DESIGN MAGAZINE 18 (JULY/AUGUST 2014)

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EDITORIAL

In January the team producing the DESIGN MAGAZINE decided to produce and diffuse news only in English. The first semester showed us that the bold decision for a small media like us and facing strong competition from huge communication groups was the right move to make. The three bimonthly issues release this year got to more than 2 thousand readers worldwide and allowed us to get into new countries.

Being a Portuguese media it was with great sorrow that we left the beautiful Portuguese language aside from our strategy. Despite that we’ve managed to keep Portuguese subscribers and readers because English language works has a second language for most of them.

On the digital platforms with strong emphasis on Facebook and Twitter, readers and followers increased a lot. These facts produced also a good repercussion on our website showed by the increase of daily visitors and advertising investment.

Now with a new kind of scenario set in front of us, the DESIGN MAGAZINE team whishes to improve the quality of the free service news provided to a bigger and wider audience by the bimonthly digital issues and through our digital platforms. For achieving this new improvement we need to raise a fund in order to invest in the professional team, in better issuu service, a better and more dynamic website and some new equipment so we could set up better productive conditions. For this purpose we decided to launch ourselves a donation campaign which we spread among our subscribers list and through the digital platforms. We are requesting only a symbolic donation so we could raise that fund to allow us to invest on the whole media structure. Please check our website and click on the Donate button to get all the information and requirements for the donation.

Our commitment is with readers. tiago_krusse@revistadesignmagazine.com

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CONTENTS EXPRESSIONS Opinion by Rodrigo Costa – The Art, the New Technologies and ViceVersa

DESIGN Wyssen & Cécile Nochi Gordon Guillaumier

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Interview with Ralph Wiegmann EVO Urban Utility Isak Whinter

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Food Design – Antonio Aricò

ARCHITECTURE A Lisbon Apartment Noxx Apartment

BOOKS Sottsass

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http://WWW.AND.

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design MAGAZINE

Editor in chief — Founder Tiago Krusse Executive Designers Joel Costa / Cátia Cunha Text Contributors Francisco Vilaça (Stockholm) Hugo Poge (Reykjavík) Nathalie Wolfs (Brussels) Rodrigo Costa (Oporto) English editing K Photo Contributors João Morgado - Architecture Photography Rui Gonçalves Moreno Advertising http://revistadesignmagazine.com/publicidade/ Office DESIGN MAGAZINE Jardim dos Malmequeres, 4, 2.º Esquerdo 1675-139 Pontinha (Odivelas) - Portugal www.revistadesignmagazine.com Publishing House Elementos À Solta — Desenvolvimento de Produtos Multimedia Lda. Rua Adriano Correia Oliveira, 153, 1B 3880-316 Ovar - Portugal NIPC: 503 654 858 www.elementosasolta.pt Media founded in 2011

This issue cover is an work of the fine artist Rodrigo Costa

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OPINION

Rodrigo Costa

Illustration by Rodrigo Costa

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The Art, the New Technologies and ViceVersa … I confess that, due to the discrepancy between my ideal and the social reality — its announcements and promises — I feel, sometimes, the lack of willing to be interventionist. I look around, and I see how hard the things are; the life, more than the fast agitation that stimulates the minds, resembles the whirl that swallows everything — the good and the bad. So, my plans are ruined, once I like of discussing ideas on seeking reasonable convergences, once to be preserved the healthy unlikeness when trying to achieve the light.

Perhaps I have not been enough attentive. Possibly, the freedom of thinking and expression and the profusion of the media and social webs only have amplified the eternal conflict of a Being in permanent existential crisis, once as more freedom and tools he has, more is reflected he doesn’t be as rational as it is said he to be… For instance, on consulting, today, the dictionary, I was shocked; I felt shaken in my self-esteem, so much words which I don’t know and whose unfamiliarity denies a better modeling of my speech… A bummer! Remains the idea of as much more we walk, more we stay at the same place.

Fortunately I regained the courage, and I thought of me; the letters that I owe and I need to write to myself. I, who left the frequent goings to the mailbox, starting from the moment that the letters begun to be not good enough. So, once the world can’t be as I want, I’ll try don’t be as the world wants me to be, even feeling any resistance as a lost war because, step by step and unpleasantly, I realize to be myself human and to be traveling in the same cart whose destiny looks like to be a precipice — I remember Cesar Millan, and I say: don’t look, don’t talk and don’t touch and to use ignorance as a tool and to go ahead.

Being a painter is a mere coincidence or part of a plan I have never known. We are born with voices that animate us in their awakening, in the awakening of our nature, linking us to what is around, because, as I use to say, nobody born for whatever; comes equipped to this or that, from among everything that the world may offer.

Why feeding the survival of the Painting, Sculpting, Music and Writing, through predominance of the connection between feelings and hands as the skilful companions, able to, by themselves, shape the ideas?...

Maybe the response comes from the need of building affections; maybe because the affective realization it is due the balanced connection between the brain and the hands, once having in each person a body and a spirit asking or even demanding the consonance.

Well, when, despite the technological advance, it can be seen that people are less fulfilled, less happy, it is time, maybe, for asking in what and in which contexts the new technologies are inappropriate; if it will not be excessive in areas where its use makes no sense — there is no any preconception, aversion or conservativeness, but the need of preserving essences.

As an example I use the Cinema and Matrix, a story without history; a simple catalogue of special effects, with the actors as marionettes with robotic words. So, when one talks about the importance of the scenographic architecture in the Theatre, it is need to comprehend that the most important in the Theatre are the actors and the consistent histories, without which none scenographic architecture is useful… However, about this matter, with different words, in my previous work I left the question: The Painting or the Frame?...

Beyond that, it must be said that the Poetry does not depend on any fountain pen. Poetry is the atmosphere that dependent on the poets. So, making poems on a computer has not anything to see with the legitimacy and the dignity of the handwriting... The point is the needed of feeling the pleasure on the calligraphy, on drawing the words; on the ambulation of the nib when it is drawing the expression of the ideas; on structuring the atmospheres with the paint; to feel the need of the umbilical connection to the paper…

To paint, model and sculpt it is that, is to stir and to rummage in the land, from the sowing until the harvest; it is to plunge the hands in the ideas… And about the other ideas?... Exactly! They are other ideas…

http://www.rodrigovcosta.wix.com/rodrigocosta |9|

Wyssen & Cécile Nochi

There is this satirical concept in most products we’ve saw by Wyssem and Cécile Nochi. We get not only a deep perception about the World but mainly about humans and how do they behave within a vast number of facts that directly or indirectly affect, or seem to affect, them in their daily life. We sense an anthropological humor when looking to Buck$ armchair or the Anticipation no explosives folding table. There is also this playing God by cropping the shape of an idea about time and space of the universe with the Wormhole table. Man is always in the center of the focus of the designers showing products with a multiple purpose and underlining an idea beyond the products functionality and proper use. There is this political statement and social provocation but never forgetting the primary functionality of each product.

We like this idea of a political design that brings awareness of the social dementia in which societies were left to drown.

Wyssem Nochi has a strong and complementary studying experience by holding an MA from the Architectural Association in London and a BA from the New School of Social Research - Parsons School of Design in New York. He also holds a most certainly rewarding experience by teaching architecture and design at the American University of Beirut and the Lebanese American University, where he introduced product design to its curriculum. Regarding other productive experiences he developed some architecture and urban design and has developed numerous products in limited batch editions and on-offs. His works has been recognized worldwide. Most recently he founded the ON/OFF a design stage in downtown Beirut.

Cécile Nochi studied at l’École des Beaux-Arts and l’École Supérieure d’Art Moderne de Paris, in France.

She has developed products for MEKER industries, and earned the « Table Rase » Centre Culturel Français prize for her chairs c/w and the Achkal Alwan Ministère de la Culture prize for her Hommage à Saint-Exupéry.

Photos: Courtesy of Wyssen Nochi

“w&co”. Custom two chairs bench extension. Two chairs with plank extension respond to a basic requirement of becoming a “famile nombreuse” with a family badass (white vote) imprint on board.

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GUSTAV

Gordon Guillaumier

The Gebrüder Thonet Vienna presented this year Gustav designed by Gordon Guillaumier. The chair structured in beech with seat on plywood or upholstered gets inspiration from the work of Michael Thonet and the company’s legacy. The designer said he held in mind “the typical curves as well as twisted shapes and graceful lines reported in the iconographic products of the company”.

We clearly see the contrast between the legs and backrest structure with the curved seat. Harmony and equilibrium expressed in such simple and clear aesthetical intentions. About the challenge of coming with a new product for Gebrüder Thonet Vienna, Gordon Guillaumier wrote that “a preamble I wanted to exceed, through a formal reduction and structural synthesis approach to get closer to the contemporaneity and the essence, thus maintaining that productive virtuosity, always fascinating and always current”.

We liked the way the designer was able to achieve a new proposal paying homage to such an important legacy but also for the honest work he succeed to present in this accurate and push forward over a strong visual memory. http://www.gebruederthonetvienna.com | 16 |

Photos: Courtesy of Gerbr端der Thonet Vienna

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INTERVIEW

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Ralph Wiegmann

The role of the iF International Forum Design, from Hannover in Germany, has become undoubtedly important to the World design community. Stating the European roots of the institution Ralph Wiegmann expresses that the whole iF team works with an international approach. With almost two decades of experience under the iF, he leaves us a concise and personal perception about the whole atmosphere involving creative professionals, industries and consumers. About the future of design he clearly points the importance of professional associations and their capacity of working tighter and their ability to captivate new members.

Interview by Tiago Krusse Photos and images are a courtesy of the iF International Forum Design

What is the mission of the iF International Forum Design?

We want to respect the past, mediate the presence and issue the future of design.

Which kind of perception do you have on how Germans became aware of design and its professionals since the last hundred years?

Of course it was primarily influenced by the Bauhaus initiative and by Peter Behrens and his work for AEG. Based on that and combined with some certain aspects of the “German DNA” like functionality, efficiency, reliability etc. the actual image of German Design was created.

When you became CEO of iF what sort of challenges you were faced to deal with?

Unfortunately we had first of all to solve financial problems. But the core value of iF was already well established and I had the wonderful chance to help polish the brand and expand our activities in the past 19 years.

How do you approach your work and what specific requirements are needed to embrace when dealing with different societies, cultures and economies?

We see ourselves not as a German brand. We feel like an international institution, having German roots and being a part of a modern European society. It is exactly the multicultural environment that makes our jobs so exciting and interesting. And designers or design driven companies are much more sensitive regarding differences than most other professions.

Watch, listen, stay open minded is necessary. And learn from many experiences in many parts of the

world. Based on that we create our strategy, design our services and offer our involvement.

Why is it important to award designers and companies?

Institutions like iF gave design a face and promote the values and the people and their thought behind much more efficient than all design associations.

We help identifying good design, we explain, why it was selected, we educate, promote and celebrate design excellence. People need orientation and that´s what we try to provide. And designers and companies need an integer judgement on their works as it is a profession and a market – and that includes competition.

Since 2008 were there any substantial innovations on design?

Every year we see it happen. The question is how you define “substantial”? Is it only a development with an impact on the entire globe or is a valuable idea to solve real basic problems in a third world country not substantial?

In which fields are showed more technological development and new solutions?

Car industry, mobility, communication, household (white goods), medical/health are the groups where we see a permanent development and improvement.

A whole kind of recent studies carried worldwide about future professions state that designers will be essential to societies and to the environment. How come they are still not fully recognized and when the profession will | 19 |

iF logo by Pierre Mendell, from 1990 | 20 |

be handled by professionals only?

Good question. I am convinced of the social competences designers have. But unfortunately that does not mean that they will automatically be more involved in society related processes and discussions.

They must offer their capabilities and involvements more offensive and must even proof being worth to be integrated more actively And here they compete with consultants, who are – unfortunately – much better in self promotion.

The questions of intellectual property are turning into more often and intense debates nowadays. What is the position of the iF concerning moral and patrimonial rights regarding ideas and products?

Of course this is a very important issue, but not only for designers. We have to educate students and professionals to use all existing tools in the best way possible. And if we have ideas for a better protection system we have to contact the relevant organizations like OHIM etc. But we will not be able to stop it. Human beings are creative in many ways, including IP. And whenever money plays a key role, morality is in danger.

Which goals does iF have until 2020?

I fear I cannot really publish our strategic goals, but be sure that we will try to serve our target groups in a permanently further developed way and expand the target groups at the same time. Of course we want to stay in our role of judging on design excellence and providing one of the leading design awards worldwide. The support for students is another activity field.

Without any doubt we will intensify our efforts here and give talents a visibility. But we have some further projects in mind that will be of great value for both, designers and their target groups and our common societies.

What sort of challenges lay ahead for European designers, companies and industries?

I do not see big differences from European designers and creatives when regarding other parts of the world. As a matter of fact we educate too many designers worldwide. They cannot find employment enough and finally setup their own studio. As they need some money to live from they create a price competi-

tion and, without identifying it – ruin the core values of this wonderful profession. I would again and again like to challenge the design associations to align with each other and get active. This is probably one of the key issues and if associations want to attract the young designers as members, this is an option.

For you what are the major differences between well-design products and trivial objects?

Honestly I gave up thinking about that. As long as things find their target groups, should we call them trivial? There are always companies behind, employees, families etc. and of course it is really very relative and depending on the individual situation of the “judge”. It is a nice dream to imagine that we focus on “valuable” products in this world. But would that really be the world we want to live in? I have my doubts.

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EVO Urban Utility

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The Huge Design is a product design consultancy base in San Francisco in the United States of America. The company is new at the Bay Area design scene but in a four years time it show the capacity to work for big brands and also for startups. Most recently the company was challenged to work with a bike builder concerning the Oregon Manifest and its The Bike Design Project. The Huge Design and 4130 Cycle Works joined forces to represent San Francisco in the competition. The 4130 Cycle Works has Tom Schoeniger and Tom James leading the producing processes. The 4130 number is the code given by the American Iron and Steel Institute that defines the approximate chemical composition of the steel commonly referred to as chromoly. Tom Schoeniger has more than a quarter of a century experience in bicycle production and he also keeps got good memories and knowledge from the days he worked for the first Californian bike producers.

This building bike team had also the collaboration from the PHC Lime Lab which was responsible for bringing “engineering minds and state of the art facility to fabricate the bike�.

The mission and values proposed by the whole team was to preset a hybrid bicycle that could leverage a modular accessory platform to present optimized flexibility. They name it the EVO Urban Utility bike a

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one solution product presenting complementary functionalities that could perform at ease in daily city situations and at the same time showing “the robustness and geometry of a mountain bike to satisfy the city’s diverse lifestyle and terrain”.

EVO underlines its well design solutions turning the bike easily adaptable to different situations by allowing user to rapidly attach or detach cargo accessories. This easy system was build to produce answers through a well clarified range of accessories and all of them speaking for themselves without causing any kind of difficulty to the users. The goal was to present different types of racks for different kind of needs like carrying safely groceries or surf boards. These accessories are quickly locked in to the frame and at the same time they are also easily removed.

The San Francisco city architectural characteristics were the source of inspiration for the symmetrical frame designed to support cargo on the bike’s front and rear. The bike describing text tell us that “3D printed steel lugs allow for an efficient lug plus tube construction, thus reducing complex welding and man hours in production”.

Finally designers mention the front fork lockout that “allows users to securely lean the handlebars against a wall for stable loading and unloading. In addition, this concept includes front and rear lighting systems and a cable lock integrated into the frame”.

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DIRECT SPEECH

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Isak Winther

Winther in Wonderland I’m a graphic designer gone product designer from Iceland, although my heritage could be said to be Norwegian also since I moved to Norway as a child and have lived there for almost half of life so far :) I graduated from The Icelandic Academy of the Arts with a BA in product design. I was fortunate enough to have such a great mentor as Katrin Ólina Pétursdóttir as main teacher, and not to forget the regular access to Michael Young. I also did a summer internship for Michael, good times.

Actually my design days may have started in business school, when one of my teachers of book keeping suggested I should rather go to design school than waste my time in his class. He was the accountant for the Pantone Color importer in Oslo, Norway. They had classes, expensive classes, for designer and even an apartment for students from far away … such as me … living in the south of Norway.

He managed to deal with them to give me the full course and the apartment for free, he could not bear to see me waste my time in business school, but my parents did not like the idea so I never went. Now … about 30 years later I am the Creative Director of PIPAR\TBWA one of the largest ad agency in the country. Waking up in the morning, knowing I work with design excites me every day and I am very thankful for having made the choice to seek my own way and not to follow footsteps that did not suit me.

Enough about history, I love simplicity. My motto has always been “Make simplicity different”. I usually find that my first instincts are simple … then I test allot … and return to a refined and simplified version of the first sketches, but usually does not mean always … so there is no way to shorten the circle of design. My greatest inspiration through time has been the great Scandinavian product designers although i believe Erik Magnussen, he designed for Stelton of Denmark, Peter Opsvik, the trip trap chair, Norway and not to forget Jacob Jensen the infamous Bang & Olufsen designer. These guys designed things that spoke to me long before I even knew there was something called product design. But the one that changed that was Phillipe Starck. At one point I knew what I wanted to do, and I only wanted to design chairs.

Now I find myself designing mostly graphics due to the lack of production companies in Iceland. If I need products to be produced, I need to take them

out of the country. Some might say that the products I design are influenced by graphic design, but I also feel that it goes both ways, that my graphics do have a third dimension to them.

I look to solve the small problems in my life when I design products and usually these problems bug more people than just me. I love to surprise myself and others, I love to wake up in the morning being able to do what I love, I love possibilities coming alongside with progress, I love details but not overanalyzing.

One of my favorite projects has been Te & Kaffi. I started working for them in 2003, it all started with them asking me to do a poster for them, they had sponsored a musical tour that I did a poster for and liked it. After looking at what they had to work with I suggested that the company desperately needed a total makeover. Looking through all the literature about coffee I directed a team of my wife (a graphic designer) and one of her classmates, that had become a close friend, trough a couple of months of until we revealed what we believed should be they’re new identity and feel. From the underdog in the coffee scene to now the largest coffee company i the country I am proud to have worked with them for 10 years and designing everything from every packaging, coffee cup and even a couple of their coffee houses (interior). We parted as friends last year and it will be fun to watch someone else take the “child” almost turned “teenager” and see what they do with it. Te & Kaffi is probably one of Iceland’s best recognized brands today.

A couple of weeks ago I revealed the latest product from my personal cellar. As usual I have something to solve, and not unfamiliar to working with gadgets for the iPhone, the constant change that I like has side effects. With each new phone, there comes a new dock. iPhone docks have a reputation of being to light, too much plastic, and does not fit the next generation of phones. I always want to have the latest iPhone and I am always saddened when I have to part with a perfectly good dock. Some have gone to great length to come up with the ultimate docks, kilos of aluminium, so there is no way of a movement when you pick it up from charging. I came to the conclusion that the reason I liked the idea of a dock was due to not having to look for the charging cable on the floor, especially at night. I also like to rest the phone | 31 |

on something nice, not just the table … there could be sand or dust there … heaven forbid especially as I don’t like to hide the phone in a cover. Sir Jonathan and his team at Apple have made an effort to make it great, and that is just the way I like it. So with this as ingredient to my search for a solution I simply made a leather “table cloth” … or a soft dock as I have decided to call it. A small incision that connects to a small hole to accompany the charging cable on leather big enough to make a nice resting place for the phone my solutions was complete. Since some of us use glasses or jewelry/watches I made one version large enough to accompany some personal belongs, and a large version for you crazy people out here who take your iPad to bed … like I do.

Some other stuff I like, that I have done, is the LoveJack or my Last Stop door stopper. Hope you enjoy this?

Report by Hugo Poge Photos: Courtesy of Isak Winther

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FOOD DESIGN

Antonio Aricò

The comfort of lines and shapes is one of the things that Antonio Aricò is keen on. When we touch and look at this product we can make a quick perception of the whole of the intentions kept in mind by the designer. Comfortable handle to pour the water and a strong and elegant shape paying a sort of complementary visual effect with the liquid’s dynamic. The purposes are quite simple and its neutral yet well defined aesthetic makes us feel like it always belonged to our daily natural routines.

The describing text of the Water Pitch Block underlines that the concept was to play with purity and simple shapes expressing an emotional connection with its users. It makes us remind of a giant ice cube paring with 6 little glasses. The giant piece was hand blown by the artisan Massimo Lunardon.

Antonio Aricò graduate from the Milan Polytechnic and he studied metal and jewellery design at the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in Scotland. He also did product design at the Institute of Technology in Australia as well as traditional furniture design in Spain. | 34 |

As a qualified and experienced design he soon began to develop work for companies like the Barilla Group, Nivea Beiersdorf, Lavazza, Serralung and Skitsch. For the past four years he began his own personal work by producing all different types of products and focusing as well on to strong professional relationships with specific Italian clients. Under his public curriculum it says that two of his recent collections, Back Home and Taste of Wood were very successful and gave him recognition for the research and technique developed. Most recently he capture the attention of a few galleries and museums form around the world having products like the Watering Kettle Can and the Swing Chair. The first one strikes us for its resemblance to a swan and the chair by its childhood imaginary.

http://www.antonioarico.com www.antonioarico.com

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In the Lapa area of the city of Lisbon, in Portugal, a reform was made to an apartment not only to give a new atmosphere to the space but also to strength the architectural qualities of a late nineteenth century pombalino building.

The building with one dwelling per floor shows its elegance by thick exterior masonry stone walls capturing Lisbon city light from east and west sides. The stairs arise together to one wall of an adjoining lot and the three structure walls, typical pombalino Saint Andrew’s crosses building structure, run through the 4 floors in parallel to the main and back facades. A whole lot of thin and fragile walls produced small areas creating non functional living spaces.

The mission of the architect Vanessa Santos Silva was to reform the apartment by removing the excess of suffocating compartments allowing the light to spread naturally through the whole floor. To design the new living areas the architect had to come up with a structural intervention joining complementary engineering and architecture solutions. One thing well kept in mind through the reform process was to preserve and respect the memory of the place avoiding unnecessary and obtrusive interior building schemes.

The describing text of this reform says that “when the social area was defragmented and became an opened area, as well as the supporting wall - separating element of the new living area from the dining area was enhanced, the “Saint Andrew’s cross” was restored, piece of art and structure that has always existed assuming great presence in the house”.

The reform introduced new spatial and material elements. A second toilet was built to serve the social area and the kitchen reorganized to a better use and functional optimization. The architect chose a hydraulic mosaic pattern to the kitchen enhancing a unique Portuguese element. The new suit is now served with a dressing room and a private bathroom.

The apartment reform shows how it was possible to keep the structural identity of the pombalino type of construction and introducing simple and lighter interior solutions. The apartment combines now two harmoniously architectonic spirits preserving the memory and responding to nowadays living ambitions. | 38 |

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In a narrow dead end in Cihangir at Beyoglu in Istanbul, Turkey, this building pays tribute to local construction techniques from the early XX century. A complex location and a rigid schedule for construction lead the team decide to go forward with a steel structure. At a underground levels it was used reinforced concrete and the steel structure used for the upper levels. The visual aspect of composite structure was preserved on purpose and presented without any use of plaster, paint or cladding material. This option is valid for the inside and the outside.

The construction obeys local regulation which determines when you have an adjacent building on one side and a facade on other side a blind wall must be built. The short describing text provided tell us that the “blind facade is composed of steel structure with insulation materials in between, and brick walls on both sides”. The custom made bricks brings the

building different kinds of shades during the day. The front and rear facade were streched to the maximum limit in order to bring light inside.

The Noxx Apartment has 7 studio with 60 to 70 m2, 2 attics duplex and a garden duplex.

Project Place: Kuloglu, Beyoğlu / Istanbul Architectural Design: Cem Sorguc, Sezin Ergene, Elvan Cakıt, Tolga Yaglı, Amina Rezoug, Deniz Gezgin Architectural Office: CM Architecture Client: Prospera Gayrimenkul Site Area: 128,37 sqm Building Area: 733,02 sqm Construction Consultant: Oguz Cem Celik Structural Project: Ozcihan / Akgul Muhendislik Musavirlik Electrical Project: Tasarım Proje Mechanical Project: Neva Proje | 49 |

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BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS

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In The Road to Memphis by Francesca Picchi at the very beginning of this album you will get a most interesting and at the same time deep perception about Ettore Sottsass. An approach to the man, his ideas, his ways of thinking, feeling and making things happen. The words by Francesca Picchi give us an intimate Sottsass, the man full of energy and a genuine and pure way of being. Beyond the context of political time – History – this road of text is able to lead us to a personality deeply involved with his lifetime and above all with the nature of reality as whole. The mentioned loads of photos taken drive us to understand how memory and all those fragments captured from reality meant a whole lot to him. At the same time it becomes clear that those great questions about life were always in mind. Reality understood as an infinite number of facts in which any tiny element had his one space and purpose. He embraced reality not like a rigid superstructure but experienced as a non-stopping free dance of all those little elements.

Photography and painting reveal also the importance of light and then colors in his creative processes.

These processes were full of experimenting in order to understand the reason of the facts. This was also an important way of questioning himself and his intentions as an architect and a designer. For us it seems he was seeking to find the perfect integration between reality and thought. Things were always moving free so it was pointless and a waste of time trying to make reality obey to human rigid schemes and tame the natural freedom of the universe to a limited idea.

Sottsass creativeness wasn’t looking for ultimate perfection, objects had to have those logical human nature requirements but they must also correspond to the way reality exists. Materials, proportions, shapes, colors and intentions should be presented in the best harmonious way. The philosophical questions were in fact a complement to that inner journey towards balance to keep up with the equilibrium of the universe forces. Fundamental reflections of a man making a perception of the world and with his eyes cleared from conceptual dictate.

SOTTSASS Publisher: Phaidon ISBN: 978 0 7148 6584 3 English 470 Pages June, 2, 2014

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VISIT OUR WEBSITE www.revistadesignmagazine.com

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