Cosentino and ANARCHITECT unveiled the slow-tech public installation ‘Context Reflections’ at Dubai Design Week 2021
Architectural surfaces leader Cosentino and Dubai and London based design practice ANARCHITECT jointly unveiled ‘Context Reflections’ a slow-tech public installation at the heart of Dubai Design District (d3) as part of Dubai Design Week from 8-13 November 2021.
Built using Sunlit Days, the first-ever carbon neutral surfaces collection from Silestone by Cosentino, the permeable installation invites visitors to enter a darkened chamber to pause and discover the intriguing play of penetrated light created via a naturally occurring optical phenomenon. The self-operating, analogue installation draws inspiration from the principles of ‘Camera Obscura’ of why we see what we see. The moving images conjured on the inside wall – inverted ‘live’ projections of the surroundings outside the construction – suggestively asks visitors to slow down, observe with attention and reflect on the constantly changing environment.
In a panel discussion moderated by regional design expert Rue Kothari during the launch event at Cosentino City Dubai on 7th November, the ANARCHITECT Design Team and Cosentino’s Middle East Marketing Manager Miriam Llano revealed several facets of the installation.
Elaborating on the concept, founder and director of ANARCHITECT Jonathan Ashmore commented, “Context Reflections continues ANARCHITECT’s ongoing research into the relationship of natural light, materials, and the importance of context in all architecture and interior spaces we engage in. Given the diverse and unique international settings the Practice works in, the installation concept was developed by our Team for Cosentino to highlight the consistent importance of light and materiality in our work; as well as raise our sustainable collective consciousness by going back to basics and calling for the observation of the contexts that surround us, here purposefully using a low-tech, full-scale analog design tool”.
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5 reasons to visit the AlUla Design Exhibition at Dubai Design Week 2021
This year marks the first time Royal Commission for AlUla has taken part in Dubai Design Week, the annual week-long festival celebrating design and creativity in the UAE and beyond taking place 8-13 November 2021. Here are five reasons you should visit the AlUla Design Exhibition this week:
1. The AlUla Design exhibition gives insight to the design community on how master planning and architecture can integrate deep history, culture heritage and nature into new living environments
2. Understand what the future of Sustainable Tourism would look like!
3. An opportunity to explore AlUla, one of the world’s emerging design cities through images and videos.
4. Be a part of AlUla Design Talks by Samantha Cotterell, the Royal Commission for AlUla’s (RCU) Executive Director of Design and other architects who have contributed to AlUla design.
5. Get a chance to meet the designers and architects who are developing one of the world’s most extraordinary heritage destinations.
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in5 goes to Dubai Design Week with exhibition and specialised workshops
in5, an enabling hub for design, tech and media start-ups, has confirmed its participation at Dubai Design Week, both as an exhibitor and through a series of workshops.
Between November 8 and 13, the incubator will be showcasing its emerging design practices in a multidisciplinary exhibition that will include a variety of thought processes highlighting new innovative practices, products with technology-driven design, as well as user-centric design paradigms.
Underscore: in5 Design Exhibition
The exhibition explores the role played by technology in many of the approaches adopted by design start-ups, whether through using 3D printing or aerospace technology to create more efficient, smarter, and innovative products and designs.
Majed Al Suwaidi, Managing Director of Dubai Media City, said: “in5 aims to be an incubator ecosystem that provides entrepreneurs and start-ups the optimal conditions for growth. We have come to Dubai Design Week to showcase some fascinating projects and concepts that are being worked on in the design space.”
A broad range of concepts will be examined through these projects, ranging from culture, craft, sustainability, spirituality and wellness.
KDSV will be showcasing Gateway To Heaven, a stainless steel canopy that uses columns and a water curtain to create the illusion of a waterfall pouring from sky to earth, and Boostpod, an urban device that aims to redefine the balance of work and life through providing an app-accessible private, soundproofed environment in public places.
Another project by in5 start-up NYXO Visionary Design is Urban Fossils, an urban cooling system that relies on a porous, fossil-inspired structure to lower technologies through a combination of algorithm-driven design and sand 3D printing.
Other participants in the exhibition include CODE, Neo Architecture, Shatha Essa, Seen Meem Interior Design, Uche by Amber and Stelyx. The latter will be showcasing innovative folding methods adapted from the aerospace industry at the exhibition. Stelyx’s T-Bench, for example, is a bench that adjusts its length automatically to maintain social distancing, while Gravity Tree Rack will dry clothes while saving space and time through a design that takes cues from the branches of a tree.
in5 workshops
In collaboration with its partners, in5 Design will also be hosting a series of workshops during Dubai Design Week.
The sessions cover a broad range of topics. Some will be based around practical demonstration and hands-on work, such as the uses of CNC for laser cutting and robotic milling – the newest addition to in5’s prototyping lab – while others will be more theory-based, such as Pantone’s talk on the role of color in brand recognition and foundation of color psychology by colour theorist Fatima Al Shirawi.
Sustainability is also featured in the workshops, especially in the fashion space through sessions covering zero-waste design for garments as well as the sourcing of sustainable fabrics and an introduction to sustainable design.
“These workshops not only provide participants with valuable insights into a range of design technology subjects but also offer a platform for our partners to showcase their solutions to a wider audience,” said Al Suwaidi.
“Participants will also have a chance to explore our state-of-the-art facilities and see for themselves how the prototyping and fashion labs can help entrepreneurs and start-ups.”
in5 is an enabling platform for entrepreneurs and start-ups, fostering innovation and helping new ideas reach the marketplace. It offers five key benefits, which comprise a robust business set-up framework, training and mentorship, networking, investment opportunities, and cutting-edge prototyping labs, studios and creative workspaces.
In October 2021, in5 announced a new milestone as its start-ups crossed the AED 1.4 billion investment mark, reaffirming Dubai’s leading position as an attractive destination for talent and entrepreneurship. The direct investments came through venture capital and angel investors.
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Inspired by UAE Mars mission, ‘Hala, Mareekh’ carpet by Design Matter is to be unveiled at Dubai Design Week
A unique carpet, inspired by the UAE’s mission to Mars, is set to be unveiled during the Dubai Design Week, as part of the event’s UAE Designers Exhibition 2.0. The rug, known as ‘Hala, Mareehk’, or ‘Hello Mars’, is the work of boutique design firm, Design Matter, and is the first piece from their sustainable furnishings collection, ‘series of hope’.
Setting out to craft a metaphor for conquering the unknown, the Design Matter team, led by business founder, Fabidha Safar Rahman, has brought together traditional and modern design concepts to create a contrast between two sides of the same coin: a side of nature and tradition, and one of modernity and innovation.
Explaining the journey from inspiration to creation, Rahman said, “With so much to celebrate as a country, we wanted to curate all our emotions of pride, ambition, and hope into a product that recognises such a historic year for the UAE. We were inspired to commemorate the Mars mission by doing what we know best, design.
“Motivated by the feat, we took it upon ourselves to develop something that reflected the pride, the ambition, and of course, hope. Creating a designer rug that curates these concepts, we aimed to depict the journey from nature and humanity to modern technology and new ventures into the unknown. Fusing forms of fluidity with modernity, it is a metaphor for the UAE; a country deeply-rooted in its culture and traditions, while constantly evolving to new heights.”
Featuring free-flowing curves with linear forms, the design aims to characterise the natural lines of topography that meet with the final frontier of technology. A hand-like form wraps itself around the core of the rug, with the grey colour representing the unknown that is yet to be discovered. The final feature of modernity is inspired by the wings of the Al Amal Hope probe, while the gentle lines of yellow denote hope.
Reflecting the hope theme, the piece incorporates 15 % recycled PET yarn, an innovative, sustainable method of reducing the impact of plastic bottles on the environment and reusing them in a constructive way.
With 75% less CO2 emission than virgin polyester, PET yarn is a sustainable material that gives the luxurious look and feel of wool with no synthetic coating. The rug is the first piece in the Design Matter ‘series of hope’ collection, which aims to create unique, sustainable, and limited-release pieces, inspired by the UAE.
Hala, Mareehk will be one of 25 pieces from local designers to feature in the Exhibition, which can be viewed at Downtown Editions, part of Downtown Design Dubai, from 8th – 12th November.
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Cosentino collaborates with ANARCHITECT to create a public installation for Dubai Design Week
Architectural surfaces leader Cosentino partners with award-winning Dubai and London based design practice ANARCHITECT to create ‘Context Reflections’ a public installation at the heart of Dubai Design District (d3) during Dubai Design Week from November 8-13, 2021.
Built using Sunlit Days, the first-ever carbon neutral surfaces collection from Silestone by Cosentino, the permeable installation will invite visitors to enter a darkened chamber to pause and discover the intriguing play of penetrated light created via a naturally occurring optical phenomenon. The self-operating, low-tech installation draws inspiration from the principles of ‘Camera Obscura’ of why we see what we see. The moving images conjured on the inside wall – inverted ‘live’ projections of the surroundings outside the construction – suggestively asks visitors to observe with attention and reflect on the constantly changing environment.
Elaborating on the concept further, Senior Architect Tom Herd from ANARCHITECT reveals “Context Reflections continues ANARCHITECT’s ongoing research into the relationship of natural light, materials, and the importance of context in all architecture and interior spaces we engage in. Given the diverse and unique international settings the Practice works in, the installation concept was developed by our Team for Cosentino to highlight the consistent importance of light and materiality in our work; as well as raise our sustainable collective consciousness by calling for the observation of the contexts that surround us, here purposefully using a low-tech, full-scale analog design tool”.
Design wise, ‘Context Reflections’ holds on to the principles of simplicity and practical sustainability.
”It was important to us that the installation was designed mindfully with minimal material wastage and is a demountable, reusable structure to give it the possibility of a second, third life” explains Matt Harding, another member of the ANARCHITECT design team behind the project.
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Trends from Milan Design Week 2021
See also: Discover: Interior Design Trends 2022
Trends from Milan Design Week 2021
As the world starts reopening, so does the biggest furniture fair, Salone del Mobile. And with her, the events spread all around the city, known as the FuoriSalone. These events are collectively called Milan Design Week and are this year curated by architect Stegano Boeri.
So now that the design world reappeared and is adjusting to a slightly new reality, what news and trends can we expect to see from these shows in Milan. Let’s see the latest unique news and trends brought by Salone del Mobile and Fuorisalone 2021.
Dimoregallery, Tradition, and Innovation
Dimoregallery, an already well-known presence, this year brings us future nostalgia, with a mixture of tradition and innovation.
Objects of Common Interest
If you are into futurist materials and futurist furniture, this is just the right trend
Nilufar Depot
A former industrial space now full of exhibitions from bottom to top
And at the top of the building is the exhibition of 3D designer, Andrés Reisinger
Artemest, Aqva exhibition
Inspired by water, with an interesting concept, in which each artist had to create a new piece using water in some way during the design process. The list of artists involved is impressive and the new pieces were all revealed in the Milan event.
Hermes and Gucci
The fashion houses were also a presence, with strong and fantastical exhibitions.
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Hastens and fashion designer Lars Nilsson launch IRIS collection at Paris Design Week
Luxury Swedish bed manufacturer Hästens and iconic fashion designer Lars Nilsson reunited at an intimate event during Paris Design Week to celebrate the launch of two new designs for the ‘Iris Collection’. The collaboration, which was first unveiled in 2019, saw Hästens’ iconic blue check completely reimagined for a series of bed linens and accessories. Drawn by hand with pencils, watercolors, gouache and crayon, the designs pay homage to the brand’s classic motif, while uniting it with Nilsson’s timeless, colorful, and fashionable style.
As a follow up to the original launch, which was inspired by Nilsson’s travels through the English countryside, the two new patterns – Edwin Iris and Selwyn Iris – are inspired by the beautiful Parisian flower shops and French gardens such as the Jardin des Plantes and Giverny-Monet’s Garden.
“All patterns are inspired by different Iris flowers, and their unique and often unusual color combination in a graphic design that is basically the iconic Hästens’. Flowers and plants are international, but England and France have, with their climate, a unique flora of Iris. Above all Paris has fantastic flower shops with a strong culture when it comes to floral arrangement,” said designer Lars Nilsson.
The Edwin Iris bed linen has the Hästens’ classic horse’s inspiration in gray scale that can often be seen in wooden garden furniture, which over time has received a nice patination where the wooden surface gets a matte gray shade. On the other hand, the Selwyn Iris bed linen is more of a bouquet of tones, such as lilac, celadon, and agapanthus.
Made from 100% cotton, the collection is as uncompromising on quality as it is on design. Natural, light and soft, the material is environmentally friendly and helps to regulate body temperature in both summer and winter.
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The 7th edition of Dubai Design Week will take place in November 2021
Celebrating the region’s creative talent, Dubai Design Week returns to Dubai Design District (d3), from November 8-13, 2021, with a diverse programme of outdoor installations, exhibitions and pop-ups, engaging activities and experiences, with a focus on sustainability through regenerative and circular design.
Top-tier industry guests, including architects, interior designers, specifiers, hoteliers, and developers, as well as public visitors from the Middle East, Africa, South Asia, and beyond, flock to Downtown Design, a main commercial feature of Dubai Design Week.
New to 2021, will be dedicated sections across the key industry sectors, each with tailor-made promotional campaigns to enhance the market profile of the participating brands. Alongside an extensive collateral programme that will include conceptual showcases by regional architects and interior designers, Downtown Design’s talks programme and onsite networking events, Connect Programme, the fair’s B2B platform will offer brands direct access to key design professionals with relevant project pipelines.
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WOODArt to open its first showroom in Dubai this week!
WOODArt by RBIC Group will launch its first showroom on June 30, 2021. Bringing a new light to the artisanal craftsmanship, WOODArt is a new emerging one-stop-shop of modern natural wooden furniture opening its first-ever showroom at the prominent furniture retail street on Umm Suqeim Road, Dubai.
The grand opening presents WOODArt’s natural handpicked, and handmade wood furniture collection from dining tables, chairs, and other home accessories.
WOODArt is making living spaces comfortable with its sustainability and eco-friendly vision towards furniture design by creating masterpieces from natural and durable materials such as reclaimed natural solid wood combined with rattan and bamboo. The brand is also integrating its current bespoke Italian and local kitchen line under WOODArt Kitchens, which brings options from both local designers, and an internationally acclaimed Aventini Italian Kitchens.
“Boho Chic is on a trend, and we bring it to you by gathering amazing pieces from the most exotic destinations. WOODArt Tabletops are pieces of art that give trees a second life cycle,” said WOODArt, CEO, Daniel De La Ossa Tetley.
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