with Lenticular Weave textiles

Dutch designer Antoine Peters has developed a technique for making textiles that appear to change or move when viewed from different angles.

With Lenticular Weave, Peters has found a way to make textiles that incorporate two different designs. The one you see depends on your viewing angle.

Detail of Lenticular Weave by Antoine Peters — The technique allows two different designs to coexist on a single textile

Just like in lenticular printing, this technique can be used to create playful juxtapositions and simple animations.

To show some of the possibilities, Peters has created a large textile wall hanging incorporating a range of image transitions, including a winking eye and an arrow that changes direction.

This textile was unveiled during the recent Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven.

Colour detail of Lenticular Weave textile by Antoine Peters — The design you'll see depends on the viewing angle

"About 13 years ago, I was struck by the magic of lenticular printing," explained Peters, who is based in Amsterdam. "I love the dynamics of movement, contrast, surprise, and delay."

"I imagined these powers in direct connection with the viewer, user, or wearer," he told Dezeen, "and ever since I have dreamed about translating this into a textile that changes when viewed from different angles."

Lenticular Weave at Dutch Design Week — Peters has created a textile wall hanging incorporating various image transitions

Lenticular images are dividing two or more images into strips and splicing them together.

When viewed through a lenticular lens – a three-dimensional surface made up of cylindrical lenses – the geometry will only allow one image to be visible at a time, depending on the angle.

To translate these processes into textiles, Peters teamed up with manufacturer EE Exclusives to develop a 3D weave with the same geometries as a lenticular lens.

Both versions of Lenticular Weave by Antoine Peters — The design includes playful juxtapositions and simple animations

As a jacquard specialist, EE Exclusives was able to help Peters find a way to create the splicing of images through the weaving process, rather than through printing.

"It is a complex play with the parameters of the machines and compositions of the yarns, in combination with the artworks and the layering and positioning of the yarns in the weave," explained the designer.

"I was aware that a lot of precision was needed, which is why I sought the collaboration with EE Exclusives," he said.

"Even then, it took 18 months of trial and error, stretching the technical boundaries of the machines."

Antoine Peters with EE Exclusives — The 3D weave was developed in collaboration with EE Exclusives

Peters often brings an element of fun to his design projects. He first appeared on Dezeen in 2012, after creating a hotel room covered in QR codes, linking visitors to "pornography, pin-ups and other piquancies".

He first started exploring the possibilities of lenticular design in 2013, when he created his Lenticular Dress.

Although his technique for making the dress was very basic, it got Peters thinking about the potential applications of lenticular imagery in interior design, products and fashion.

"When I close my eyes, I see this weave applied to walls in future space stations," he reveals.

With Lenticular Weave, he has created the effect in a textile that is thick and durable, which means it could feasibly be marketed to a range of designers, manufacturers and retailers.

The installation created for Dutch Design Week was designed to show all the possibilities of the technique, across colour, pattern, image and text.

It takes the form of a cubist face – as Peters points out, the cubist style was all about playing with perspectives.

The designer hopes this piece will be a starting point for future projects and collaborations. He is keen to see the Lenticular Weave used in different ways, to create different experiences.

"What I especially like about my Lenticular Weave is that it triggers its observers to interact, to leave the static position, decentralise and start walking around," he said.

"It takes time and movement to see and experience the total," he added. "And I believe that when everybody slows down a little, by being forced to look, feel or think twice, the things we do or say will contain more empathy and awareness."

Lenticular Weave was presented at Dutch Design Week 2021 as part of Things that Matter, which was exhibited in the Microlab Hall alongside a "deposit chair" designed by Ineke Hans.

Dutch Design Week ran from 16 to 24 October 2021 at venues across Eindhoven. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

The post Antoine Peters creates optical illusions with Lenticular Weave textiles appeared first on Dezeen.

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ZITA raises House in the Andean Moorland above a fragile ecosystem

Architecture firm ZITA has used blackened wood and prefabricated structural elements to create a cabin in the Colombian highlands that was built entirely by hand.

The project, called House in the Andean Moorland, is located on a verdant, hilly site that sits 3,250 metres above sea level. The area features a "cloud landscape" that alters one's depth of view, and constantly hides and reveals the surrounding mountain peaks.

House on the Andean Mooreland by ZITA — House on the Andean Mooreland is nestled into a Colombian hillside

Designed by Bogotá-based ZITA – or Zona Industrial Taller de Arquitectura – the dwelling was built following three years of research carried out with professor Cristina Albornoz. The project is intended to demonstrate how to create an environmentally sensitive home "within this fragile ecosystem," the team said.

The client is a couple with two children. Both of the parents are environmental economists, and they purchased the property because it is part of a nature preserve that they intend to care for and expand. They use the house as a weekend retreat.

Cantilevering cabin by ZITA — Stilts lift the dwelling off the ground

"The father was a devoted scout in his youth and sees the place as an opportunity to teach his kids about nature," said architect Daniel Felman, founder of ZITA.

"The small portion where we built the house had been cut down decades ago by the previous owner, who lived off growing potatoes," he added.

Weekend retreat Colombia — The house is used as a weekend retreat

The new dwelling was constructed entirely by hand, therefore avoiding the need for heavy machinery. It was built using prefabricated elements, which helped reduce waste and construction time.

The 150-square-metre building consists of two offset bars that are connected by a glazed sunroom. Sloped roofs are intended to be in dialogue with the mountainous terrain.

Plywood walls by ZITA — Interior walls and ceilings are clad in insulating plywood

Exterior walls are clad in cypress, which was charred to help boost resistance to humidity and insect infestations.

The dwelling is lifted off the ground via concrete stilts, helping minimise disturbances to the vegetation and water flows.

Wooden volume in cabin — The home is divided into two masses connected by a glazed sunroom

Atop the pillars are a series of "porticos" that each consist of one beam and two columns. Together, these porticos form an assembly that resembles a ribcage.

This cage is tied together by walls and roofs made of oriented strand board (OSB). The system operates "as a structural diaphragm, making the house's skin part of its structure," the architects said.

Weekend cabin by ZITA — A bedroom inside the weekend cabin

The home was divided into two masses to reduce its scale and to provide multiple vistas of the landscape.

One side holds the main bedroom and bathroom, along with all social areas. The other side contains a pair of bedrooms and bathrooms. Walls and ceilings are clad in plywood, which helps lock in heat.

Mooreland views — Windows in the bedrooms offer moorland views

In the communal area, the team installed a steel screen with a hand-operated chain hoist. When opened up, the room extends outdoors and offers extensive views of the moorland.

The dwelling has a series of passive house strategies that help ensure thermal comfort – an important consideration given that temperatures at the site can oscillate between three and 14 degrees Celsius.

Getting sunlight into the home was a key strategy.

"The roof's shape and location of wall openings allow all spaces in the house to have direct sunlight throughout the day, be it through the windows or skylights," the architect said.

A steel screen extends the communal area when opened out to offer moorland views

Certain parts of the house – such as the cement walls below the skylights and the glazed sunroom, which has a stone floor – absorb solar heat and release it at night.

The home also features a "five-layer system of thermal protection" for the walls, slabs and roofs. Lifting the building off the ground also contributes to internal comfort, as the floor slabs are kept dry.

Natural facade at House in the Andean Mooreland — The house's facade blends into its surroundings

The team added that water is generated on-site via vegetation capable of absorbing water, along with the "perpetual cloud forest condition".

Other dwellings in Colombia include a timber-framed cabin by Santiago Pradilla that features a facade with a woven screen, and a 24-square-metre house designed by Alfonso Arango to serve as his weekend retreat.

Project credits:

Architecture and construction: ZITA (Zona Industrial Taller de Arquitectura)
Partner in charge: Daniel Feldman
Structural design: LF Canon Engineering & CPM
Hydraulic design: Fira SAS
Electric design: Greenelec
Timber fabrication: CPM
Timber installation: Luis Cárdenas and Mauricio Cárdenas
Foundations: DAO Arquitectura
Windows: 2G Proyectos y AVA
Drywall: NSDW
Metal carpentry: Arte y Metal Co Ltda
Wood carpentry: Mármol Madera y Piedra SAS

The post ZITA raises House in the Andean Moorland above a fragile ecosystem appeared first on Dezeen.

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