2012-09-24

design festival 2012

My picks of the week: (there's no order.)

1. baskets from Zimbabwe. They reminded me of fundamental creative thinking: to make most of what's available to solve problems. I loved it for its crude look too.

2. resident artist Michelle Erickson open studio @V&A. She has been blogging about her project. It is quite interesting the way she incorporates old techniques and styles into her ceramics to make narrative with social issues. 

3. Jasper Morrison with Oigen. He designed cast-iron wares with Japanese Nanbu tekki craft manufacturer. Nanbu is the area in Tohoku traditionally famous for iron-casting industry but they have been supplying mainly domestic (apart from Sori Yanagi's sauce pans?). Jasper designed products for international use.

4. Donna Wilson's rug at SCP. It's got knitting pattern you might not be able to see in the picture. It's so pretty.

5. rugs by Chris Haughton & Made by node at Tent. Initially Chris has re-set up a direct relationship with fair trade groups in Nepal. He made rugs, toys with those groups who are funding orphanages, schools and women who need supports. And then he found some designers who also want to make their own rugs. They had a bit of preview of what are being produced at the moment in Nepal for the show in Design Museum in the very near future. Beautifully hand-made rugs in beautifully designed project.

6. Momosan shop and Rupert Blanchard. The beautiful shop had a special display of artists' work themed with hexagon. And it is always pleasure to find hidden studio in the local area. Behind the shop is a studio of Rupert Blanchard who makes lovely furniture from bits and pieces he finds in the markets. He was showing a set of new sofa which is sturdy and yet very comfortable.


7. Nicola Tassie at Margaret Howell. Nicola's pots are beautifully in harmony with the clothing collection in the shop. Although she doesn't see herself as a designer, there is huge element of designing in her pots. Would you call it unconscious design?

8. Sutton House. The oldest house in Hackney built in 1535. The house has original feature from Tudor period as well as Georgian. 

9. 2 Willow road designed by Erno Goldfinger. A home built by the modernist architect in 1939. Brick surface is not so modernism as his original plan was rejected from the council at that time. Yet I could see its concrete frame gave huge possibilities to design new house. (especially after seeing Sutton house!)

10. olive roll from nude espresso. It's nothing to do with design but I enjoyed it with lovely surprise. It's like raisin roll but with black olive, spring onion, courgette, corn meal. It was just so delish!


先週末はDesign weekとOpen houseが重なって、見たいものが多すぎて、大変でした。しかも、最後の日曜日はどしゃぶりの雨で、予定していたところを回れず、もどかしい思いもしました。それでも、10コ、発見して良かったことをリストにしてみました。

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