Kartell, a Pioneer Company in Plastics

EN KARTELL, A PIONEER 01

COMPANY IN PLASTICS PLASTICARIUM COLLECTION

Plastic was introduced into the world of furniture largely ANNA CASTELLI-FERRIERI [1918-2006] thanks to the Kartell company, founded in 1949 by Giulio Castelli [1920-2006], a chemical engineer and a graduate of Anna Castelli-Ferrieri was an Italian architect and designer. the Politecnico of Milan. In 1943, she became the first woman to graduate in architecture from the Politecnico of Milan. She married Giulio “My challenge as an entrepreneur has been to present plas- Castelli in the same year. Anna Castelli-Ferrieri was one of tic to the public as a noble material, not a poor substitute for a group of designers keen to transform the world of design a natural material, but one with its own specific dignity”. with new technology and new materials, particularly plastics. To achieve this, she embarked on several partnerships “Conversazione con Giulio Castelli”, in Giulio Castelli, Paola Antonelli and Francesca Picchi, La fabbrica del design. Conversazione i protagonisti del with prestigious industrial design companies [including design italiano, Milan : Skira, 2007, p. 26 Arflex, Sambonet, Ycami and Matteograssi]. In 1966 she started designing for Kartell, and was the company’s artistic Giulio Castelli, who dedicated his professional life to creat- director from 1976 to 1987. ing objects, understood the extraordinary potential offered by polymers. Kartell’s first product was a ski-rack, followed During this period she produced a number of affordable by an extensive range of car accessories. In 1951, Castelli’s everyday objects − indeed, a Kartell item could be found in enthusiasm for this new material led him to create a depart- every Italian home. Her creations are characterised by their ment for products designed for the domestic environment, minimalistic geometric forms, their vivid, opaque colours such as household goods, home accessories, lamps and and their highly polished surface finishes, produced by furniture, ensuring that they were innovative and produced using the latest technological innovations. through industrial processes. Her first solo design project for Kartell was theComponibili In order to prove that plastic was a quality material, Giulio storage furniture. A bestselling range produced by the Ital- Castelli communicated his thoughts extensively. In 1965, he ian designer furniture company Kartell, the Componibili created the company magazine Qualità, and in the 1970s he [which means “modular” or “stackable”] bring to mind the founded Centrokappa, an autonomous enterprise whose concept of interobjectivity. The collection is composed of team developed design, graphic art, publicity and commu- cylindrical and square storage units that can be stacked nications projects. These reflections led to publicity according to the user’s wishes. As the pieces interlock campaigns displaying interiors entirely furnished with together, there is no need for screws or tools. Each modular items produced by the firm. Each object was individually element comprises a base, a main “body” and a little door. A showcased in these images, even through the presence of range of additional accessories is also available: trays, lids, other pieces. cushions, castors, etc. These can be acquired as needed.

Anna Castelli-Ferrieri 1.1 KARTELL, A PIONEER COMPANY IN PLASTICS

The units come in a variety of colors, so users can choose to combine different shades or keep to a single color. One of the great strengths of this collection, and the key to its success, is this ability to “adapt itself to individual wishes and needs”, in any part of the home. Anna Castelli selected acrylonitrile butadiene styrene [ABS] as the material for the Componibili. One of the most widely used plastics today, it has been described as “the tubular steel of the 60s”.

ANNA CASTELLI-FERRIERI, Componibili storage furniture, 1967-present, ABS, Kartell, ITA

1.2 EN TRANSPARENCY 02

IN HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES PLASTICARIUM COLLECTION

APPLE tinted acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene [ABS] was replaced with a transparent coloured polycarbonate [PC] in blue, red, The Apple company was established in 1976, in California orange, violent or green. Jonathan Ive drew attention to the by two computer scientists, Steve Wozniak [born in 1950] details: everything is compact and the electric cables were and Steve Jobs [1955-2011]. Six months later, the Apple I strictly limited to the minimum. The iMac had to be an acces- micro-computer was launched. It was an immediate success. sory that integrates in the workspace as well as at home. It was the result of a rapid miniaturisation of electronic components and the sign of a cultural revolution, namely a The success of this design was sensational, beyond the desire to democratise access to computing. Their slogan was world of computing. For instance, the company Artemide also: “The principle of democracy as it applies to technology. drew inspiration from it to design translucent and colourful One person, one computer.” PC lighting.

From 1985, all the company’s devices were called Macintosh Today, the iMac is identified as one of the most important and their technological progress continued to accelerate. In products from the end of the century. Less than one year 1996, Apple created the iMac, a compact computer in which after releasing the iMac, Apple launched the iBook. all the functions were integrated in the same case.

JONATHAN IVE, APPLE DESIGN TEAM, iMac computer, 1996, PC, mixed media, Apple, USA

The British-born designer, Jonathan Ive [born in 1967], was appointed head of the product design team for the Apple brand in 1996 – he still has that position. His role is JONATHAN IVE, APPLE DESIGN TEAM, iBook computer, significant because he reinforced the importance of design 1997, PC, mixed media, Apple, USA in the company. One of his first projects was theiMac . The iBook was the first consumer laptop from Apple. Its play- The goal was to create a functional and user-friendly ful and colourful appearance – two colours were available, computer, while redefining it aesthetics by using fashion- blueberry and tangerine – caused some criticism. Its aesthetics able colours. In this way, instead of producing square boxes, were considered too similar to toys. Nevertheless, Apple Ive imagined a case with curved lines. The beige or grey marketed the second fastest laptop in the world.

2.1 TRANSPARENCY IN HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES

DYSON James Dyson

The vacuum cleaners by the British designer, James Dyson [born in 1947], are icon pieces of industrial design.

JAMES DYSON, DC05 vacuum, 1988, ABS, PC, mixed media, Dyson Appliances, GBR

In 1978, James Dyson designed a new type of vacuum cleaner based on the cyclone idea and bagless. After five years of research and 5127 prototypes, the first model was released in Japan under the G-Force brand. With its pastel lilac and pink colours, the appliance tried to seduce the female public. However, James Dyson wanted to enter the UK market so G-Force DC01 started to produce his own product. After several revisions, vacuum vacuum an upright vacuum cleaner, the DC01, was produced in 1983. It was followed by the cylinder version, the DC02.

Instead of hiding the mechanism under a cover, he leaves it clear by using transparent plastic. In this way the user can immediately see if the vacuum cleaner needs to be emptied. As for the colours chosen – yellow, metallic grey and black – they highlight the machine’s main components.

Despite the high price, the Dyson brand quickly took the top spot on the UK market.

The piece shown at ADAM is an updated version of the DC02, called DC05. For this new model from 1988, Dyson replaced the metallic grey with turquoise and dark blue. DC02 vacuum

2.2 EN 03

ANTHROPOMORPHIC CHAIRS PLASTICARIUM COLLECTION

ROGER TALLON [1929-2012] NICOLA L. [born in 1937]

Roger Tallon, famous for having designed the TGV or the Born in Morocco, Nicola L. moved to Paris in the post-war Télévia television, produced over four hundred objects in period to study at the Académie Julian and the École des twenty years with his team, for both public and private com- Beaux-arts in Paris. In 1966, she moved to New York, a city missions. pulsing with the Pop Art triumph. At the same time, she discovered vinyl and synthetic fur, materials that she used in In 1967, César asked Roger Tallon to design figures for the all shapes and sizes on “sculpture furniture”. This term refers to crib at Orly airport [France]. He created portrait-seats re- furniture items that assume an organic and surrealist sculp- presenting celebrities of the era. While seated on these tural language. She defines her aesthetic as “another pop”. chairs, the users could see Jesus on a television screen. Roger Tallon followed this anthropomorphic series by realising Influenced by the socio-political upheavals of her time, she twenty Zombie chairs for the restaurant bar the Astrolabe, addresses the role of women and develops a practice based on the boulevard Saint-Germain [Paris]. on the function of everyday objects.

ROGER TALLON, Zombie chair, 1967, GRP, steal, FRA

These chairs are yellow or orange in the form of a human silhouette, on which the position of the eye sockets have been reproduced. A cushion, aestheti- cally similar to a target, is arranged on the backrest. After the intervention by Roger Tallon, the owner of the Astrolabe changed the layout from time to time. These pieces are very rare today.

NICOLA L., Femme sculpture bench, 1968, PUR, PVC, BEL

The sculpture bench Femme [Woman] consists of different elements with multiple combinations possible. Namely, the silhouette of the sitting evokes a buste, according to the way you use it, completely made of cushions in the shape of a head, arms and legs.

3.1 SIÈGES ANTHROPOMORPHES

RUTH FRANCKEN [1924–2006] ROY ADZAK [né en 1927]

Born in Prague but of French nationality, Ruth Francken is The British sculptor, Roy Adzak settled in Paris from 1961. an artist who wanted to end the stylistic barriers and cate- In the wake of Pop Art he created anthropomorphic objects gories between the creative fields. To her, such a distinction based on the play of relief and recess, suggesting movement no longer applies. The same person can do different things, in space. Adzak helped creating the furniture for Atelier A*. for instance both painting and furniture.

RUTH FRANCKEN, ROY ADZAK, Fesses seat, 1992, GRP, Atelier A, FRA Homme sculpture seat, GRP, stainless steel, 1985, gallery X +, BEL 1st edit. 1970 Éric and Xiane Germain, FRA 2nd edit. 1985, PUR, steel, gallery X+, BEL

The gallery Éric and Xiane Germain, on the Guénégaud street The prototype for this seat was realised in 1970 for Atelier in Paris, was a place of welcome and support for young crea- A. However, it was not until 1992 that twenty-five pieces were tives in the period 1970-1980. It notably issued twenty copies issued in two colours – white and black. The user is invited of the organic chairs by Ruth Francken, creations that reinvent to settle in a seat that moulds to the body’s form as it is a the everyday object thanks to plastics. To achieve this, Ruth recessed mould of buttocks. The curves of this mould con- Francken realised a plaster cast of a live model, in this case trast with the square and rigid structure of the material that a man’s body. surrounds it.

In 1985, a new issue was decided by the Brussels gallery X +. Originally 300, white and black, numbered and signed pieces were planned in the reissue but were never realised completely due to a disagreement between the artist and the gallery. Only thirty copies seem to have been issued. * Atelier A is an artistic group founded between 1969 and 1972 in Paris by the French designer François Arnal.

3.2 EN 04

PLASTICITY PLASTICARIUM COLLECTION

BERNARD RANCILLAC [born in 1931] Bernard Rancillac

Visual artist and theatre designer Bernard Rancillac is affil- iated with the Pop Art movement, specifically with one of the French versions, Nouvelle Figuration. This label proposed in 1961 by the critique, Michel Ragon, was applied from 1960 to 1979 to different aesthetic trends. TheNouvelle Figuration was never a cohesive movement but rather cor- responds to a certain contemporary vision of human kind.

BERNARD RANCILLAC, Éléphant armchair, 1985, polyester, wrought iron, gallery Loft, FRA Designed in 1966, 1st edition 1967, gallery Lacloche, FRA

Bernard Rancillac created this armchair in 1966 for the exhibition Objet 2 Pour un mobilier contemporain, organised by the gallery Lacloche [Paris]. This exhibition brought together everyday objects and furniture designed by contemporary French and international artists, which included Arman [1928-2005] and Roberto Matta [1911-2002], as well as two designers, Georges Patrix [1920-1992] and Roger Tallon [1929-2011]. The goal pursued by the commissioners was to forge the link between society and the artist through the pieces that were both aesthetic and utilitarian. One hundred copies of the Éléphant [Elephant] chair, originally produced in blue, were reissued in five colours [white, grey, yellow, red and green] by the Parisian gallery Loft, in 1985.

4.1 EN 05

FUTURISME PLASTICARIUM COLLECTION

CESARE LEONARDI [born in 1935] & FRANCA STAGI [born in 1937] Cesare Leonardi, Franca Stagi, Ruban CL9, The Italian, Cesare Leonardi, became interested in design 1961, GRP, Bernini, ITA in his second year at the School of Architecture in Florence. From his early studies, the key elements of his practice are expressed: he seeks to optimise the performance of the material, combined with the synthesis of structure and form. Early in his career he joined Franca Stagi to achieve this. Together, they designed the Ribbon CL9 chair in 1961. This piece, kept in the reserves at the ADAM, consists of a con- tinuous band of fibreglass supported by chromed metal tubing. Six years later, they designed another sculptural piece, the Dondolo rocking chair.

The design duo chose GRP to create a single form that both expresses and serves its purpose to the economy. The fluted moulding is both aesthetic – it expresses a sense of movement – and functional – it provides a high resistance to weight ratio. Available in three colours – white, grey and blue - , this seat was produced by the Italian company Bernini from CESARE LEONARDI, FRANCA STAGI, 1967 to 1969 and then by Elco from 1969. The Dondolo Dondolo rocking chair, 1969 GRP, Elco, ITA rocking share was one of the symbols of the New York Exhi- 1st edit. 1961, GRP, Bernini, ITA bition Italy: The new Domestic Landscape [MoMA, 1972], 2nd edit. GRP, Elco, ITA an exhibition celebrating design from the Italian peninsula.

5.1 EN 06

FUTURISME PLASTICARIUM COLLECTION

MAURICE CALKA /CALCA [1921-1999]

Maurice Calka was a Polish sculptor, designer and urbanist. He lived and worked in Paris throughout his career. He won numerous awards, including the Premier Grand Prix de Rome in 1950, for Sculpture.

After having tested various materials, he preferred plastics. These allowed him to investigate the process of the form in Maurice Calka a given space. These two desks perfectly illustrate this.

MAURICE CALKA, Boomerang desk and chair, 1970, GRP, Jean Leleu-Deshays, FRA

Icon of the 1960-1970 design, the Boomerang desk is a popular piece for art collectors of which the original edition is limited to thirty-five pieces. Its famous owners include the MAURICE CALKA, P.D.G. desk, 1969, GRP, French President, Georges Pompidou [1911-1974] who acquired Jean Leleu-Deshays, FRA it for the Elysée Palace. Maurice Calka showed virtuosity in his aesthetic research without losing sight of the function- P.D.G. is a larger version of the previous desk. He also offers alism of the piece. Calka’s success is closely related to the new functions including an integrated swivel chair on the choice of material, glass reinforced polyester [GRP]. In fact, side of the furniture and integral circuitry for telephone and GRP gives total freedom to the creative artisan. television monitor.

6.1 EN 07

FUTURISME PLASTICARIUM COLLECTION

MAURICE-CLAUDE VIDILI [born in 1937] phone – it provided perfect sound insulation thanks to the 5 cm padded foam in the sides. The lighting was provided Maurice-Claude Vidili, a trained architect, designed the Sphère through the floor. d’isolement in 1971. He was trying to create a private work space, protected from all outside interference. To make transport of the sphere easier, it was designed in four sections. Although, its original design was completely The spherical shape appeared the most appropriate as its white, it was issued in four colour options – white, red, yellow structure prevented the penetration or emission of all noise. and orange. Plastiques de Bourgogne issued this sphere and It also has the advantage that it appears smaller on the broadened its purpose. The sales brochure actually presented outside while giving a feeling of more space on the inside. it as a boudoir but also as a reception desk, telephone opera- tor station, a computer or TV terminal. Because of its shape, Its structure is made from polyester reinforced with fibreglass materials and colour, this sphere perfectly met the aesthetics [GRP]. It rests on a square base with curved sides. The inside of the seventies, the years of social and human utopias, the is equipped with a pivoting table, two drawers extending dreams of conquering space and creations related to the from a storage unit and a bench that could accommodate development of new materials resulting from the growing two to three people. Fitted with the wiring and cabling re- petrochemical industry. quired for the installation of various media – TV, stereo, tele-

MAURICE-CLAUDE VIDILI, Sphère d’isolement S2, 1971, GRP, mixed media, Les Plastiques de Bourgogne, FRA

7.1 EN 08

TRANSPARENT PLASTICARIUM COLLECTION

FRANÇOIS ARNAL [1924-2012] ERWINE [1909-2003] & ESTELLE LAVERNE [1915-1997]

Painter, sculptor but also designer, François Arnal was The American couple Erwine and Estelle Laverne met in searching for transparency, a quest he achieved thanks to 1934 and established their company, Laverne Original, four poly [methyl methacrylate] PMMA. Arnal acclaimed this years later. Their aim was to produce furnitures and fabrics material by realising pieces for Atelier A. Atelier A is an artistic designed by them and by other designers. The company group founded between 1969 and 1972 in Paris by François expanded and eventually became Laverne International. Arnal, Serge Benbouche, Olivier Boissière and Pierre Restany. Erwine and Estelle Laverne created classic but personal Their mission was to produce objects, but primarily furniture forms that play with transparency. Their key principle was: and lighting designed by painters, sculptors and architects “a piece of furniture should not obstruct the space of a who experimented with new materials. Roy Adzak created room”. In 1957, they created the Invisible group series of the Fesses chair for this atelier [1970], which has already been furniture, including the Lily, Buttercup, Narcissus and Jon- seen in the exhibition rooms at the ADAM. quille chairs. As their name suggests, these chairs are inspired by organic forms. As for the material used, PMMA makes it possible to create a visual play with space and light. These pieces were a huge success with interior designers of the late fifties. They heralded the creations of the 1960s.

FRANÇOIS ARNAL, Z stool, 1970, PMMA, Atelier A, Paris, FR

Thermoformed PMMA allows a real exploration of forms ERWINE & ESTELLE LAVERNE, Lily chair, and techniques such as this stool and coffee table in the 1957, PMMA, latex foam cushion, covered in fabric, form of a Z. Laverne International, USA

8.1 TRANSPARENT

SHIRO KURAMATA [1934-1991] Shiro Kuramata

Shiro Kuramata was a Japanese designer based in Tokyo from 1965. From 1981, he participated in the activities of the Memphis Group. It was this, as well as his collaborations with the fashion designer, Issey Miyake [born in 1938], which made him known in Europe. From an aesthetic point of view, Shiro Kuramata created a synthesis between the Japanese tradition, Western influences and new technologies. In fact, instead of using bamboo, wood, lacquer or steel, he chose acrylic for its optical qualities. This resulted in poetic pieces with meticulously studied details.

Artificial flowers seem to flow in space, frozen in a block of acrylic [PMMA]. Through this material, Shiro Kuramata wanted to eliminate the gravity of the share pierced by light. This surreal effect is accentuated by the delicacy of the metal legs that support the 70 kg of the structure. This chair is called Miss Blanche [1913-1967], as a homage to the bodice worn by the actress Vivien Leigh who played Blanche Dubois in the film A“ Street Car Named Desire” [1951]. After designing the Miss Blanche, Shiro Kurama remained captivated by the charm of acrylic. This fascination led him to work on a collection of vases made from blocks of coloured acrylic.

SHIRO KURAMATA, Miss Blanche chair, 1988, artificial flowers, PMMA, aluminium, Ishimaru Co., Japan

8.2 EN 09

TRANSPARENT PLASTICARIUM COLLECTION

PHILIPPE STARCK [born in 1949] Philippe Starck

As a graduate of the École Camondo [Paris], Philippe Starck began his career by designing inflatable furniture for Quasar. After that, he worked at Pierre Cardin as the director of design. In 1980, he established his own company, Starck Products. He then designed for major manufacturers such as Flos, Driade or Kartell. It was at this same time that his fame was assured. In 1981, he was chosen with seven other designers to refurnish the apartments of the Elysée Palace. Then in 1983, the private apartments of the French Presi- what a chair is: four legs, a seat and a backrest. Not without dent, François Mitterrand, were entrusted to him. From the humour, he called it after the girl’s name Marie, itself arche- beginning of his career, aesthetics formed an essential func- typical. Kartell’s support in its creation was decisive. Since tion of furniture for Philippe Starck. To achieve this, he Claudio Luti, the former manager at Versace and son-in-law combined French historical references and a futuristic touch. of Castelli, took control of Kartell in 1988, the company has supported the projects of designers like Philippe Starck or Ron Arad [born in 1958]. For designers this is a major economic windfall. For Kartell, a guarantee of renewal. Many commen- tators have also spoken of a “rebirth” for the family business. In fact, Luti was seeking to update the corporate vision, without losing the soul of the product. He understood the urgency to change the image of plastic products that had been criti- cized as being outdated and polluting in the early eighties. Luti focused on the personality of its designers, recyclable plastics and changed the product name, from figures to evocative names. Still for Kartell, Philippe Starck continued working with transparency with the chairs Louis Ghost [2002], Victoria Ghost [2005], two massive commercial successes.

PHILIPPE STARCK, La Marie chair, 1999-today, PC, Kartell, ITA

Extremely resistant to impact and weatherproof, polycarbonate [PC] also has a high level of transparency. For these reasons, PC gradually replaced, the more brittle and less scratch resistant, poly[methyl methacrylate] [PMMA] in creations by designers. Philippe Starck used this material to design La Marie, the first transparent chair cast in one piece. Through this chair, Starck declared no longer wanting to create signed objects but archetypes. Such was the vocation PHILIPPE STARCK, Louis Ghost chair, PHILIPPE STARCK, Victoria Ghost chair, of La Marie with a design that answers the basic idea of 2003-today, PC, Kartell, ITA 2005-today, PC, Kartell, ITA

9.1 TRANSPARENT

PHILIPPE STARCK, Uncle Jack sofa, 2014-today, PC, Kartell, ITA

Philippe Starck presents the Uncle Jack sofa in the following manner : “This is the minimalistic, technological version of the armchairs and sofas where my uncles and aunts would sit peacefully by the fireside, smoking a pipe or knitting in quiet tranquillity. Times have changed and so has furniture… but our dreams remain the same“.

After the Louis Ghost armchair [2003], Starck returned to the forms of bygone days. The large, protective back and the two arms with their undulating lines recall the sofas used by previous generations. However, the aesthetic here has been refined, and the traditional wooden and fabric elements have been replaced by PC. Since the creation of the La Marie chair [1999] the transparency of the material has improved to such an extent that the objects appear to have been carved out of crystal, while the proportions have increased tenfold. The sofa is 190 cm long and weighs 30 kg. This was the first time that a piece of plastic furniture this size was created using the injection moulding technique.

9.2 EN 10

INFLATABLE PLASTICARIUM COLLECTION

Inflatable furniture appeared in the United States of America and in Europe in the early sixties. It was very successful, particularly among young people who were eager for another lifestyle. France stood out by the large number of polyvinyl chloride [PVC] productions but also by its critical success. In 1968, two Parisian exhibitions played a decisive role in this democratization of the material. The first, calledStruc - tures gonflables took place at the ARC [animation, research, confrontation] and the second, Les assises du siège contemporain, at the Musée des Arts décoratifs in Paris. Latter was organised by the AJE Aérolande group. Established in 1966 by three architects – Jean Aubert, Jean-Paul Jungmann and Antoine Stinco – this group was particularly interested in Quasar and his wife inflatable architecture and the PVC furniture design. Quasar, an engineer born in Hanoi, featured amongst the exhibitors at Les assises du siège contemporain exhibition.

Quasar designed an entirely inflatable environment including QUASAR [born in 1934] walls, chairs, tables and lighting. The latter worked thanks to a ventilation system and low voltage bulbs. The entire Nguyen Manh Khanh, called Quasar, made his first trans- series was made from flexible PVC films, both coloured or parent PVC chair for his car. He then invented a beanbag transparent, welded by hand. Because of the cost of manu- that became an armchair, as well as a set of light fittings. facture and the fragility of the material, Quasar understood PVC, the pop fetish transparent material, allowed Quasar to that inflatable furniture had a fragile future. So he invented “liberate” interiors. In the image of the Aérospace series, furniture with a mixed structure, using poly[methyl meth- which, as the name suggests, was inspired by science fiction. acrylate] [PMMA] as a support.

QUASAR, Aérospace collection, PVC, 1968, Quasar, FRA.

10.1 EN 11

ANTI-DESIGN PLASTICARIUM COLLECTION

UGO LA PIETRA [born in 1938] UGO LA PIETRA, Globo tissurato lamp, 1967, PMMA, mixed media, Kriliko Design, ITA Artist, architect, designer Ugo La Pietra graduated from Milan Polytechnic in 1964. He taught at several faculties of architecture and developed an intense experimental activity and was marked by the Austrian avant-gardists – Hans Hollein, Walter Pichler, etc. Difficult to classify, Ugo La Pietra worked outside disciplines and went through several trends – concep- tual art, social art, etc. -, published and participated in several groups – Superstudio and Archizoom for example. His activity was aimed at the clarification and definition of the individual/environmental relationship. He defined himself as a “researcher in the visual arts”. His artistic experiences were enriched in the late sixties by new materials, such as methacrylate [PMMA]. The Globo tissurato lamp, the first model of a small series of lights, is a perfect example of it.

The lamp is a delicate experimental object like Immersions, bright spheres or headphones through which the viewer is confronted with strong sensory phenomena, designed at the same time. Methacrylate, transparent plastic, takes basic and modular geometric shapes: three identical hemispheres form the structure of the lamp. A transparent cylinder encases them. The base, that forms the foot, is a rotated hemisphere containing the light bulb, with a dimmer to vary the light intensity. The two other globes are brought together in a ball supported in the middle by the top of the cylinder, a few centimetres above the light source which it reflects. A floating ball, a source of diffuse lighting,Globo tissurato is an object freed from its primary function and handed to the imagina- Ugo La Pietra tion of the user.

11.1 EN 12

ANTI-DESIGN PLASTICARIUM COLLECTION

GAETANO PESCE [born in 1939]

Gaetano Pesce, one of the most important representatives of Italian anti-design, studied architecture in Venice while taking courses at the Industrial Design Institute until 1965. Pesce explored the possibilities of the new polyurethane [PUR] foam from C&B [Cassina & Buselli], a subsidiary of Cassina. The fluidity of the material allowed the designer to produce anthropomorphic forms. Gaetano Pesce opposed the idea of standardisation of production. To achieve this, he introduced elements of impurity at various stages of Gaetano Pesce production in the manufacturing process.

GAETANO PESCE, Sansone II table, 1986, GAETANO PESCE, Dalila II chair, 1980, PUR, epoxy resin, PUR, PVC, epoxy resin, metalic, Cassina, ITA Cassina, ITA The table exhibited is a revised version of the Sansone I [1980]. In 1980, he designed the Dalila I, Dalila II and Dalila III Called Sansone II, it consists of an epoxy resin plate supported chairs and the Sansone table. As their names suggest, these by a metal structure as well as polyvinyl chloride [PVC]and pieces of furniture were inspired by the Biblical story of Sam- PUR legs. These legs, unstably oriented, evoke the breaking son and Delilah [Old Testament]. While Dalila I only existed of the columns of the temple of the Philistines by Samson. as a prototype, the Dalila II chair and Dalila III armchair Instead of expelling air from the mould cavity, Pesce kept were produced by Cassina. These pieces made from PU it captive so that the edges of the table are irregular. The covered with epoxy resin were available in three colours – grey, polyester resin spread in the mould without previously black or brick. The soft forms of these chairs evoke the curves homogenizing the shade causes an infinite variety of colour of the body of the beautiful and faithless Delilah. combinations that spread in an unpredictable way.

12.1 ANTI-DESIGN

GAETANO PESCE, Pratt chair, 1983, PUR, USA

In the early eighties, the Pratt Institute, a private higher education institution in New York, asked Gaetano Pesce to experiment with new industrial materials to design furniture. The Italian designer honoured this request by realising a series of nine chairs of different qualities. Nevertheless, only the eighth chair in the series presented a perfect equilibrium: its structure was very solid while being comfortable. The chair exhibited at ADAM is part of the eighth series. The ico- nography express Pesce’s thinking on design. Smiling faces, playing cards, geometric forms, a series of points that illustrate Pythagorean theory, a bunch of grapes, etc. can be found in relief. Recessed hand prints can be found at the top of the chair, where you could grab the chair to move it.

12.2 EN 13

ART : CURIOSITY CABINET PLASTICARIUM COLLECTION

Like a curiosity cabinet of past centuries, a place in which a multitude of rare or strange objects were collected and presented, the works of art at the ADAM are displayed to us. Of various kinds, they demonstrate different art movements, including Pop Art.

Pop Art denotes a group of artists who appeared in the mid-fifties in the United Kingdom. Their identity was built around the Independent Group, consisting of artists and architects. However, it was in New York in the sixties that this art movement started to flourish.

Invented by Lawrence Alloway [1926-1990] in the late fifties, the Pop Art indicates that the art is based on popular culture of its time by taking its imagery from it. But if Pop Art quotes a culture specific to consumer society, it is in an ironic way.

Although it is not a structured movement in the sense of a group that organises collective demonstrations, it nevertheless has a consistency. American Pop Art includes artists like Claes Oldenburg [born in 1929], Roy Lichtenstein [1923-1997], Andy Warhol [1928-1987] or Tom Wesselmann [1931-2004].

The Pop trend takes on a multidisciplinary and international dimension from the early sixties until 1970, which mainly manifests in Italian design [cf. Anti-design] and architecture.

In France, at the same time, the Nouveau Réalisme emerges as one of the main artistic trends. Arman [1928-2005], César [1921 – 1998], Yves Klein [1928-1962], Jacques de la Villeglé [born in 1926], Niki de Saint Phalle [1930-2002], just to name a few, work collectively from 1960 to 1963 under the banner of the Nouveau Réalisme. Nevertheless, the history of the movement continue at least until 1970. In the diversity of their visual language, these artists have the common will to appropriate elements from everyday life and magnify them into works of art.

13.1 ART : CURIOSITY CABINET

Evelyne Axell EVELYNE AXELL, Le Peintre, 1970, enamel, PMMA, BEL

EVELYNE AXELL [1935-1972]

A graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts of Namur and the Brussels Conservatory, Evelyne Axell began an acting career between 1955 and 1962. After living in Paris for a while, she returned to Brussels and dedicated herself entirely to painting from 1963 and this, until her untimely death in 1972. The story goes that the surrealist artist, René Magritte [1898-1967], taught her how to paint with oil. When Evelyne Axell started to assert herself as a visual artist, the art world was going through the Pop Art age and members of the Nouveau Réalisme were consolidating their position. She therefore abandoned oil painting to explore the range of plastic resins which she coloured with enamel. It should be remembered that synthetic plastics were in an experimental and refinement phase at that time. So, she had to give up a material because it was no longer marketed. From 1966, Evelyne Axell affirmed her style through the female body, initially her own. It is clear from the arrangement of the forms, the choice and attitude that the painter intended to give these nudes the image of a free woman, without complexes, sure of herself and her femininity. Her self-portrait, Le Peintre [The Painter], can be read as a manifesto of her artistic vision: Evelyne Axell repre- sents herself nude, brandishing a brush as an attribute.

13.2 EN 14

ART : CURIOSITY CABINET PLASTICARIUM COLLECTION

ARMAN, Accumulation de grattoirs [Accumulation of shapes], ARMAN [1928-2005] 1970, PMMA, mixed media, FRA.

Armand Fernandez studies at the École des arts décoratifs Accumulation de grattoirs [Accumulation of shapes] shows in Nice in 1946 and then at the École du Louvre [Paris], a series of artist scrapers aligned and imprisoned in PMMA. from 1949 to 1951. He became friends with Yves Klein who The repetition principle is reminiscent of the works by introduced him to the critic Pierre Restany [1930-2003]. Andy Warhol, notably the serigraph, serial pattern of tin cans. Together they formed the Nouveaux Réalistes. In both works, everyday objects are raised to works of art. ADAM’s reserves have another Accumulation, in three dimen- His early paintings, the Cachets [Stamps], form abstract images sions. This is a female bust made from pairs of glasses also from impressions of objects soaked in ink. He then realised that frozen in PMMA, dated 1971. the objects themselves could be even more significant than the image that it produced. He then started working on his Accumulations where he brought together large amounts of the same objects cast in poly [methyl methacrylate] PMMA. The idea came to him to include insects and minerals in polyester. Arman doesn’t use plastics for themselves, for their smooth and cold surface. What he liked was their capac- ity to preserve rubbish, without danger of deterioration or alteration due to oxidation. For the artist, plastics were modern and temporary materials in the history of mankind. In fact, these petrochemical products are limited by the natural resources – indeed, Arman foresaw their depletion in the 2000s. He never denied the harmful nature of such material, which he described as “dirty material”. Plastics in a solid form are pollutants that degrade the environment. ARMAN, Venus, 1970, And when they are heated, they release toxic fumes. PS, glasses, FRA

14.1 ART : CURIOSITY CABINET

CÉSAR [1921-1998] César

César Baldaccini studied at the École des Beaux-arts in Marseille and the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris until 1948. He was trained in traditional sculpture techniques. From 1958, César realises his emblematic works, the Compressions. These creations are the result of the for- tuitous discovery of an American press at a scrapyard in Gennevilliers, a place where César found raw materials for his sculptures. He initially used undifferentiated metal sheets, then cars that he compressed into rectangular blocks. César very quickly mastered the technique for Compres- sions, which allowed him to direct his works. In this way he reintroduced an apparently impersonal mechanism to the creator’s consciousness.

CÉSAR, Compression, 1970 PMMA, FRA CÉSAR, Expansion au cube, 1970, PUR, wood, FRA

To realise this Compression, César heated a sheet of pink “Expansions, that is classic sculpture!” affirmed César in 1973 shaded poly [methyl methacrylate] PMMA. In 1973, in an to Hervé Fischer. In fact, despite their natural and organic interview with the writer Hervé Fischer [born in 1941], César aspect, the Expansions were handmade. The artist controls expressed his interest in plastic. In his opinion, as a sculptor, both the speed at which the polyurethane [PUR] foam is it was normal to be interested in the available materials, as poured, as well as the nature of its hardening and the variable plastics are ubiquitous in our everyday life, as once were stone, density. The result is simple or baroque forms, reworked marble and wood. Therefore, he almost instinctively began with tools. These changes to the shape fulfil the criteria of working with plastic resins from 1965. In parallel with the quality and sensitivity. Compressions, he produced his firstExpansion in 1967. This is about allowing quick-solidifying polyurethane foam to ex- pand freely. The Expansions were born from the discovery of a chemical process experimented with while testing the production of human imprints.

14.2 EN RETURN TO A MORE 15

ARTISAN FORM OF DESIGN PLASTICARIUM COLLECTION

The eighties were significant in terms of political changes JÓLAN VAN DER WIEL [born in 1984] and economic renewal, both in the United States of America and in Europe. This economic boom benefited the furniture Dutch designer Jólan van der Wiel graduated from the market. Advanced techniques were used by large companies prestigious Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam. In 2011, to produce neutral and cheap design goods. The idea was to the year when he obtained his degree, he opened his own make furniture more accessible to the general public. From studio in Amsterdam. During his training, he devoted his a creative point of view, this vision was not without conse- research to experimenting with using the forces of nature quences. In fact, it forced designers to opt for one of the two [gravitation, centrifugal force, static force, and wind energy], following options: either to work with a known manufacturer in order to generate new forms. In his view, designing new to create furniture according to a program and exact criteria; tools for production provides an amazing source of inspira- or produce limited edition pieces independently. The avant- tion. He has always sought out unorthodox applications for garde often chose this second choice. The French architect materials and techniques; in the process of creating his and designer, Charlotte Perriand [1903-1999], saw a return [Gravity Stools], for example, he used magnetic force to to a type of artisanship in this phenomenon. In other words, cause the stools to “grow” legs made of resin and iron a return to a smaller scale operation that used all present filings. He is fond of objects that reveal the forces of nature and future technological potential. Parallel to this phenom- at work. His clients and partners include MoMA, Volvo, Iris enon, the growing interest of the public in design should be Van Herpen, Dom Pérignon, and the Vitra Design Museum. emphasized, of which the most visible symbol is the prolifera- tion of interior design magazines. Avant-garde furniture was On graduating from the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in increasingly looked for by wealthy clients willing to invest in Amsterdam, Jólan van der Wiel began creating stools in innovative design. This furniture usually only maintains a random shapes by harnessing the natural law of gravity. symbolic link with functionalism. They become true sculptures. Using the magnetmachine, a tool he designed for his final year project, he positions magnetic fields, setting them in opposition to each other, in order to stretch out and twist a mixture made of plastic, to which iron filings have been added. In this way, he creates stools with spectral-looking forms. Thanks to this technique, the outline of a stool emerges in barely 20 minutes, its pointed, organic shapes seeming to grow in a natural manner.

JÓLAN VAN DER WIEL, Gravity side table, 2012, Iron filings, plastic résin, One-off piece, , self-produced, NLD, Centre d’innovation et de design, Grand-Hornu, Province de Hainaut, BEL

15.1 RETURN TO A MORE ARTISAN FORM OF DESIGN

DIRK VANDER KOOIJ [born in 1983]

Born in Purmerend [Netherlands], Dirk Vander Kooij has developed new techniques that have given rise to unique creations. Fascinated by engineering, his head teeming with ideas, he has devoted a considerable amount of time to studying and perfecting his working methods. He has now achieved full mastery of the tools that enable him to give life to the images in his imagination. Dirk Vander Kooij graduated from the Design Academy in Eindhoven. His work has been exhibited on various occasions since 2011, notably at the Salone del Mobile in Milan and the DMY in Berlin.

This rocking chair from the Endless collection by designer Dirk Van Der Kooij is made of pieces of plastic from discarded refrigerators. To produce it, the Dutch designer requisitioned and reprogrammed a robotic arm that was no longer needed by a Chinese factory. Apart from the environ- mentally-friendly aspect of this project, the collection is remarkable for its innovative character ; indeed, the robot is capable of creating the piece in a single process.

DIRK VANDER KOOIJ, Endless Flow Rocking Chair, 2011, Recycled plastic, NLD, Centre d’innovation et de design, Grand-Hornu, Province de Hainaut, BEL

15.2 EN 17

ICONES REVISITED PLASTICARIUM COLLECTION

ALESSANDRO MENDINI [born in 1931] Accentuating its forms, particularly the back and the arms, he completely covered the chair in pure colours applied in Alessandro Mendini is an Italian architect and designer, dots. This pictorial technique was borrowed from the who graduated from the Politecnico of Milan in 1959. He is Neo-Impressionist painters, whose work Marcel Proust one of the leading theorists of Radical Design, a movement admired. The armchair is therefore the result of a variety of that emerged in Italy in the late 1960s and was based on re- references. An example of « re-design », it questions the examining the role of design and designers. He has qualities of classic design, examining such factors as origi- expounded his theories in the magazines Casabella, Modo nality, functionality and production costs. and Domus, all of which he has edited in turn. From 1978 onwards, the armchair has undergone continual One of his concepts is that of « Re-Design ». This involves variations in colour, material and size. Indeed, in 2011, transforming renowned design classics in humorous ways Mendini readily contradicted his own theory of re-design. by adding colours or adornments, or using new materials. In Through his partnership with the designer products this way, he demonstrates the characterless nature of mass- company Magis, the chair is now industrially produced in produced objects. Convinced that modernism has run its rotationally-moulded polyethylene [PE]. New colours were course and that there are no further new forms to invent, applied on account of this material, and the chair can be Mendini « re-designs » recognised classics. The first version used indoors or outside. of the Proust armchair is an illustration of this.

EUGENI QUITLLET [born in 1972] & PHILIPPE STARCK [born in 1949]

During their ten-year collaboration, the Spaniard Eugeni Quitllet, a graduate of the Llotja School of Art and Design [Barcelona] and the Frenchman Philippe Starck have created pieces with sculptural forms. These were made possible through technological developments, one example being the Masters chair.

ALESSANDRO MENDINI, Proust armchairs, designed : 1978, produced in plastic : 2011-today, PE, Magis, ITA

In 1976, Alessandro Mendini conceived the idea of creating a « Proust » fabric with Francesco Binfaré for the Italian designer furniture company Cassina. Accordingly, he followed the trail of the writer Marcel Proust [1871-1922] in order to immerse himself in the latter’s visual world. During EUGENI QUITLLET, his research into the middle-class environments of Proust’s PHILIPPE STARCK, day, Mendini came across a replica of a chair in the 19th Masters chair, century Neo-Baroque style. He used this as a model for the 2010-today, PP, Proust armchair. Kartell, ITA

17.1 ICONES REVISITED

This piece pays homage to three iconic chairs, whose forms to withstand an attack at sea. Equally, it needed to be light merge to create its backrest: the Series 7 [1955] by Arne and should not possess magnetic properties, which would Jacobsen, the Tulip [1957] by Egon Saarinen and the Eiffel risk disrupting the machinery on board or attracting the at- Chair [1950] by Ray and Charles Eames. This combination tention of enemy radars. It was decided to create a chair has produced a backrest with sinuous lines punctuated by made of aluminium [nearly 80% recycled]. The use of this empty spaces. Known as Masters, the chair received the metal, then regarded as poor and malleable, developed prestigious Good Design Award in 2010. Presented by the during the war. Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design, this award recognises innovative, avant-garde designer The chair was therefore made entirely of brushed, corro- products from all over the world. sion-resistant aluminium, following a 77-stage process. Afer being mass-produced by machine, the items are hand polished by local artisans. The chair is characterised by its simple structure and its seat is formed of a hollowed imprint said to have been inspired by the curves of Betty Grable’s NAVY CHAIRS rear. Betty Grable [1916-1973] was a famous Second World War pin-up.

The US government remained the main purchaser of the 1006 Navy chair until the 1970s. They were then also bought by American hospitals, government offices and prisons on account of their desirable technical properties.

In 2006, Coca-Cola, keen to find various ways of recycling their plastic bottles, contacted Emeco. Recycled PET [polyethylene terephthalate] is mainly used to create synthetic textiles with a relatively short life span. The challenge was therefore to produce a solid, long-lasting chair able to withstand wear and tear. After four years of research, the 111 Navy chair came into being.

The 111 Navy chair is made of a combination of PET [60 %] with added fibreglass for reinforcement. Each chair is Left: 1006 Navy Chair, 1944 to present, aluminium, marked with the number of bottles used to create it: 111. Emeco, USA Apart from its material, the 111 Navy Chair remains true to Right: 111 Navy Chair, 2009-today, PET, GRP, the original version, having the same base, the same back Emeco, USA and the same curved, comfortable seat. In this way, two American icons become one. The Emeco 1006, also known as the Navy Chair or the 1006 Navy Chair, is an aluminium chair that has been produced by the Electric Machine and Equipment Company [Emeco] in Pennsylvania, USA, since 1944.

During the Second World War, the US Navy asked the founder of Emeco, Wilton C. Dinges, to provide chairs for the country’s submarines and warships. He had to design an item strong enough to be water and corrosion resistant, and

17.2 EN 18

BELGIAN DESIGN PLASTICARIUM COLLECTION

ALAIN GILLES [born in 1970] In 2012, Alain Gilles designed NOMAD, a portable solar lamp. After studying political science and marketing manage- ment, Brussels-born Alain Gilles embarked on a career in ALAIN GILLES, the world of finance before returning to his first passion − portable rechargeable lamp design. In 2005, he obtained a diploma in industrial design NOMAD, at the International School of Design in Valenciennes. He 2012-present, interned at Xavier Lust’s studio and also worked for the 100% recyclable PE, Quinze & Milan company. He opened his own studio in Qui est Paul ? [FR] 2007. His aim was to develop his own personal approach, not just to product and furniture design, but also to artistic direction and interior architecture. Since then, he has collaborated with several designer furniture companies and international firms, such as Bonaldo [ITA], Buzzispace [BEL], Qui est Paul ? [FRA]. In 2012, he won the « Designer of the Year » award at the Biennale INTERIEUR in Courtrai. Seve- The NOMAD lamp is simple in design, featuring a single ral of his products have won international awards, such as push-button for various functions and a handle that enables the Henry Van De Velde Label, the Design for Asia Golden it to be hung or transported anywhere. As its name sug- Award, the Red Dot Best of the Best and the Good Design gests, the NOMAD is intended for many types of users. It Award. can serve as a decorative lamp, ideal for patios, poolsides or summerhouses. But it can also meet the needs of families In 2008, he designed Translation, an armchair made enti- who lack access to electricity, particularly in developing rely out of recyclable polythylene [PE] − specifically, water- countries, providing an alternative to the kerosene lamps bottle caps. In the model presented to the museum, the ori- responsible for so many accidents. Moreover, it can be used ginal material is intentionally visible. This is reminiscent of in emergency situations, such as natural or human disasters. mosaic art or the pointilliste technique of Neo-Impressio- The NOMAD features 12 LEDS, generating 280 lumen and nist painting, although it can be produced in any colour. protected by a silicone disk. It is made of ABS plastic and is available in 8 colours. The solar panel and battery provide 6 hours of high-intensity light. This is the average time needed to meet the needs of families with no other light source, according to reports produced by the World Bank. Its solar charger can also charge a mobile phone.

NOMAD has won both the Henry Van de Velde Label Van Design Vlaanderen Award and the Henry Van de Velde Public Award.

ALAIN GILLES, Translation armchair, 2008-present, 100% recyclable PE, Qui est Paul ? [FR]

18.1 DESIGN BELGE

SYLVAIN WILLENZ [born in 1978] Sylvain Willenz’s creations feature the use of rubber, as with the Torch light. Its shade, which is made of this flexible poly- Born in Brussels, Sylvain Willenz has lived consecutively in mer, has a slightly grainy matte finish. The light streams the USA, Belgium, and the UK. He graduated from London’s through the internal diffuser, which is paler in tone and has Royal College of Art with a Masters degree in product de- a honeycomb texture. It bears a resemblance to a pocket sign in 2003. In 2004, he opened his own design studio, torch, as well as a car headlight. Available in various co- SWDO, in Brussels. In 2009, leading press and design insti- lours, individually and in clusters of five to tweenty pendant tutions voted Sylvain Willenz Belgian Designer of the Year. lights, the Torch has achieved critical acclaim [it won the IF His timeless, powerful products combine functionality with Award and the Red Dot « Best of the Best » Award in 2009]. aesthetic appeal, thanks to an intelligent use of materials and production processes. They meet the specific needs of The external hard drive CLS MOBILE DRIVE likewise industrial and artisanal goods companies of every size. He comes with a rubber case. collaborates with firms such as Established & Sons [UK], Objekten [BEL], Ligne Roset [FRA].

SYLVAIN WILLENZ, CLS MOBILE DRIVED, external hard drive, 2011, rubber, electronic circuit, Freecom, NL/DE

Following their fruitful collaborations, Freecom commissio- ned Sylvain Willenz to develop a new concept in collecting and organising digital data. He came up with the CLS, an external hard drive with a labelling system incorporated into its side. This enables users to organise their data and identify hard drive contents at a glance. Noting the ever- increasing amount of hard drives used by individuals to store their data [music, films, back-ups, etc.], and inspired by the old cassette tapes and floppy disks, Sylvain Willenz conceived a hard disk drive that could be labelled in a very simple and personal way. A dock was also designed; this enables 3 drives and an extra peripheral device to be connected to the computer all at the same time.

SYLVAIN WILLENZ, Torch light, 2008-2015, rubber, polycarbonate, Established & Son, GBR

18.2 EN 18 BELGIAN DESIGN

CHARLES KAISIN [born in 1972] .RAD PRODUCT

Charles Kaisin graduated in architecture from the Ecole .RAD Product, an design agency, was established in Brus- Supérieure des Arts Saint-Luc [Brussels] in 1996. He com- sels by Pauline Coudert and Laurent Chabrier in 2011. The pleted his studies with a Masters degree in industrial de- two founders have a background in product design and in- sign at London’s Royal College of Art [1999 - 2001], and an terior architecture. internship with Jean Nouvel and Ron Arad. His work is .RAD Product’s design vision combines two different pers- chiefly based on recycling, which he researched during an pectives. One brings a sense of non-uniformity, asymmetry exchange programme in Kyoto in 2000. He transforms a and destructuration to the process of creating a standard variety of objects into completely new items: bags, clothing, object. The other centres on the use of positive and negative kitchen utensils, benches and so on. He has also planned space to construct simple forms in complex materials. the layout of various spaces, such as the meeting room at Through their agency, the two founders also aim to develop the Grand-Hornu. In Belgium, he has mainly collaborated a close relationship between objects, space and users, based with the chocolate maker Marcolini and the luxury leather on the analysis and evolution of lifestyles, with a focus on goods firm Delvaux, as well as the Val Saint-Lambert and individuality. Royal Boch factories and the Petits Riens association, which deals with second hand clothing.

.RAD PRODUCT, Miss Shellby light, 2012, Prototype, Ste- reolithography, Polyamide, Extremis, BEL CHARLES KAISIN, the K-bench seat, 2007-present, PP, ABV, BEL The star-like Miss Shellby is composed of an expanding sphere whose exterior surface flares outwards. It diffuses Charles Kaisin’s K-bench seat was inspired by his expe- light without revealing the source, projecting it in an rience in Japan. He succeeded in creating an object that is endless movement. Shellby comprises multiple « dashes » robust – it can support a weight of up to 150 Kg – as well as measuring 1 mm thick and spaced 8 mm apart. The repeti- flexible and extendable, thanks to its honeycomb structure. tive pattern is produced from the 3D printing process It is formed of polypropylene sheets assembled together by known as stereolithography. electro-welding. With the aid of metal attachments, the bench can be given a number of different shapes and can be Stereolithography [SLA] is a rapid-prototyping technology, set up inside or outside. Following the success of the which enables solid objects to be created from digital mo- K-bench, a smaller version - the K-baby − was created. dels. The object is produced by placing thin layers of material on top of one another. This technique began to be developed industrially in the 1980s and was introduced into the United States by Charles W. Hull.

18.3 EN 19

CHILDREN’S FURNITURE PLASTICARIUM COLLECTION

Over the last decade, designers have been turning their THE NENDO STUDIO, FOUNDED BY OKI SATO [born in 1977] attention to the world of children. Their creations appeal particularly to a clientele keen to create a harmonious The Canadian Oki Sato studied architecture at Waseda Uni- interior decor, whilst ensuring that their children have com- versity in Tokyo, graduating in 2002. In the same year, he fortable furniture. Plastics are often the preferred choice for established his Nendo Studio in that city. Today this studio, this purpose, on account of their properties. They are resist- based in Tokyo and Milan, enjoys international renown. ant, yet light − which makes them easy to handle − they are easy to maintain, pleasant to touch and finally, they are Through his designs, Oki Sato aims to transform the con- compatible with safety requirements, as their lack of hard nections between people and objects, thereby creating a edges offers protection against painful knocks. breathing-space in their daily lives. This intention manifests itself in his sober, minimalist forms, to which he In 2007, the manufacturer Vitra edited a smaller version of invariably adds a touch of humour and conviviality that Verner Panton’s historic Panton chair [1960]. This children’s removes them from the notion of austerity. His products, chair has been a commercial success – the ADAM’S educa- which are reinterpretations of everyday objects, should also tional department, the LAB, is furnished with the Panton, in be understood intuitively. white for adults, and in pink and blue for children. Vitra is not the only firm to edit smaller versions of its great classic models. Kartell has also entered the children’s market with its new line Kartell Kids. As well as creating collections specifically designed for children aged 3-9, the company also produces smaller models of items originally intended for adults. Launched in 2016, Kartell Kids has reinterpreted Ron Arad’s Bookworm bookcase [1994], adapting it to fit child safety requirements, as well as Philippe Starck’s Louis Ghost armchair [2003], re-named Lou Lou Kids for the purpose. Claudio Luti, the current CEO of this Italian firm, feels that this decision fits in with the spirit of the company. In- deed, the first chair designed by Kartell was intended for children. In 1964, Marco Zanuso and Richard Sapper designed the 4999. In 2016, it was Nendo Studio’s turn to conceive a new model: the H-HORSE rocking horse.

THE NENDO STUDIO, H-HORSE rocking horse, from 2006-present, self-coloured PC, Kartell, ITA

The steel “H-beams” used in large structures such as sky- scrapers and bridges are very strong and highly effective. In cross-section, they actually form the letter “H”, and it is this feature that provides the structure with its mechanical resistance. By applying this concept directly to a child’s rocking horse, the Nendo Studio has transformed a practical element into a model which is both functional and strong, using a minimum amount of material. H-HORSE is available in clear, yellow, sky blue and pink.

19.1 CHILDREN’S FURNITURE

The Italian firm Magis is equally abreast of this trend. Indeed, it has been offering a collection specifically designed for children since 2005. Named Me Too, this consists of objects and furniture conceived by renowned designers. These include Eero Aarnio, who designed the Puppy seat [2005] and Enzo Mari, who created the Seggiolina Pop chair [2004].

ENZO MARI [born in 1932]

Enzo Mari graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Milan. He has been developing his intensive artistic activity since the 1950s, with solo and group exhibitions in galleries and museums of contemporary art. As he was pursuing these projects he began to devote himself to design, firstly as part of his own research into form, and later in collaboration with a number of industries, in the fields of graphic design, publishing, industrial product design and exhibition layout.

In contrast to traditional blueprints for industrial design, his work is defined by continual research and experimenta- tion with new forms and interpretations of products. These characteristics are established on the international scene as being among the most typical features of Italian design. Mari has been awarded the Compasso d’Oro* three times, and his creations are included among the collections held in several museums of contemporary art.

The Seggiolina Pop child’s chair is a one-piece item made of expanded polypropylene. Available in orange, blue and green, the Seggiolina Pop is both extremely light and robust enough to withstand the surprising strength of young children. The material used for the chair feels similar to polystyrene packaging, but it is much more resistant. This chair adds a touch of colour to children’s bedrooms, as well as to public spaces such as crèches or schools.

* The Compasso d’Oro [Golden Compass] award was established in Lombardy in 1954, and is presented to industrial designs made in Italy. It is one of the oldest and most important product design awards on the ENZO MARI, the Seggiolina Pop child’s chair, 2004-today, international scene. expanded PP, Magis, ITA

19.2 EN 20

PLASTICS USED FOR TOYS PLASTICARIUM COLLECTION

The first plastics made their appearance in the 19th cen- MATTEL tury. By the end of the century, toy manufacturers had seized on these new petroleum-based materials, which Mattel was founded in California [USA] in 1945 by Harold were then easily affordable. The earliest plastic toys were Mattson and Elliot Handler. Its name was created by com- made of celluloid, a material invented in 1869. It was not bining the first syllables of their surname and first name until after the Second World War, however, that the produc- respectively: “Matt” from Mattson and “El” from Elliot. The tion of plastic toys really took off. American manufacturers company has been firmly established as a key actor in the then flooded the market with their products and adapted toy industry ever since 1945. Barbie®, created in 1959, is one their processes to technological developments. Celluloid, of its iconic brands. In 1975, Mattel produced the collection regarded as dangerous on account of its highly flammable of Japanese robot figures known as theShogun Warriors. nature, was replaced by vinyl, which lent itself perfectly to imitating the colour and soft texture of human skin on baby dolls. Polystyrene and polyethylene, highly resistant materials, were used for toys that were subject to intensive and often vigorous play, such as doll’s tea sets. Since those early days, the production of plastic toys has continued to rise. Today, they represent around 90 % of the market.

LEGO®, created in 1932 by Ole Kirk Christiansen [1891- 1958], of Denmark, is one of the brands that owes a great deal to plastic. Having trained as a carpenter, Ole Kirk Christiansen began making toys out of wood. These proved successful and he then turned to plastics in order to create his first modular toys comprising multiple pieces. This was the period when plastic was beginning to appear in people’s homes. However, as those early prototypes were too costly to produce, he created standardised, hollowed- out bricks. As the first sales results were inconclusive, Christiansen decided to improve his invention by facilitat- ing the interlocking process. It was not until 1958 that sales ANON., Toys from the Shogun Warriors collection, 1975, Mattel, USA began to take off, while ABS was used to make the pieces from 1963 onwards. Playmobil® figures [1974] and board Produced under another name by a Japanese firm in the games are also associated with the history of plastics and early 1970s, the Shogun Warriors collection was inspired by modern moulding methods. a very popular anime show featuring giant robots. They even became part of the famous Marvel universe, in a series of comics released from 1979-1980.

The three-dimensional Shogun Warrior characters were an instant success. This was particularly due to one of their key figures, Goldorak, as well as their unprecedented size [each robot was half a metre high] and their special features. The robots’ arms were spring-loaded, enabling them to launch missiles or, in some cases, their own fists. Later versions could even be converted into a completely different form.

20.1 PLASTICS USED FOR TOYS

However, the very features responsible for their success also the small frames to form cubes, clip the cubes together, cover led to their decline. The robots came under pressure due to their surface with coloured blocks − and that’s it.” In this way, consumer complaints, as there were concerns that children the blocks, which come in 6 colours, can be used as a would be injured by the spring-loaded missiles. Several starting point to create any kind of shape the user desires, 1970s toys were subject to safety sanctions on account of such as the giraffe or elephant displayed in the Museum. their technical deficiencies. In Europe, the toy industry is one of the most heavily regulated sectors. Any toy that Although the Pantonaef was not hugely popular with children, appears on the shelves will have undergone multiple safety the game is highly prized by collectors. The name Verner tests. These procedures examine physical properties [flam- Panton doubtless plays a part in this success. mability], mechanical characteristics [whether elements are easily detached], choking hazards in the form of small components, etc. When you buy a toy, it must by law display the safety mark CE [Conformité Européenne].

VERNER PANTON [1926-1998]

Danish designer Verner Panton created the Panton chair in 1960. However, he did not neglect the children’s games sector. In 1975, he devised a game based on an assembly system similar to LEGO, named Pantonaef.

VERNER PANTON, Pantonaef game, designed in 1975, produced in 1979, small ABS blocks, PS frames and clips, Kurt Naef, CHE

Initially, Verner Panton conceived and financed his project himself. It was only after conducting several tests that he presented it to Kurt Naef, a Swiss manufacturer renowned for its high quality wooden toys. This collaboration, which was established in 1979, led to the new concept of “a construction game with no limits”. Intended for adults and children alike, it was given the name Pantonaef. As noted in its user guide, Pantonaef is “a game with very simple rules: assemble

20.2 EN PLASTICS USED BY 21

THE MEMPHIS GROUP PLASTICARIUM COLLECTION

Established in 1981 and dissolved in 1988, the Memphis In 1956, he met the Director of Olivetti, Adriano Olivetti group included designers and architects who came together [1901-1960], and became the firm’s design consultant, a po- because of their discontent with the design of the seventies sition he held until 1980. He began to design computers, in which they considered the colours, textures and forms to electronic typewriters, calculators and office furniture. A be too conventional. They designed ornamental pieces theoretician as well as a practitioner, Sottsass was a leading drawing inspiration from various movements – from deco- figure in the world of 20th century design. He was an active rative art to Pop Art, through classical art and futurism. member of radical Anti-Design movements, firstly through Studio Alchimia, and later through the Memphis Group and the “Sottsass Associati”, which he established in 1981. ETTORE SOTTSASS [1917-2007] This collection of vases and bowls is the result of a collabo- Born in Austria of an Italian father and an Austrian mother, ration between Ettore Sottsass and the Japansese firm Ettore Sottsass studied architecture at the Polytechnic Uni- Marutomi. Here, the Italian designer was inspired by versity of Turin. Interested in designing objects, he founded traditional Japanese lacquerware. his own agency in Milan.

ETTORE SOTTSASS, vases and bowls, 1997-2001, polyurethane painted with cast phenolic resin, Marutomi, JPN

Lacquer, known as urushi, is the sap from a tree native to the Far East and South-East Asia. This is a very costly raw material, on account of the method used to harvest it and the highly technical treatment it receives. Its protective, insulat- ing properties make urushi the ideal coating for furniture and tableware. Quite apart from this extremely practical feature, however, lacquer offers a considerable number of ornamental possibilities. For this reason, it is very widely used in the Japanese decorative arts [known as Kogei] and therefore enjoys great prestige. Ettore Sottsass drew inspira- Ettore Sottsass tion from this tradition to create objects displaying the aesthetics characteristic of the Memphis Group.

21.1 PLASTICS USED BY THE MEMPHIS GROUP

The traditional Japanese forms are still present, but the lacquer and its brownish-red colour have been replaced by PUR painted in vivid hues. The production methods were likewise revised; instead of being hand-crafted as is customary in the Kogei genre, the items were industrially produced through a process involving moulds.

MARCO ZANINI [born in 1954]

The Italian designer, Marco Zanini, graduated from the Florence University of Architecture in 1978. He created furniture, ceramics and blown glass for Memphis.

Part of the Memphis/Milano collection from 1986, this seat was one of the most important concepts of Marco Zanini. It consists of dark metallic green sheen on glass fibre. This material made it possible to push the limits of plastic. The seat’s name and shape refer to the thrones of ancient Rome. It is now rare to find this seat in a good condition because many were used outside.

MARCO ZANINI, Roma chair, 1986, GRP, Memphis, ITA

21.2 EN 22

WITH CURVES PLASTICARIUM COLLECTION

RON ARAD [born in 1958]

Ron Arad is an Israeli born designer based in the United Kingdom. His creations are characterised by often monu- mental and sculptural dimensions but comfortable. He seeks to call on the emotions aroused by the tactile and visual qualities of the materials used. In 1981, Ron Arad opened his gallery One Off in London to present his own furniture, as well as those of his contemporaries, particularly Danny Lane [born in 1955] and Tom Dixon [born in 1959]. This desire to create a design studio and a workshop in one place was an unprecedented initiative. One Off functioned more as a type of idea fair than a traditional commercial gallery. Ron Arad

RON ARAD, Bookworm shelf, 1994, PVC, Kartell, ITA RON ARAD, Voido rocking chair, 2006, PE, Magis, ITA

The Bookworm shelf is a colourful polyvinyl chloride [PVC] The Voido rocking chair is a characteristic of Ron Arad’s style, transposition in the mass of This Mortal Coil, made of steel. with round and ample forms. In this sense, it may be compared The material offers many possible configurations in curves to the MT3 rocking chair produced by Driade in 2004. or spirals at varying lengths. These functions are “excep- tional” for shelves that are usually structured along straight horizontal and vertical lines.

22.1 EN 23

PLASTIC FASHION PLASTICARIUM COLLECTION

During the first half of the 20th century, the world of fashion During the last few decades, plastics have cast off their role proved reluctant to incorporate the new materials. In this as replicas and substitutes for other materials and are as- way, plastics were initially used for accessories such as suming their own identities. Examples of this include the bags, belts, buttons and baubles. pieces of resin jewellery created by Gaetano Pesce [born in 1939] and those of Dutch designer Gijs Bakker [born in 1942], Plastic jewellery became popular at the dawn of the 1920s. who founded his brand Chi ha paura… ? [Who’s Afraid…?] in Factories started producing celluloid ethnic-style bracelets 1996. In the world of fashion, Issey Miyake [born in 1938], created to resemble precious materials such as ivory or jade. Rei Kawakubo [born in 1942] of Comme des Garçons and Subsequently, during the interwar period, the couturier Ga- Jean-Paul Gautier [born in 1952] explore andexploit the brielle Chanel [1883-1971] used bakelite in order to create technical and aesthetic potential of different plastics. Nowa- “bijoux couture”, in the form of bracelets set with coloured days, 3D printing allows designers to fashion unique pieces, stones. But it were the simple or fancifully designed buttons such as the creations produced by Dutch designer Iris van created by Elsa Schiaparelli [1890-1973] that made the most Herpen [born in 1984]. But 3D printing also offers people use of plastic. the possibility of personalising their wardrobes, mixing mass produced and artisanal items. The aim behind Fashion In the United States, the industrial production of plastic ac- Tech − the convergence of fashion and technology − is to cessories was initiated through the New Deal* established produce “smart” clothing. by President Franklin Roosevelt [1882-1945]. Their manufacture was further boosted by the growth of the middle classes * Economic and social reforms introduced in 1933 in order to mitigate in the late 1940s. It is easy to produce plastics in a variety of the effects of the economic recession that began in 1929. colours, styles and shapes, which make them the ideal material for following new trends. The American firm Du Pont de Nemours [and Company], which notably produced the first ANDRÉ COURRÈGES [1923-2016] nylon stockings in 1940, was to play a vital role in dissemi- nating synthetic fibres. After its initial wary, conservative The French couturier André Courrèges studied engineering approach, the world of fashion fully embraced the use of at the École des Ponts et Chaussées and later worked for plastics in the 1960s. The baby boom generation imposed Balenciaga, before establishing his own fashion house in new tastes in keeping with the new, freedom-loving, egali- 1961. Alert to the new trends, he assimilated and appropri- tarian lifestyles, which discarded all references to the past. The female silhouette grew leaner, the bust became gradually less prominent and the waistline less defined. Skirts and hair became shorter. Childlike in appearance, the model Twiggy [born in 1949] exemplified an ideal look. Fashion, design and art exerted a reciprocal influence on each other. Haute couture clothes and designers were de- throned by ready-to-wear fashions.

In 1964, British designer Mary Quant [born in 1934] popu- larised this trend with her PVC Op-Art creations. In France, the designers Paco Rabanne [born in 1934], Pierre Cardin ANDRÉ COURRÈGES, [born in 1922] and André Courrèges [1923-2016] created a skirt and jacket from futuristic look using synthetic fibres. With the development the Hyperbole sportswear of environmental awareness in the 1970s, plastics were used collection, 1971, to help protect the natural world, notably through the pro- cotton fabric covered duction of synthetic fur fabric. with PUR and PA, André Courrèges, FRA

20.1 PLASTIC FASHION

ated them. He quickly achieved success, and in the autumn of 1964 he gained international recognition with his collections, respectively entitled “Prototype”, “Couture Future” and “Hyperbole”. André Courrèges, who drew his inspiration from the conquest of space and science fiction, created the “space-age” look. For these pioneering collections, he abandoned traditional textiles in favour of new technology. His models wore structured miniskirts, hipster trousers and jumpsuits in orange, blue and pink PVC. Designed to be a “second skin”, these garments gave women the complete freedom of movement dictated by the demands of modern life. Courrèges completed his collections with accessories that are now iconic: white vinyl gloves and boots, which were widely copied, and white plastic sunglasses with a slit detail on their lenses.

The garments from the “Hyperbole” collection reveal the body. The orange and white gingham skirt is split in the centre, showing the wearer’s legs, and moves with the body. In the same way, the orange jacket, which features white buttons and the designer’s initials, AC, placed over the bust, exposes the navel. With these garments, which contain no references to the past, André Courrèges initi- ELISABETH DE SENNEVILLE, Rainbow jacket, 1982, ated a decisive revolution marked by an uncompromis- Holographic fabric, modal, acrylic acetate, cotton, linen, ingly modern perspective. fibranne spun rayon, wool, polyamide, polyester, rayon, triacetate, viscose, silk, various fibres, rabbit fur, Atelier Elisabeth de Senneville, FRA ELISABETH DE SENNEVILLE [born in 1946]

The French designer Élisabeth de Senneville defines herself as a “techno designer”. After a period spent working with Dior, she became involved in the fashion and design business through her brand, which she established in 1977. She creates a visual language and applies this to her garments, which are made from innovative materials produced by new technological processes. Élisabeth de Senneville is known for the innovations that she has introduced into the fashion world and pioneered the contemporary practice of using of anti-magnetic, anti-pollution, photovoltaic and photo-luminescent materials. Constantly seeking out new developments in textile technology, she collaborates with other researchers and universities. She is one of the precursors of Fashion Tech. During the 1980s, Élisabeth de Senneville was particularly interested in plastics, attaching them to or combining them with other materials.

20.2 EN 23

PLASTIC FASHION PLASTICARIUM COLLECTION

SWATCH The two engineers designed an accurate wristwatch in a synthetic, shock-resistant material. It featured a simple mechanism and comprised just 51 components, as opposed to an ordinary quartz watch, containing at least 91. It can be mass-produced using automated machinery, which keeps production costs low. It would be impossible to carry out repair work on the watch as it cannot be taken apart, so its quality has to be impeccable.

The various models may be distinguished by the colour of their strap and the design on the watch face, which is different for every season. In this way, the brand has something for everyone, whatever their age or requirement. Technical expertise was backed up by inspired marketing on the part of Franz Sprecher, who devised the name “Swatch” from “S’Watch” − a contraction of “Swiss [Made] Watch”.

The first collection, comprising twelve different models, was launched on the market in Zürich [CH] on 1st March 1983. The Swatch brand achieved instant and lasting popularity. Since then, it has introduced a variety of materials into its designs. As well as being produced in various types of plastic, Swatches are also available in stainless steel, aluminium and synthetic fabrics. Swatch is continually seeking out new ways of combining textures and colours with an increasingly wide range of styles. Swatch has established partnerships with the world of design from the outset, and has joined forces with renowned artists such as Keith Haring, Alessandro Swatch watches revisited by the italien architect and Mendini and Moby. These collaborations have added to the artist Alessandro Mendini, 1991 distinction of the brand.

Swiss watchmakers very quickly made their mark on the * These function by means of a thin piece of quartz inserted into their history of clock and watchmaking. They created true works mechanism. The quartz − a mineral containing silicon atoms − oscillates of art that were handed down from one generation to the at a precise frequency in response to an electric charge. next and production techniques changed little over the years. This tradition was disrupted in the late 1970s, however, when inexpensive, good quality Japanese quartz watches* appeared on the market. Within a few years, the value of exports of Swiss watches was halved; the Swatch watch was conceived and designed in response to this situation. This innovative concept came into being in the early 1980s, under the direction of Ernst Thomke, then at the helm of Swiss watch manufacturer ETA Manufacture Horlogère. His small team was led by two watchmaking engineers, Elmar Mock and Jacques Müller, together with a marketing consultant, Franz Sprecher.

20.3 PLASTIC FASHION

ISSEY MIYAKE [born in 1938]

The Japanese fashion designer Issey Miyake studied graphic design at the Tama Art University [Tokyo], later enrolling at the École de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne in Paris in 1965. He then worked for the fashion houses Guy Laroche and Hubert de Givenchy, before establishing the Miyake Design Studio in 1970. He envisages his studio as an experimental laboratory where he develops new materials, combining industrially-made creations with artisanal techniques, technological innovations and traditional fabrics. He aims to create functional clothing that is light, crease-resistant and easy to clean.

In 1991, he created the costumes for William Forsythe’s contemporary ballet The Loss of Small Details. He designed garments that heralded his “Pleats Please” line, launched in 1993. “Pleats Please” garments are made from a single piece of high quality 100 % polyester fabric, which is cut two- and-a- half times larger than the finished item will be. The individual pieces of material are then hand-fed into a heat press sandwiched between two sheets of paper. This produces permanent pleating, which reduces the size of the item and creates a structure for the silhouette, while at the same time providing freedom of movement. Whether ISSEY MIYAKE, Pleats Please collection, PE, Isey Miyake dresses, cardigans, skirts, blouses or trousers, Issey Miyake’s INC., JPN clothes have enjoyed huge success.

20.4