The Italian bathroom manufacturer Flaminia has harnessed the stellar talents of Nendo to sprinkle a little stardust over its 70th anniversary celebrations. It is a collaborative relationship that has worked wonders for the brand since 2010 –combining the Italian rigour of ceramic sanitaryware with the whimsical imagination of Oki Sato’s studio. (Indeed, Flaminia’s creative director, the legendary star-maker Giulio Cappellini, was one of the earliest patrons of Nendo when the fledgling studio first ventured to Milan.)
Fast-forward almost two decades and, during Fuorisalone 2024, Flaminia launched two new product families from Nendo, first in the brand’s flagship at via Solferino, and later in the week at a special event titled ‘Nendo in the Stars’ in a Porto Nuova penthouse with panoramic views over the city.
First up is ‘Box’ – a series of countertop ceramic washbasins available in a range of colours, inspired by the curiously compelling activity of unboxing. Nendo’s nod here to the process of opening packaging comes in the form of two gently protruding wings that grace each edge of the rectangular or square basin. As ever with Nendo, the witty device has a canny, practical dimension too; the wings catch any rogue sideways splashes. Elegance and efficiency combined.
One of the blessings of a lengthy collaborative relationship between brand and studio is the cumulative trust that builds, which in turn encourages the pushing of boundaries and perhaps even the breaking of new ground. Evidence here comes in Nendo’s second project: ‘Tub-Lamps’, whereby the studio has literally turned an idea on its head. Taking familiar round sink and oval bathtub forms, Nendo has upended them and created a range of shapely, curvaceous, stroke-able, ambient lamps, for the bathroom or elsewhere.
Exploring the world of lighting is a first for Flaminia – but why not? Such is the beauty of long-lasting relationships built on trust; you never know where they might take you next. Seventy years on and fresh as ever.
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Audi launches AUDI, a China-only sub-brand, with a handsome new EV conceptThe AUDI E previews a new range of China-specific electric vehicles from the German carmaker’s new local sub-brand
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Inside Izza Marrakech: A new riad where art and bohemian luxury meetHonouring the late Bill Willis’ hedonistic style, Izza Marrakech fuses traditional Moroccan craftsmanship with the best of contemporary art
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Clocking on: the bedside analogue timepieces that won’t alarm your aestheticWe track down the only tick-tocks that matter, nine traditional alarm clocks that tell the time with minimum fuss and maximum visual impact
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Nendo's recycled designs for Paola Lenti are inspired by cherry blossomsPaola Lenti and Nendo unveil 'Hana-arashi' a series of sustainable furnishings inspired by Japanese culture at Milan Design Week 2024
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Daniel Arsham interprets Nendo’s designs in new collaboration‘Break to Make’ at Milan Design Week 2023 features new interpretations of Nendo designs by American artist Daniel Arsham
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Nendo’s Oki Sato on challenges, new talent, and ‘taking the difficult way’Oki Sato, founder of prolific Japanese studio Nendo, reflects on past and present challenges – including designing Tokyo’s Olympic cauldron – and, for Wallpaper’s 25th Anniversary Issue ‘5x5’ project, selects five young talents ready to pick up the torch
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Nendo’s first graphic picture book depicts how design ideas are born -
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Wallpaper* Power 200: the world’s top design names and influencersIt’s back with a double helping of provocation and praise. We have plumped up this year’s Power List to a meaty two-ton’s worth of carefully measured rankings, an upscaled calibration of design achievement. As we strongly suspected, last year’s Power 100 caused a considerable stir and provoked strong words. And, as last month’s editor’s letter made clear, even alarming threats of revenge and recrimination. So this year, unchastened, we thought we would do it all again, but double the dose. To mark our 200th issue, the power 100 has become 200. Or rather 100+100 (normal disservice will be resumed next year). And, in a self-congratulatory nod to our keen eye for talent and perhaps the propulsive effect we have had on nascent design careers, we have trawled the Wallpaper* archives, retraced our expert truffling and recovered the debut appearances of future Power Listers. (Look out for long-lost hair, unlined faces and eyes undimmed).
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Milan's brightest creative luminaries celebrate the 2015 Design Awards
