Design

Anniversary

Wogg 17 has turned 25

Wogg and designer Benny Mosimann are celebrating a quarter of a century of collaboration.

When Mosimann dared to go public with a piece of furniture he called Spanoval in the 1990s it took a lot of courage, as his design had initially met with defeat at the special exhibition of a design competition.

But the furniture company saw potential in his concept. The Swiss designer reworked the construction and took a chance with the materials – plastic and aluminium. The result: a piece of storage furniture that was built like Le Corbusier’s pilotis houses with stilts, a base plate and a lightweight shell.

A key problem had to be solved to ensure that lightness: how would it be possible for semi-transparent sliding doors to run along narrow metal strips? In the end, Wogg developed the machine to do it itself because it wanted to make sure the trays’ edges were perfectly encased and the doors slid effortlessly around the tower construction.

Mosimann has since further developed his concept, adding seven variations to the mix. The W17 is intended as a tower with up to three ‘storeys’ that rest on a narrow aluminium column. Visit: www.wogg.ch

Origins

Nature is a major influence on Kenneth Cobonpue’s designs

Yoda

If, on the one hand, contemporary design is free to express itself in a balanced form where the nuances make the difference, there are cases in which the designer’s geographical origin defines an aesthetic whose references are strong enough to make the transition from local to global.

This is true of Kenneth Cobonpue, the Philippines-born designer with an international background, who has a clear vision of industrial design as complementary to both artisan craftsmanship in the processing of materials and the needs of the furniture sector.

Nature, in particular, features strongly in his design. Lush and multifaceted, his work is inspired by the natural lines, materials, proportions and larger-thanlife dimensions so often encountered on the islands of the Philippine archipelago. The backrest of the Zaza chair resembles a large fern or palm-like leaf, under which the user can sit comfortably in the shade. Made of microfibre the piece has a theatrical impact, almost like a throne.

Cobonpue’s designs often use rattan in contemporary styles. The Yoda sofa is a clear demonstration of his sensitivity, where the elasticity of the material is exploited, so that the backrest can offer maximum comfort. Here again, the play on scale is an important focus, together with the movement and deliberate spacing of the canes, resulting in a visually light yet generous-size sofa, aimed at ultimate relaxation.

The natural inspiration behind even small-scale accessories is instantly recognisable. The Pebble tables at varying heights can be arranged or slightly overlapped to create organic, ever-changing shapes, like a riverbed beneath a rippling stream. Visit: www.kennethcobonpue.com

Zaza Pebble