NORM NEWS / GRAPHICS & TEXT BY NORM / PHOTOS BY JAKOB KIRK / PETER M. MADSEN / JONAS BJERRE-POULSEN / APRIL 2009
NEWS 2009 / 01
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THE ESSENTIALS DESIGNING SOMETHING SIMPLE IS A COMPLEX PROCES. WHETHER WE DO ARCHITECTURE, INTERIORS OR TOOLS THERE ARE A WIDE VARITY OF ELEMENTS THAT WE HAVE TO CONSIDER. WHENEVER WE CREATE SHAPES WE ALSO GIVE SHAPE TO THE MORE INTANGIBLE, SPACE. THE VISUAL CONCEPTION OF BOTH SHAPE AND SPACE IS AFFECTED BY LIGHT AND MATERIALS. EVERY PROJECT INVOLVES PLAYING WITH THESE FOUR ELEMENTS. IT IS LIKE A MINI COSMOS GAME, ALWAYS TRYING TO FIND JUST THE RIGHT BALANCE. HOWEVER, THE DESIGN PROCESS STARTS BEFORE GIVING SHAPE, WITH A SERIES OF QUESTIONS; HOW DO WE BEST MEET THE NEED? WHAT GOOD, NATURAL MATERIALS ARE POSSIBLE TO ENSURE DURABILITY? HOW CAN WE DESIGN FOR ALL THE SENSES AND REMEMBER TO CONSIDER THE HUMAN SCALE? HOW HAS A GIVEN PROBLEM BEEN SOLVED IN THE PAST? WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM HISTORY? ARE THERE ANY NEW MATERIALS OR PRODUCTION METHODS THAT ALLOWS US TO INVENT SOMETHING NEW? HOW CAN WE MAKE IT TIMELESS? WHAT IS GOOD ECONOMY? WITH AN AFFECTUATION FOR SIMPLICITY AND A STRONG FOCUS ON DETAIL, WE TRY TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS EACH TIME WE DO A NEW PROJECT. 2 I NORM NEWS
KASPER RØNN & JONAS BJERRE-POULSEN / NORM
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PRIVATE HOTEL SUITE 06 Interior Design / Private Penthouse
SERVING TRAY 16
Serving & Carving Tray for Menu
BOWLS 24 Melamine Bowls for Menu
WABI SABI BATHROOM 32 Bathroom Interior Design
WHITE SPACES 38 Renovation of Old Cottage
STOCKHOLM FURNITURE FAIR 50 Stand Design / Unique Copenhagen
RUSTIC MINIMALISM 56 Interior Design of a Private House
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PRIVATE HOTEL SUITE 6 I NORM NEWS
PRIVATE PENTHOUSE WITH ROOFTOP TERRACE / 74 M2 FREDERIKSBERG / COPENHAGEN
The basic idea for the renovation of this Copenhagen apartment was to create the feel of a private hotel suite for a Danish couple living in Spain. As the owners travel a lot, we wanted to create a calm and pure structure that was ideal for relaxation. Everything but the floors and the main structure was redone and we used the existing elements to create niches where we installed
hidden lights. These built-in light niches gave a clean and simple interior that needed a minimum of furnishing, lamps, etc. With all the lights being dimmable it also allows the owners to create the right cosy atmosphere that fits the often grey skies of Copenhagen. With an intelligent Home Control System they can control the lights in the whole apartment, turn on the fireplace and the air-condition
with a single touch on their Iphone, as they set foot in Copenhagen Airport. The rooftop terrace, that is almost the same size as the apartment, was completely redone in a minimalist wooden structure that allowed a Japanese inspired grass garden on the top of the concrete building overlooking the Copenhagen skyline.*
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THE HIDDEN LIGHTS FROM AGABEKOV ENHANCES THE STRUCTURE OF THE WOOD.
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INTELLIGENT HOME CONTROL
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THE INTELLIGENT HOUSE. A PLACE WHERE THE USE OF LIGHT AND TECHNOLOGY ENHANCES THE FEELING OF SPACE AND IMPROVES THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE ARCHITECTURE
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BOTH THE MINIMALISTIC ROOFTOP TERRACE AS WELL AS THE NICHES IN THE APARTMENT - TOKONOMAS - ARE INSPIRED BY TRADITIONAL JAPANESE ARCHITECURE. THE REPETITION OF CERTAIN ELEMENTS THROUGHOUT THE INTERIOR GIVES THE FEEL OF A HOTEL SUITE.
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“NATURAL MATERIALS ARE NOT ONLY VISUALLY APPEALING; THEY CAN ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR PHYSICAL WELL-BEING.”
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SERVING & CARVING TRAY 16 I NORM NEWS
SERVING TRAY CONCEPT FOR MENU AS/ 2009 MATERIALS/ ALUMINIUM MELAMINE PORCELAIN BAMBOO RED DOT AWARD WINNER 2009
Serving Set / A perfect companion for delicate, cold dishes as well as for carving and serving meat. A uniquely shaped tray with a completely flat bottom and sides with elegant, soft indentations offering a good and natural grip. You can use the melamine tray and the white porcelain dish separately – or place the dish in the tray. When you serve desserts, sushi
or cold dishes, put the cooling pad in the tray beneath the dish. Just put the cooling pad in the freezer first; it will keep the food fresh during the whole meal. Carving Set, Bamboo & Melamine / The elegant cutting board and serving tray can be used for many purposes, separately or together. The sustainable bamboo cutting board glows like the finest hardwood and
fits perfectly into the stylish melamine tray. A discreet hole in the centre of the bamboo board allows meat juices to drip down into the tray – not onto the table. Enjoy a delicious roast. This set is ideal for carving and serving.
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TRAY SERVING PLATE COOL PAD CARVING BOARD
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BAMBOO
PORCALAIN
COOL GEL
MELAMINE
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“COOL SERVING TRAY”
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“BAMBOO CARVING BOARD.....”
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MELAMINE BOWLS 24 I NORM NEWS
ORGANIC SHAPED BOWLS FOR MENU AS / 2009 MATERIAL / MELAMINE
The shape of this bowl is combined of circles and oval shapes, which gives it a dynamic and organic appearance. The soft, elegant indentations on both sides give the hand a good and pleasant grip and
a wave like dynamic, that makes the shape change constantly as the eye moves around the bowl. The outer surface is smooth and gives a good secure grip while the inner surface is glossy
and reflects the content of the bowl beautifully. The material is robust and ideal for use both indoor and outdoor.
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“FOR SALAD, FRUIT, KEYS, TOYS, MAGAZINE
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ES, KNITTING GEAR, PHONES..............”
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“....AND MUCH MORE....”
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WABI SABI BATHROOM
THE ESSENCE OF THIS INTERIOR PROJECT HAS BEEN TO ENLARGE THE FEELING OF THE VERY SMALL, LONG AND NARROW SPACE, USING HORISONTAL ELEMENTS AND MIRRORS. THE INSPIRATION FROM NATURE IS BEHIND THE CHOICE OF MATERIALS - USING ONLY ELEMENTS THAT WILL BECOME MORE AND MORE BEAUTIFUL IN TIME. A CLEAN PURE SENSE OF NATURE THAT STIMULATES THE SENSES. PARED DOWN TO ITS BAREST ESSENTIALS, WABI SABI IS THE JAPANESE ART OF FINDING BEAUTY IN IMPERFECTION AND PROFUNDITY IN NATURE, ACCEPTING A NATURAL CYCLE OF BIRTH, GROWTH AND DECAY.
INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE BATHROOM ØSTERBRO / COPENHAGEN
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.....NATURAL MATERIALS - WOOD, STONE, CONCRETE - THAT WILL BECOME MORE AND MORE BEAUTIFUL THROUGH DAILY USE....”
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THE NARROW VERTICAL OPENING TO THE SHOWER ENHANCES THE FEELING OF HIGHT AND THE WALLTO-WALL MIRROR DOUBLES THE FEELING OF WIDTH
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WHITE SPACES 38 I NORM NEWS
PRIVATE HOUSE IN VEDBÆK / 120 M2 RENOVATION OF KITCHEN & LIVING ROOM
The first thing we did was to tear down all the walls, only leaving the chimney, making the downstairs one big room. This gave space to the beautiful old stairs leading to the first floor. We then built some walls around the old chimney, making room for a hidden fridge and partly hiding the work area of the kitchen from the living area. In that way there
is a connection between the kitchen and the other living areas, but you can still be a little messy without anybody noticing. The worktop in Corian is stretched from one side of the room to the other. This visually makes the space seem larger than it is. The line is enhanced by the old wooden beam above the kitchen table, where we have placed a long
continuous line of small light bulbs that provide the ideal working light. The spotlights in the ceiling, providing the additional light, are white and discrete on the outside and golden inside, giving a warm and luxurious light.
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NATURAL UNTOUCHED RAW MATERIALS GIVE WARMTH TO THE PURE SPACES NORM NEWS I 41
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THE ESSENTIALS OF THE KITCHEN FIRE WATER
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THE WORKTOP The worktop is an important element in the kitchen. Corian is the ideal material as it is durable and easy to maintain. When installed it can be joined without any visible connections and the zinc can be completely integrated. One element. The water tap in the kitchen is coming out of the wall, so you have an unbroken working top, easy to clean. The induction hub allows the owners to use their old Chinese iron kettles and it is cut into the worktop, to keep everything in the same level, again for cleaning purposes. The dishwasher is divided in two separate drawers placed on each side of the zinc, so you do not have to bend down when filling them. The kitchen is designed to be a social space for being with family and friends as an integrated part of the house. It is very simple but very functional. When entering the original house via the Japanese stepping stone you find yourself standing on a glass floor over the more than hundred year old wine cellar. This was made to create a sense of vertical space in this house with low ceilings and for Peter to showcase his wine bottles. We have kept the cellar old and rustic and at night it sometimes reminds you of an archaeological site. The light coming from the cellar also works as a recessed lamp in the floor. The glass is fitted in a black iron frame with hydraulic pumps that make the very heavy door easy to use. All the floors, walls and ceilings in the whole house are painted white to connect them visually regardless of their differences and to reflect the light and give the feel of a larger space.
THE WOODEN BEAM ABOVE THE WORK TOP IS CARVED TO MATCH THE MORE THAN 100 YEAR OLD WOODEN BEAMS IN THE EXISTING STRUCTURE. 46 I NORM NEWS
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THE GLASS FLOOR THAT OPENS ON HYDRAULIC PUMPS CAN EASILY HOLD THE WEIGHT OF TWO ADULTS JUMPING ON IT. IT WORKS AS A LAMP AT NIGHT, EXPOSING THE OLD STAIRS TO THE WINE CELLAR AND IT GIVES AN IMPROVED FEELING OF VERTICAL SPACE IN THE OLD HOUSE WITH LOW CELINGS.
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STOCKHOLM FURNITURE FAIR 50 I NORM NEWS
TRADE FAIR STAND UNIQUE COPENHAGEN STOCKHOLM FURNITURE FAIR / 2009
With this project we wanted to create a trade fair stand that was more a piece of architecture than a traditional stand just being furnished. We wanted something that worked in itself as an installation with a focus on light, but at the same time was so neutral that it enhanced the products being exhibited. The main concept for the stand was a rhythm of white walls levitating from the base of fiber concrete. They were placed in an open composition that dynamically defines the space of the stand. The walls were used as podiums or as hang boxes. The podiums were slightly lifted from the floor and we used florescent light tubes to enhance the feeling of free flowing elements. The use of light and neutral materials created a perfect background for exhibiting the industrial design products.
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THE HIDDEN LIGHTS THAT SEPARATE THE RECTANGULAR ELEMENTS CREATE A VIBRANT ENERGY.
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FEEL THE LIGHT
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RUSTIC MINIMALISM 56 I NORM NEWS
COMPLETE RENOVATION OF PAINTERS HOUSE / 100 M2 HUMLEBÆK
This house is situated in the countryside with only fields as neighbours and overlooking the sea in the distance. It was an old house and everything had to be torn down, leaving only the roof and the brick walls.
We wanted to create a modern minimalistic home that still maintained the deep wearing of time and the rustic feel of a house in the countryside. The materials are thus a combination of the old brick walls, white plaster and concrete floors.
The imperfect textures of the brick and the concrete provide the spaces with decoration and ornamentation while the white walls keep the interior crisp, fresh and clean.
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SPACE & ART THE SPACE ELEMENT IS THE IN NATURE ELEMENT WE MOST IN NATURE COVET WE MOST COVET NORM NEWS I 61
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The skylights above the entrance are placed in a height of 6 meters, giving the hall a dramatically vertical sense of space. The old brick wall rises all the way to the top of the
building where a narrow window lets in the direct sunlight from south and gives live to a defined ray of light that travels around the hall as the sun moves.
All the walls in the hall are used as storage space, only broken by a deep window that lets in light from the west and provides a place to sit, when you take on or off your shoes.
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NEXT ISSUE / 3 X PENTHOUSE / NEW PRODUCTS / AND MORE / 68 I NORM NEWS
NORM KASPER RØNN JONAS BJERRE-POULSEN MAIL @ NORM-ARKITEKTER.DK SOMMERVEJ 10 2920 CHARLOTTENLUND DENMARK
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