Bang & Olufsen have released the Beolit 12, Denmark's answer to the boombox. When boomboxes are mentioned it conjures up images of 1980's Compton, somewhat more Run-DMC than run of the mill Danish Design. Boomboxes, or Ghetto Blasters as they were pinned, were a lot more abrupt, forthright and made an 'in your face' statement simply by the exaggeration of size and scale. This re-interpretation plays to the strengths of B&O. It's sleek, suave and very Scandinavian. The inconspicuous exterior shell hides the modesty of the space age gadgetry that lies within. Wireless I-Pod streaming, 2.1 stereo system and 120 watt class D amplifiers. What made the original boomboxes a success was their portability which automatically meant that R-Pain, T-Kelly and DJ Jazzy Jeff looked extremely cool blasting their tunes. The Beolit 12 is a bit more subtle, it boasts a full grain Italian leather strap and the whole unit weighs less than 2.8kg. It's the perfect statement for the preppy school kid with a bit of extra cash. The Beolit 12 is available from store.beoplay.com and RRP is £599.99 and is available in a modest range of colour finishes.
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Klint, not Verbal or Eastwood (Clint), but Kaare. He was arguably one of the 20th century's most prolific designers, meticulously researching projects for years at a time. Whilst other designers at the time such as Alvar Alto were turning projects around at formidable rates, Klint sat back and painstakingly focused in on every small detail. What was the end product of this detailed eye are some spectacular pieces of crafted furniture that embraced traditional craft skills. Avant garde graduates and teachers who resided at the Bauhaus were embracing new industrial processes and creating visual pleasing pieces that could be distributed to the masses. Klint was the anti Bauhaus ethos, he believed that industrial processes should be embraced but not the neglect of more traditional ideals and methods that had stood the test of time. The Propeller chair (above) is a perfect example of this statement in practice. The stool legs have been warped and twisted to resemble that of airplane propeller blades using new industrial processes but the means of assembly and the style is very traditional. His more traditional styles as seen in the example above derived more from previous movements like the Shaker movement. Klint's first work was a combination piece with his mentor Carl Peterson when they were commissioned to design pieces for the Faaborg Art Museum. What resulted from this is one of Klint's most recognisable pieces, the Faaborg Chair. Klint is a very interesting subject as he was probably more of a revolutionary than that of his peers at the Bauhaus. he could have easily joined the band wagon for the extreme popularity that modernism was gaining from drawing on pop culture influences. He stood back, analysed this movement, took the good bits from it without totally disregarding it, but somehow merged it with more traditional styles and techniques. The sign of a true design revolutionary is somebody who has a vision regardless of what the masses are telling them and sticks to it.
For more information on Kaare Klint please visit: www.danish-furniture.com Starting our Danish themed September issue is arguably the man who defines Danish Modernity. The irony in that being that the designs are used affluently across the world now but were actually conceived in the 60's. He worked initially at the architectural firm of another prominent Danish Designer, Arne Jacobsen. During his time there he gathered an appreciation and near obsessive nature towards the use of geometry and patterns within interior spaces which merged into a range of textile designs. Panton is more acclaimed for his furniture designs but unknowingly to some has created equally prolific Interiors. The Private House at Binningen is one example of this. Soft undulating forms that act as informal seating areas which are upholstered in an array of linear colours resembling that of an LSD induced dream. The creative and playful use of space encapsulates what Panton was all about. Panton sadly died in Copenhagen in 1998 but his designs will continue to inspire generations to come. The cantilevered Panton chair symbolises a long and healthy relationship he had with Vitra and is arguably the poster piece of furniture for Modernism. I'll leave you with some more of his designs below. For more information on Verner Panton please visit: http://www.verner-panton.com
The concept of the paper plane design blog is changing. To make sure that you are getting more focused and quality content I've decided to make each month themed. This means the most obscure, obvious and outrageous design areas can be covered.
To kick start this new direction, September will be Danish Month. Everything that makes Danish Design great both past, present and future will be celebrated and covered. To mark this Scandinavian theme I will be creating a new piece of digital artwork which will adorn the background of the webpage for the duration of the month. In celebration of a series of changes about to happen with Paper Plane Design, you can now purchase original PPD prints onto a series of items. By clicking on the image above or clicking the 'Shop' link button at the top of the page, you will be directed to the shop host Red Bubble. The designs can be printed on a variety of media ranging from excellent quality American Apparel T-Shirts to I-Phone cases and canvases. Feel free to have a look and view the variety of products available. More designs will be available in the near future so keep your peepers peeled!
Whilst doing some research into Pop-Up shops it seemed only fitting to share the findings. Pop-Ups are very current at the moment, they allow for low up-front costs and minimal risks for start up businesses. In terms of design, because of the low budgets usually involved, means that innovative design is a key feature of pop-ups. Whether this be stacked crates with solid timber tops or stretched tights that form tensile structures for displaying lightweight products, the levels of creativity within this area are infinite.
Here's a sneak peak at some of the projects I'm currently working on. These are quick freehand design development sketches scanned and with a bit of post editing in Photoshop to bring them to life.
Pantone have released colours inspired by the Queen's dress wear over her 60 yea reign. The form detaches itself from the traditional rectangular form and adopts a silhouette of Queen Elizabeth herself. A collaboration effort with Leo Burnett London and Pantone, the shades have been taken from garments the Queen has worn at iconic events during her reign. Each shade notes the event and date of the inspiration for the colour scheme. This shows the inventiveness and power that Pantone has within the design industry. The way Pantone generate their colours, using their patented matching system and HP Indigo technology, and present their work in a minimalistic designer way, really intrigues and fully cements their position as one of the leading colour companies.
The past few days festivities have definitely boosted the moral of Britain and rekindled the fact that we should be proud to be British. Whether you celebrated the Jubilee with a traditional tea party, a boozy Pimms induced street do, or stayed at home discussing when and if Gary Barlow should become 'Sir' and standing proud to sing the national anthem, then you must understand this new found patriotism that I am feeling also. These festivities define us as a nation. A nation of grinders, creatives and visionaries. Design can also be defined by the people and the era. It can symbolize the past and shape our future. None more so than that of furniture maker and textile designer couple, Robin & Lucienne Day. They denoted an era of new modern design. To some they go unnoticed but their designs are very much integrated into the modern fabric of our establishments. I guarantee if you have ever been to school post 1963 then your bottom has graced one of Robin Day's most successful designs, the polypropylene chair for Hille. I bet you would have thought twice carving your name into the back of the person in front's chair during a tedious maths lesson if you'd known that it was a design classic! This however is proof of the genius of the design. It was/is so embedded into the construct of everyday life that it was vandalised because they were everywhere and surely could be easily replaced. This was in fact the selling point, mass produced, cheap and a quick turn around time. It was tough, hard wearing and could be made in a variety of colours to brighten up the dreariest of comprehensive school classrooms. Lucienne was equally creative and revolutionary. She created textiles that led the way for modernist interior decoration. Angular, bright and geometric designs that were inspired by the modern art of Joan Miro and Paul Klee. Over her career she designed patterns for Heals (image below), John Lewis, Steele's and Wilton Royal. Sadly both Robin and Lucienne passed away in the same year. They left behind their legacy that will be cherished by Britain and the world over, inspiring new designs and designers. The Day's came from a time where they had witnessed a colossal World War and had seen the effect the War had on the country and the economy. They believed, like many modernists of the time, that modernism would propel the country into a better time where the factories would overflow with work and supply and demand could be met through the use of new technology. The similarities between then and now are quite worryingly similar. A lack of moral, jobs, money and industry. However we have the talent, homegrown and equally adopted internationals, that have the creative ability, expertise and willingness to create and define a new era of Great British Design. We think we have advanced so much in 60 years, I-phones, tablet pc's, the internet etc but you only have to scrape gently on the surface of our modern society to see that not a lot is different from 60 years ago. The next Day's are needed. Arguably Thomas Heatherwick is very close to fulfilling and building upon their footprint, but we need more... Apply within.
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Designer. Did a blog. Starting blog again. Early Thirties. Like Food. Like Drink. Like Music. Like travelling. If you like this blog get involved, comment and send me a story or a product, lifestyle, or way of life to promote.
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