Handmade 2018: Wellness + Wonder, the projects

‘Squeezy’ lamp
Edmund Zhang

When Wallpaper* launched an open call across Singapore for designers to join our Handmade exhibition, Edmund Zhang’s ‘Squeezy’ lamp charmed us the most. The designer spent hours researching the beneficial qualities of the act of squeezing, and this exploration resulted in an everyday product that conveys a sense of wellbeing. The LED desk lamp gets brighter with every squeeze, but then gradually dims to a pleasing therapeutic glimmer over time when you stop squeezing. This piece tells the story of the Handmade creative process – from the research, design and development of the lamp through to prototype, as seen here.

Edmund Zhang
Zhang’s preferred approach to design is one that lets us have an inquisitive look at other people’s experiences, transforming them into ideas. A formally trained industrial designer, Zhang favours a multidisciplinary approach, which he has been developing through experience with studios such as Outofstock, Torafu Architects and Lanzavecchia + Wai. edmundzhang.work

Anti-stress objects
Zoë Mowat and Casone

Promising relief for the anxious and fidgety, Canadian designer Zoë Mowat has created sculptural stress cubes and foot massagers with the help of stone specialist Casone. The textured stone foot massagers rock back and forth to provide orthopaedic release for weary soles. Similarly, the multi-textured cubes offer nervous hands a sense of ease and can be used to relieve tension around the body. Casone’s calming green kryptonite and white Carrara marble provide a sense of luxury.`

Zoë Mowat
Founder of Zoë Mowat Design in Montreal, Canada, Mowat explores various media to create intuitive pieces that are both accessible and durable. Her sculptural take on form results in refined, geometric pieces. zoemowat.com

Casone
Based in Firenzuola, in Italy’s Appenines, Casone specialises in the acquisition and refinement of its own special sandstone, Pietra Forte Fiorentina, as well as marble, onyx and travertine. It prides itself on utilising both manual and mechanical techniques in order to produce the finest materials. casonegroup.com

Cleansing plinth
Studio Juju and Fox Marble

A single block of marble becomes a poetic fountain in the minds of Studio Juju’s duo Timo Wong and Priscilla Lui. ‘With the monumental scale of the daily cleansing ritual refined to the essential forms, the cleansing plinth exerts a quiet assurance in the quest for contemplative rejuvenation,’ explains Wong. The pair’s sculptural design features two mirrored circles – a bowl contrasted by a raised dish, which are both abstract and functional. The plinth, an altar to the daily ritual of cleansing, was made by Fox Marble in Alexandrian White, a fine-grained Dolomitic geological marble, a material which lends itself well to intricate carving.

Studio Juju
In just under a decade together, Singapore’s Studio Juju has worked with international brands such as Desalto and Living Divani, on furniture, products and spaces. The studio’s accolades include being named Designers of the Future by Design Miami. studio-juju.com

Fox Marble
A British company with an international calling, Fox Marble sources its material in Kosovo, working closely with Carrara-trained experts to establish fully functional quarries that also contribute to the surrounding areas, thanks to the company’s engineering and infrastructure works. foxmarble.net

‘Oval Spheres’ back benders
Space Copenhagen and Sørensen Leather

Interested in how leisure and wellness can be incorporated into domestic interiors, Space Copenhagen’s Signe Bindslev Henriksen and Peter Bundgaard Rützou designed this trio of back benders as beautifully sculptural objects that also serve a fitness purpose. ‘We treated the pure and spiritual shape of the oval with the same attention to detail and craft as is applied to a piece of furniture,’ they say. For the execution, the pair teamed up with Danish leather specialist Sørensen, choosing its Nuance range to add luxury and depth. The leather was applied to the air-filled shapes by upholsterer Bondes Møbelfabrik.

Space Copenhagen
Founded in 2005 by Signe Bindslev Henriksen and Peter Bundgaard Rützou, the studio has a varied output that includes everything from interior design to installations and art direction. It has developed a particular flair for restaurant design – with clients including Noma, Geranium and Geist in Copenhagen – and also creates contemporary lighting and furniture for brands such as Gubi, &tradition and Stellar Works. spacecph.dk

Sørensen Leather
Founded by Arne Sørensen in 1973, this family business has grown into a global company with sales in 35 countries. A favourite with architects and designers, it specialises in the highest-quality leathers, which it offers in over 350 colours. Based near Aarhus, Sørensen Leather is the exclusive supplier for iconic designs such as Arne Jacobsen’s ‘Egg’ chair for Fritz Hanzen. sorensenleather.com

Pill dispenser
Alexander Purcell Rodrigues, Marmor Hotavlje and Kovačija Krmelj

Having observed that supplement-taking has become a daily routine for many, Alexander Purcell Rodrigues decided to create a design that would elevate the mundane habit. Instead of simply pouring pills out of a plastic container, he imagines a new ritual that takes cues from a fine-dining table setting. To give this idea the materiality and gravitas it deserves, he collaborated with two respected Slovenian companies, stone specialist Marmor Hotavlje and artisanal blacksmith Kovačija Krmelj. The former has turned a piece of its own dark grey marble into a nesting plate, cup and fluted tray that appears to hover above the tabletop, while the latter has meticulously hand forged a pair of Damascus steel serving tongs.

Alexander Purcell Rodrigues
Based in London and Los Angeles, product designer Purcell Rodrigues harnesses both traditional craftsmanship and cutting-edge design solutions and fabrication processes. His interdisciplinary studio uses expertly sourced materials and works across interiors and furniture projects. alexanderpurcellrodrigues.com

Marmor Hotavlje
A marble quarry in Slovenia is the heart of Marmor Hotavljie, a family enterprise founded in the 18th century and now highly specialised in marble-cutting techniques. Its material is featured in some of the most illustrious hospitality projects, private houses and super-yachts worldwide. marmor-hotavlje.si

Kovačija Krmelj
An artisanal blacksmith with close to a hundred years of heritage, Kovačija Krmelj is based in Škofja Loka, northern Slovenia. kovastvo-krmelj.si

‘Contemplation’ stool
Giuseppe Zanotti and Ginger & Jagger

Italian accessories designer Giuseppe Zanotti is known as a master of embellishment, and his ‘Contemplation’ stool offers a particularly well-adorned spot to enjoy a quiet moment. Created in collaboration with Portuguese brand Ginger & Jagger, the circular piece features visible supports and screws, a nod to the hardware typical of Zanotti’s accessories.

Giuseppe Zanotti
Zanotti showed his first footwear collection in 1994 in New York City. His label is renowned for its exquisite craftsmanship, ostentatious embellishment and bejewelled details, its output ranging from flocked and metal-finished sneakers to crystal-covered stilettos, and wedges with sculptural heels. giuseppezanotti.com

Ginger & Jagger
Founded in 2012, the Porto-based brand celebrates the region’s master carpenters and metalworkers, as well as its natural environment. The brand reinterprets forms such as trees and rocky craggs using materials including hand-hammered metal and hand-sculpted marble. gingerandjagger.com

‘Sunrise’ mirror
GHYCZY and 15 West

A combination of GHYCZY’s innovative craftsmanship and 15 West’s elegant design, this sculptural mirror comprises a cast-aluminium base, mirror-polished stainless steel sheets and a leather-clad shelf and surround. Made in GHYCZY’s workshop in the Netherlands, its curved base conceals a storage compartment for beauty products and toiletries. The fractured appearance of the mirror is intended to distort and partly obscure the user’s reflection, enjoining them to consider their inner-self rather than only their outward physical form.

GHYCZY
Netherlands-based and family-owned, GHYCZY offers an eclectic selection of high-quality handcrafted furniture designs. Since its inception in 1971, the firm has focused on innovation: its founder Peter Ghyczy was the first to use clamping to join glass and metal, a much-imitated technique in the world of high-end contemporary furniture. ghyczy.com

15 West
This Istanbul-based studio was founded in 2015 by Begum Cemiloglu and Ekin Varon, who met at the Rhode Island School of Design and bonded over their love for combining modern design with Turkey’s cultural heritage. Now back in their home town, the pair strive to create beautiful interiors filled with the delicate textures of handmade products. 15weststudio.com

Fruit altars
Gabriel Tan Studio and TON

Designer Gabriel Tan looked into fruit consumption as part of a healthy diet. ‘To have a healthy diet, 50 per cent of what we eat should comprise fruit and vegetables,’ he notes. His fruit altars, inspired by TON’s bentwood and cane-weaving tradition, are intended to make us ‘rethink the importance of fruit and vegetables and consume not just the minimum amount, but make them a large part of our diet’. Each piece in the collection, designed to hold a specific fruit, is made of steam-bent beech combined with traditional woven elements. ‘Not many companies are able to achieve these really tight bends,’ says Tan. This pushes the limits of TON’s steam-bending techniques, and it is one of the most skilled companies in the world at doing it.’

Gabriel Tan Studio
Singapore-based Tan blurs the boundaries between craft, culture and technology, creating projects that span from curation to creative direction. As well as designing for a variety of international brands and private clients, Tan is also co-founder of the Outofstock Design Collective, which creates products, furniture and spaces for clients including Ligne Roset and Blå Station. gabriel-tan.com

TON
Hailing from the Czech Republic, the brand has been producing hand-bent wooden furniture since 1861. Originally founded by Michael Thonet (whose woodworking techniques made furniture history), TON gained its current name in 1953, standing for ‘bentwood furniture factory’. ton.eu

‘Bain Culinaire’ bath blends
Studio Appétit, Quinteassential and Laufen

Ido Garini enjoys exploring the point where design intersects with food, fragrance and wellbeing. Wanting to design a ‘teabag’ for the bath, he opted for a sustainable version. With Laufen, he created a rechargeable strainer in Corian and stainless steel, a glass canister to store the tea leaves, an hour-glass to measure brewing time and a tray in wood and Corian to contain them all. We enlisted Bernadine Tay of Quinteassential, an expert in the therapeutic qualities of herbs, to create three blends that impart healing as you soak in the tub: Focus (with centring Japanese sencha, lemon verbena and sweet passion flower herb); Refresh (with smoky Yunnan pu-erh, cedar wood and basil); and Breathe (mediative Chinese oolong with sandalwood).

Studio Appétit
Ido Garini’s Arnhem-based Studio Appétit is a practice focused on the culinary arts and projects spanning the production of objects, graphic design, food installations, consultancy, and even edible cosmetics. Garini mixes and repurposes the edible with the non-edible, making us examine how we experience food. studioappetit.com

Quinteassential
In the creation of a range of therapeutic teas, company founder Bernadine Tay brings into play her passion for blending, fed by a background in biomedical science. Also a consultant, she has developed tea experiences for Amanda Wakeley, Wedgwood and more. quinteassential.co.uk

Laufen
Laufen is synonymous with bathroom innovation, and Konstantin Grcic and Patricia Urquiola have created redefining ranges in its breakthrough material, SaphirKeramik. Its custom arm, Laufen Bespoke, serves designers and architects seeking unique pieces. laufen.com

Skincare tool kit
Ionna Vautrin, Nuori, Raw Finnish, Zahn and Atelier Renard

Designed to enhance the effects of creams and masks, the facial tool kit is an emerging skincare category calling for the attention of the design world. Tasked with amplifying the action of Nuori’s Perfecting Facial Oil and Vital Foaming Cleanser, Ionna Vautrin used soapstone, which has temperature-retaining qualities and a soft finish, to create two massage tools, and exploited the sensuousness of leather in the design of four cleansing goats’ hair brushes. Featuring Vautrin’s signature curves, the tool kit also includes a matching soapstone tray and mirror.

Ionna Vautrin
French designer Vautrin has run her own studio since 2011, producing poetic yet functional designs for brands such as Moustache and Kvadrat. ionnavautrin.com

Nuori
Jasmi Bonnén founded Nuori in 2014 with a mission to make skincare that was truly free from all synthetics and preservatives. nuori.com

Raw Finnish
A branch of the Finnish soapstone specialist Hukka, Raw Finnish turns North Karelian stone into exquisite objects. rawfinnish.com

Zahn
For four generations, Zahn has manufactured some of the world’s finest artist and cosmetic brushes from its German base. zahn-pinsel.com

Atelier Renard
Founded in the 1930s, this Parisian atelier handcrafts custom-made leather bags and accessories of exquisite quality. atelierrenard.com

‘Well’ crystal bottle
Studio Warm and Mario Cioni

Hydration is the foundation of wellbeing, says designer Corinna Warm. With this in mind, she thought of elevating a simple but fundamental daily gesture into a moment to be cherished with a luxurious crystal bottle. ‘Cut crystal glass is typically used to decant champagne and high-value spirits,’ says Warm, ‘but safe drinking water is the most precious thing we can consume.’ The blown crystal glass carafe was hand-cut to perfection by Italian specialist Mario Cioni.

Studio Warm
London-based multidisciplinary consultancy Studio Warm works on bespoke commissions for furniture and interiors, and is known for its outstanding design and craftsmanship. The studio’s clients include interiors designers, architects and galleries. studiowarm.com

Mario Cioni
For nearly 50 years, Mario Cioni has finessed the art of transforming sand into pure glass, establishing four companies that specialise in the material. His namesake brand focuses on historical crystal designs. mariocioni.com

‘Discover the Joy of Discipline’ healing set
Le Gramme and Lobmeyr

This healing set is a reflection of Le Gramme’s ability to elevate clean, contemplative design beyond the purely minimal. Promoting a meditative start to the day, it comprises a lava stone tray and five crystal vessels, including a vitamin pill dispenser, a dried fruit ramekin, a water glass and pitcher, and fresh juice tumblers, all produced by crystal maker Lobmeyr. Created partly in homage to Adolf Loos’ 1930s pyramid-cut crystal drinks set for Lobmeyr, the healing set is made of hand-blown cut glass, incorporating a pyramid guilloché pattern first used by Le Gramme in its early silver bracelet designs.

Le Gramme
‘Industrial craftsmanship’ is how Le Gramme describes its practice of creating precious metal jewellery and objects in repeated shapes and perfectly balanced weights. Established in 2012 by Adrien Messié and Erwan Le Louër, the Paris brand is as dedicated to its machine-driven aesthetic as it is to the traditional guilloché engraving that gives its bracelets, rings and objects a rich, hand-worked finish. legramme.com

Lobmeyr
Founded in Vienna in 1823, Lobmeyr is a sixth-generation family business that has always been at the cutting-edge of glass production, creating the first chandeliers using Edison’s light bulbs in 1883, and working with the likes of Josef Hoffmann and Adolf Loos. More recently, it has collaborated with Michael Anastassiades and Helmut Lang, and earned a Wallpaper* 2018 Design Award with Murray Moss. lobmeyr.at

Indo-Roman dispensary
Federica Biasi, The Broad Place, NasonMoretti and Antolini

Delving into the history of exercise, designer Federica Biasi discovered similarities between modern wellness practices and post-workout recovery during the Roman Empire, when exercise was followed by restorative tonics, oil cleansers and massages. This inspired a dispensary bar that would offer mixology of a salutary persuasion. While Biasi built the bar with Antolini and designed the glassware with NasonMoretti, we invited The Broad Place, expert in the ancient Indian medicine of Ayurveda, to develop a menu of oils and tonics that merged Roman recovery aids with Ayurvedic principles and ingredients.

Federica Biasi
After completing a degree at the European Institute of Design, Biasi opened her studio in Milan in 2015. Working with ceramic, textiles, glass and metal, she blends Scandinavian purity with Mediterranean flair. federicabiasi.com

The Broad Place
Founded by Jacqui Lewis and Arran Russell in Sydney in 2013, this wellness brand distils the ancient wisdom of meditation and Ayurvedic principles for the modern urban crowd. thebroadplace.com.au

NasonMoretti
Founded in 1923, this groundbreaking Murano glassmaker is today operated by four cousins, descendants of Umberto Nason, whose modernist designs helped bring international renown to the brand in the 1950s. nasonmoretti.it

Antolini
Veronese company Antolini produces some of the world’s rarest and most exquisite marble, granite and quartzite and has steered technological innovation in stone processing. antolini.com

‘Elementi’ dumbbells
Davide Aquini and Lundhs

At first sight, Davide Aquini’s assemblages in curved stone and dark steel might appear to be merely beautiful sculptures. Yet they are so much more, doubling as stylish vases, paperweights, doorstops, bookends – and even a versatile set of gym equipment. Thanks to their metal handles and heavy Lundhs stone components, the four pieces are designed to be used as a featherweight kettlebell, lightweight and middleweight dumbbells and a heavyweight barbell. Inspired by the works of Aldo Rossi and Giorgio de Chirico, their art deco-influenced design is elevated by the colours of Lundhs’ elegantly polished stones.

Davide Aquini
Born in Venice and now based in nearby Padua, Aquini initially trained in graphic design, working for advertising and web agencies before launching his own studio in 2007. Often inspired by his ongoing study of ancient art history and archaeology, his designs feature strong geometrical shapes, elegant compositions and traditional Italian materials, such as marble and glass. ad-g.it

Lundhs
Norway’s leading exporter of natural stone, Lundhs was founded in 1962 by Thor Lundh. Still family-owned, the Larvik-based firm prides itself on its innovative methods of extracting natural stone, including local larvikite, as well anorthosite and granite. lundhsrealstone.com

Chocolate case
Romance Chocolate, Bozarthfornell Architects and Allaert Aluminum

Happiness is increasingly becoming a measure of wellness, and vice versa, so a clean vice that puts a smile on our face is as important to us as de-stressing and purging. Hence a high-end chocolate taking its place in our wellness arsenal. To reinforce its value, we teamed new plant-based brand Romance Chocolate with Bozarthfornell Architects to develop a protective carry case for the bar, with a hinged compartment in the lid to hold a nibbed version for sprinkling at a moment’s notice. The architects worked with Allaert Aluminium to engineer the case.

Romance Chocolate
The brand is the latest invention of Belgian ‘free from’ food entrepreneur Bart Roman. In 2017, he teamed up with US chef and raw-food pioneer Matthew Kenney to found Essence Cuisine, offering high-quality fayre that’s plant-based, fair-trade and refined sugar-free. Romance Chocolate sprang from the same thinking and is made in Belgium using organic cocoa beans from Kokoa Kamili in Tanzania, raw coconut-blossom sugar, and nothing else. romance-chocolate.com

Bozarthfornell Architects
Launched in 2010 by Andreas Bozarth Fornell, this Stockholm studio often works with fashion clients. It has designed stores for Acne worldwide, Opening Ceremony, Roland Mouret and Filippa K, typically working with neutral palettes punctuated with the occasional splash of colour. bozarthfornell.com

Allaert Aluminium
The family-run firm engineers aluminium and other metals for the construction industry, and has worked with architects such as SUM and Eduardo Souto de Moura. Its projects span all scales and include a recent collection of furniture with Studio Dessuant Bone. allaertaluminium.be

‘Forever Young’ playground
Maarten Baas and Henge

‘Being as happy as a child in a playground is the ultimate way to feel well,’ says Dutch designer Maarten Baas. ‘Anything is a wonder when it’s experienced as a playground.’ Italian furniture brand Henge tapped one of its expert artisans to bring Baas’ Forever Young extravaganza to life in refined style. The lasered-steel structure for the slide features elements in polished brass and copper, while the family of see-saws features similar materials adorning the burnished steel figurines. A collection of familiar objects elevated by Baas’ imagination and Henge’s commitment to craft – this is where wellness and wonder truly collide.

Maarten Baas
One of the most influential Dutch designers, Baas first burst onto the scene with his Design Academy Eindhoven graduation project, a collection of charcoaled furniture called Smoke. Blurring the boundaries between art and design, his creations include a randomly cut steel chair for Gispen; a series of 12-hour films indicating the time; and pop-coloured chairs shaped by hand from clay. maartenbaas.com

Henge
Taking full advantage of the manufacturing expertise found in the Venice area, entrepreneur Paolo Tormena and architect Massimo Castagna founded Henge in 2007. Quality materials – including precious marbles, beautifully treated metals and rare woods – and sublime craftsmanship are at the heart of the brand. henge07.com

‘Infinite’ wallbars
Charles Kalpakian and Gebrüder Thonet Vienna

These ‘Infinite’ wallbars focus on the unification of mind and body to improve wellbeing. Inspired by the work of Romanian sculptor Constantin Brâncuși, Gebrüder Thonet Vienna and Charles Kalpakian worked together to synthesise a range of sculpture-like apparatus that easily transitions between decorative and practical uses. The wallbars are made of monochromatic solid beech, constructed with two elements: a spine-like support structure of undulating sculpted curves and long, sleek rounded rungs.

Charles Kalpakian
The Lebanese-born, Paris-based Kalpakian specialises in product and interior design, finding inspiration both in traditional Lebanese decorative arts and street art. His creations include limited-edition pieces for Galerie BSL, an angular credenza for La Chance, and candy boxes for Habitat. kalpakian.fr

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna
Founded in 1853, Gebrüder Thonet Vienna is one of Austria’s leading furniture makers. Best known for its classic steam-bent café chairs and elegant rattan seats, the company has also embarked on a series of innovative collaborations with designers such as Front, Vico Magistretti and GamFratesi. gebruederthonetvienna.com

‘Vibes’ pillow rug
Zaven and Cogolin

Italian design duo Zaven’s projects always start by merging product and graphic design, and this collaboration was no different. Giving a three-dimensional feel to a two-dimensional pattern, their creation gives extra depth to a rug. The pair worked closely with Cogolin’s expert weavers to develop the design, which was then brought to life on a Jacquard loom by combining weaving with a hand-knotting technique. The piece is inspired by the studio’s research into 1960s and 1970s lounge seating, and echoes a yearning for a multifunctional domestic space centred on relaxation but equally suitable for working or sleeping.

Zaven
Enrica Cavarzan and Marco Zavagno founded Zaven in 2006 in Venice, Italy. Working across industrial design, conceptual research and material innovation, the pair focus on the meeting point between design and art. Zaven’s past collaborations include an installation for Nike, a collection of rugs for CC Tapis and a series of ceramic tiles inspired by Italian political activist Nino Caruso that won them a 2018 Wallpaper* Design Award. zaven.net

Cogolin
Established in 1924 near Saint-Tropez, France, Cogolin is a textile manufacturer that uses traditional 19th-century Jacquard hand-weaving looms to produce rugs in natural materials (such as wool, cotton, jute, linen, silk and raffia) in a palette of 200 colours. The company has collaborated with the likes of Jean Cocteau and Jean-Michel Frank. manufacturecogolin.com

Partition
Studio David Thulstrup and Sto

Noise pollution and sound levels are key factors in our sense of wellbeing, making acoustics a critical feature in our increasingly busy urban environments. Addressing this, Danish architect David Thulstrup created a space divider with a twist. Drawing on the visual qualities of German company Sto’s innovative noise-reducing products, he chose to celebrate the technology, placing it at the heart of the design rather than hiding it. The result is a minimalist divider that consists of five rough-textured acoustic panels framed in aluminium.

Studio David Thulstrup
Architect and designer Thulstrup set up his Copenhagen studio in 2009, after stints with Jean Nouvel and Peter Marino, among others. In the Danish tradition, Thulstrup’s design approach is to ‘find beauty in all materials and combine them in a way that emphasises comfort and liveability’. His clients include the likes of Noma, Royal Copenhagen, Muuto and Georg Jensen. studiodavidthulstrup.com

Sto
A leading manufacturer of building products, such as acoustic panels and insulation systems, Sto was founded by Wilhelm Stotmeister in Germany in the 1800s. Today the family-run business has a strong focus on research and innovation and is active in over 87 countries, with a €1bn global sales turnover. sto.co.uk

‘Chromo’ table lamps
Mut and Preciosa

Although their sleek appearance owes much to the curves and shine of art deco style, the function of these table lamps is actually inspired by a much earlier movement, chromotherapy. This belief in the healing powers of colour and light dates back to the ancient Egyptians and Greeks, who used sunlight, coloured stones and dyes as remedies. Similarly, these modular ‘Chromo’ table lamps can be mixed and matched, creating various coloured lights to help us get through dark winters. Comprised of a central metal shape, a large coloured glass piece and a set of curved glass pipes, the modular lamps have two light sources: a neon tube hidden at their centre and a set of LED lights at the base of the glass pipes. Depending on which way around the reversible lamps are placed, they project different effects.

Mut
Multidisciplinary studio Mut was founded in 2010 by Alberto Sánchez. Based in Valencia, its team of young creatives values emotive and innovative design and aims to redefine everyday objects. Challenging minimalist aesthetics, Mut’s playful creations include ‘Nautica’, a hanging chair made of wave-patterned rattan; and ‘Beetle’, an insect-inspired range of sound-absorbing panels. mutdesign.com

Preciosa
Based in the Crystal Valley, the oldest known Bohemian glassmaking region in the Czech Republic, Preciosa is one of the world’s leading glass and crystal manufacturers. For decades, its craftsmen have been carefully creating ornate, awe-inspiring chandeliers, as well as a wide selection of crystal jewellery. preciosa.com

‘La Belle et la Bête’ lounge chair
Xavier Lust, Kent Brushes and Delhez

This ‘Beauty and the Beast’ lounge chair is named after its contrasting composition, which combines a welcoming curved metal seat with an unusual, almost spiky cover made of natural bristles. Surprisingly sculptural and slightly surreal, it mimics the experience of relaxing in the grass in the lazy afternoon sun or being wrapped up in a natural cocoon. ‘I found interesting the concept of having a piece of furniture which is like a big bear,’ explains designer Xavier Lust. ‘It’s a place where you feel protected and able to free your mind.’ Inspired by the shape of a pebble, the daybed’s aluminium base was perforated, bent and cut by metal expert Delhez, and hand-sewn with Chinese wild boar bristles by Kent Brushes.

Xavier Lust
Lust founded his atelier in Brussels in 1992. He is a designer known for his sculptural approach to furniture making, and particular technique for shaping and bending metal without a mould. He is a regular collaborator with manufacturers including MDF Italia, Driade and Extremis. xavierlust.com

Kent Brushes
Founded in 1777, Kent is the world’s oldest hairbrush manufacturer and one of the few to still stitch bristles into the brush by hand. Its bespoke grooming products range from boar hair brushes to badger hair toothbrushes (officially the Queen’s toothbrush). kentbrushes.com

Delhez
Based in Belgium, Delhez is a family-run enterprise that has spent the past two decades refining and finessing sheet-metal machining techniques. It has developed innovative production methods for steel, stainless steel and aluminium goods. delhez.be

Space Popular and Point Supreme
Émaillerie Belge and Colophon

Space Popular’s ‘Love your home and it will love you back’ inspirational motto is presented in Colophon’s Value Sans Regular font on a house-shaped, three-dimensional enamel shelf. The intent is both motivational and a comment on how the introduction of artificial intelligence into the home heightens the connection between human, architecture and objects. Produced by Émaillerie Belge, the piece includes hidden face shapes within its design.

Reiterating Charles Eames’ famous advice, ‘Take your pleasure seriously’, Point Supreme’s design is inspired by classic 1950s American signage. Mixing a range of Colophon’s fonts, including one specially drawn for us, with a sun-shaped background that nods to the light-filled, feel-good summers of Greece, the piece, made at Émaillerie Belge’s Brussels workshop, radiates warmth and optimism.

Space Popular
Architectural Association graduates Lara Lesmes and Fredrik Hellberg founded Space Popular in Bangkok in 2013. Now working in Europe and Asia – practising and teaching architecture – the pair take a playful approach that combines spaces, product design, graphics and research. spacepopular.com

Émaillerie Belge
Founded in 1923, the Brussels-based specialist has a rich history in the art of enamelling, rooted in household products and advertising. Now headed by a pair of young entrepreneurs, Tanguy Van Quickenborne and Vincent Vanden Borre, the company is keen to explore contemporary ways to use enamel. emailleriebelge.com

Colophon
Based in London and Los Angeles, Colophon’s award-winning type foundry focuses on creating the finest typefaces for analogue and digital media. The company was our go-to font specialist for this sign series. colophon-foundry.org

Quote by Charles Eames. ©2018 Eames Office, LLC. One-off artwork made with permission of Eames Office, dedicated to communicating, preserving and extending the work of Charles and Ray Eames. A proud founding sponsor of Eames Foundation. All rights and trademarks reserved

‘Templi’ reed diffusers
Sara Ricciardi and Culti Milano

Since Culti Milano invented the reed scent diffuser in the 1990s, a raft of interior fragrance brands have produced their own versions. They vary little, however, from Culti Milano’s formula of bunched porous sticks arranged in a scent-filled bottle like a posy of flowers – a design ripe for a rethink. We teamed Culti Milano with Sara Ricciardi, one of a number of young creatives to have shaken up the art of floral display with innovative vase design. Taking inspiration from the iconography of Roman and Greek temples, Ricciardi created mini structures from brass and glass, the glass ‘columns’ housing the scent and the reeds. Her diffusers are table sculptures in their own right, while the Culti fragrances colour the columns and may be used individually or in combination, to offer a unique ambient scent.

Sara Ricciardi
Based in Milan, Ricciardi runs a workshop researching traditional manufacturing methods and undertaking collaborations with artisans. She is co-founder of La Lattoneria, an artisanal company creating high-quality sheet-metal products that draw on Italian rationalism and Memphis expressionism. sararicciardi.org

Culti Milano
Founded in 1990 by Milanese interior designer Alessandro Agrati, Culti Milano was conceived to build fragrance into the fabric of an interior. Taking inspiration from rattan crafts, Agrati invented the reed diffuser, which took the world of home-fragrance by storm. Culti Milano broadened its offering to include bath, body and bathing accessories, but refocused on interior scenting in 2015. Its core collection today comprises a selection of refined reed diffusers, home sprays and scented candles. culti.com

‘Curtain of Calm’
Paco Rabanne and Office Kersten Geers David Van Severen

An alluring accoutrement for the home, this curved metal curtain is designed as a shield from everyday stresses. Formed from metallic mesh, the design hangs from a freestanding metal structure over two metres high, creating an enclosed temporary area for rest and relaxation. The structure draws on the heritage of Paco Rabanne, the French house renowned for its use of unusual materials such as chainmail and metal paillettes.

Paco Rabanne
A leader in the Space Age fashion movement, Paco Rabanne was renowned for bringing futuristic flair to 1960s silhouettes. Julien Dossena was made creative director of the Parisian house in 2013, updating its signature chainmail designs using innovative fabrications and contemporary forms. pacorabanne.com

Office Kersten Geers David Van Severen
Kersten Geers and David Van Severen founded their Brussels-based architecture practice in 2002. Its output spans furniture design and masterplanning, while its commissions include the RTBF HQ in Brussels, Finland’s Arvo Pärt Centre and Moscow’s NCAA. The practice has been collaborating with Paco Rabanne on the fashion house’s retail design since 2015. officekgdvs.com

‘Architecture for Smoke’
Jonathan Cross

Jonathan Cross drew from a wide range of inspirations for his incense burners; ancient architectural structures, post-apocalyptic science fiction imagery and rock formations contributed to the pieces’ aesthetic. ‘Incense is often used in a meditative and or ritual context,’ says Cross. ‘My work seeks to capture the imagination in and around these moments. Thoughts of ancient artifacts and ritual architecture are provoked and brought to a modern state.’ In his Joshua Tree, California, workshop, Cross hand-carved the pieces from clay, later firing them in a wood-fired kiln: ashes from the burning wood deposit on the work during the process, giving the trio this natural, rocky appearance.

Jonathan Cross
Using ancient wood-firing techniques, American ceramicist Cross creates modern objects, vessels and installations inspired by geological forms. He has worked alongside artists such as Don Reitz and Richard Serra. jonathancrossstudio.com

‘Sampan’ shower bath
WOHAbeing and Apaiser

Inspired by the shallow pools found in a traditional Japanese onsen, this hybrid piece allows you to just lie down or stretch out in the warm water and relax. The shower bath is manufactured in Apaiser’s specially developed material, ApaiserMARBLE, which is made of reclaimed marble and Australian minerals. ‘We treated the Sampan shower bath as a landscape element for your bathroom,’ says WOHAbeing co-founder Richard Hassell. ‘We wanted you to feel like you’re on a relaxing journey on water, a little escape from your hectic day that adds wellness and precious me-time to your life.’

WOHAbeing
Launched in 2017 as the product and lifestyle arm of Singapore-based architectural practice WOHA, WOHAbeing focuses on homeware, bathware, furniture, tableware and rug design. Its aim is to create design that promotes a simple and sustainable lifestyle, while at the same time celebrating beauty. woha.net

Apaiser
Belinda Try founded Apaiser in Melbourne in 2000 with a desire to transform the bathroom landscape. Four years later, she launched revolutionary new material, ApaiserMARBLE, a luxurious, high-performance material made of marble combined with stone and minerals sourced from the rich soils of the Australian Barossa region. Every piece of Apaiser bathware is created by a team of experienced master craftsmen, and then hand-finished to the highest standards. apaiser.com

‘Stepwell’ table
Coffey Architects and Compac

Inspired by India’s Chand Baori, an ancient water well in Rajasthan dedicated to Harshat Mata, the goddess of joy and happiness, this table aims to captivate with its geometric complexity and glowing green core. From the sides, it appears as a white quartz monolith, but inside, beneath a layer of glass, the table is stepped inwards with 13 quartz slabs, echoing the 13 symmetrical layers of the Chand stepwell. At the heart of the table, a layer of thin green quartz, lit from below, mimics the effect of the enchanting healing water found at the bottom of the well.

Coffey Architects
London-based Coffey Architects was founded by Phil Coffey in 2005. With a reputation for crafting elegant and seamless spaces across residential, commercial and cultural projects, the practice promotes social interaction through design and uses light as the guiding material for shaping and framing form. coffeyarchitects.com

Compac
Leading quartz and marble manufacturer and distributor Compac was founded in 1975 and prides itself on its flexibility and growth across the decades. Located in Spain and Portugal, the company’s two production centres have a combined capacity of over 4.5 million sq m of surface products per year. compac.es

Comb kit
Daniel Emma and Petz

With the aim of creating the ultimate comb kit, we teamed Australia’s Daniel Emma with Austrian horn specialist Petz. To establish the five most essential shapes for taming hair, the design duo consulted Australian hair guru Kevin Murphy, who helped to hone the selection to ‘Detangle’, ‘Everyday’, ‘Pin Tail’, ‘Pocket’ and ‘Rake’. The designs follow Daniel Emma’s typical practice of producing utilitarian everyday objects that are ‘just nice’. Petz applied its expertise to the manufacture of the teeth, while the designers provided the finishing touch of a solid, polished, machined brass handle for each comb.

Daniel Emma
Daniel To and Emma Aiston formed their studio in 2008. The pair featured in our Graduate Directory 2009 and since then, they have made an art out of creating the unexpected from the most prosaic of objects, paring back silhouettes to simple geometric shapes. From their Adelaide studio, they produce everything from desk accessories to chairs, and have collaborated with the likes of Petite Friture, Hay and COS. daniel-emma.com

Petz
Boasting over 150 years of expertise, Austrian institution Petz has carried the ancient craft of manufacturing horn objects into the 21st century. Using ethically sourced horn, the Viennese brand creates a unique range of products, from drinking and eating utensils to boxes, jewellery and grooming accessories, all made to last a lifetime. petz-hornmanufaktur.at

‘Proun’ bar
Carmody Groarke and Elit

Inspired by Russian Constructivism and the work of artist El Lissitzky – both references for the vodka brand Elit – the ‘Proun’ bar offers a retox opportunity amid all our Wellness + Wonder. Named after a series of paintings by El Lissitzky – Proun being a Russian acronym for ‘project for the affirmation of the new’ – Carmody Groarke’s totemic composition of aluminium modules is a spatial experiment as much as a fully functional bar space. Its modular composition nods to El Lissitzky’s work and will allow the bar to be disassembled and reinstalled at future art events.

Carmody Groarke
The London-based architectural practice was founded in 2006 by Kevin Carmody and Andy Groarke. It works on a wide range of arts, cultural, heritage and residential projects, including an artist’s studio for sculptor Antony Gormley, a new members’ room for London’s V&A and the new Windermere Jetty Museum in the Lake District. The award-wining practice is now working on an extension of the Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester, several private houses and a private art gallery. carmodygroarke.com

Elit
The epitome of refined vodka, Elit is a brand that celebrates the Russian avant-garde and encourages new experiences in today’s global culture. Its vodka is produced using a freeze filtration method unique to the brand, while the bottle design nods to Constructivism. elitultraluxuryvodka.com

‘StayFit’ bench
Kunsik Choi and Nikari

Designed by Malmö-based cabinetmaker Kunsik Choi and produced by Finnish wood specialist Nikari, this bench is intended to help with various at-home workout routines without being a domestic eyesore. Inspired by flat benches and plyometric boxes, the robust piece is made of ash wood. It features a cork cushion, a handle with a leather grip for abdominal workouts, and a hard surface area for leg excercises. A bottom shelf provides storage for mats and dumbbells.

Kunsik
Born in South Korea, Kunsik Choi studied industrial product design in Milan before moving to Sweden to train as a traditional cabinetmaker. Having founded his studio, Kunsik, in Malmö, Choi now produces sophisticated wooden designs with an emphasis on the pared-back and functional. kunsik.com

Nikari
Nikari was founded in 1967 in Finland by master cabinetmaker Kari Virtanen, who worked with some of the country’s greatest designers, including Alvar Aalto and Kaj Franck. The Fiskars-based company manufactures a plethora of high-quality sustainable wood products. nikari.fi

‘Meridian Mettlach’ reflexology path
Stolen and Villeroy & Boch

While exploring German tile company Villeroy & Boch’s rich history, designer Elyn Wong was prompted to delve into her own cultural heritage and focus on Asian concepts of wellness and its healing arts, including the ancient Chinese art of reflexology. Using Villeroy & Boch’s Century Unlimited tile collection (the oldest and most classic from its offering), she created a reflexology pathway referencing the classic rules of geometry found in holy sites. The sensation of walking over the tiles, cut into tiny pieces and stacked or laid unevenly, is intended to induce a pleasurable feeling of calm and reflection. The pathway’s name is a nod to the location of Villeroy & Boch’s German headquarters.

Stolen
Founded by Elyn Wong in 2007, Stolen is a Singapore-based fashion label dedicated to femininity. Inspired by the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi, Wong’s aesthetic references her passion for brutalist architecture, sculpture and installation art. stolenstolen.com

Villeroy & Boch
A leading manufacturer of ceramic tiles, Villeroy & Boch draws from over 165 years of expertise in the material to create sophisticated solutions. The company operates in over 80 countries from its headquarters in Mettlach, Germany. villeroy-boch.com

‘Yin & Yang’ meditation bench and altar
Christopher Jenner and Fortune G3

Having spent 20 years practising Vipassana meditation, designer Christopher Jenner has had plenty of opportunity to consider the ultimate accessories for the Buddhist technique. His ‘Yin & Yang’ meditation bench is specifically designed for the classic kneeling Seiza posture, while the altar, or ‘plane of contemplation’, offers ‘a centred space to inspire a reverent frame of mind’. Produced by Fortune G3 in hand-polished aluminium, both the bench and altar can be disassembled into six separate pieces for easy storage. The way the elements slot seamlessly back together, without nails, screws or clamps, is almost as satisfying as the meditation itself.

Christopher Jenner
South African designer Jenner lived in Paris, Tel Aviv and Hong Kong before opening his multidisciplinary studio in London in 2010. It is this nomadic life, says Jenner, that has shown him the importance of strong narratives to create unique design experiences. Jenner’s output spans product, furniture, lighting, transport, retail and hospitality design, as well as craft. christopher-jenner.com

Fortune G3
With 13 years of engineering experience, Fortune G3 realises innovative designs and concepts. The Chinese company’s highly qualified workforce is skilled in techniques such as rapid prototyping, hand-modelling, CNC, and vacuum-casting, to name a few.

‘The Secret to Longevity’
Olivia Lee and Nature Squared

Working in close collaboration with Nature Squared, aided by Barcelona-based Creative Affairs, designer Olivia Lee created a capsule collection that she says ‘explores the fervent and clandestine side of wellness, its proxy as a quest for immortality and eternal youth, and the rituals of self-care that we believe make for a life lived well’. ‘The Secret to Longevity’ consists of a room partition and three small accessories with secret compartments. The Elixir is a hybrid medicine cabinet, partition and dresser that feature compartments for what Lee calls ‘modern-day elixirs’, namely the secret serums, pigments and potions that prolong youthful appearances. The Hedonist is a small box with a hidden compartment that pops out to serve as an emergency caviar eating set. The Adonis is a clutch made of shagreen and pufferfish skin and which features hidden mirror and pillbox compartments. The Dandy is a flask featuring an interlocking pattern of buffalo horn and eggshell and a hidden comb.

Olivia Lee
After graduating from London’s Central Saint Martins in 2008, Olivia Lee had a brief stint working with designer Sebastian Bergne and on design development with Singapore’s Economic Development Board (EDB), before founding her multidisciplinary studio in 2013. Her practice has worked on installations, products and interior design for clients ranging from Balvenie Whisky to Hermès. olivia-lee.com

Nature Squared
Nature Squared was established in 2000 to transform the perception of ethically sourced and sustainable design and interior decoration. Using rare and exotic materials, from seashell and horn to seedpods and bamboo to create their bespoke designs, the brand has worked with some of the world’s biggest luxury brands, including Rolls-Royce, Mont Blanc and BMW. naturesquared.com

Bookends
Theseus Chan and Riva 1920

From books to guitars and skateboards, wood has been a recurring passion in the life of graphic designer Theseus Chan, so it’s not surprising that he chose to focus on wood for his first product, created in collaboration with wood specialist Riva 1920. Chan looked into the healing properties of wood, and created a series of functional sculptures that are part beautiful domestic objects, part practical bookends.

Theseus Chan
Singapore-based Chan’s work spans the visual arts, media, architecture, typography, printmaking, music, fashion and printing technology. In 2001, he created Werk magazine, a menswear publication with a subversive approach to graphic design and typography. workwerk.com

Riva 1920
From a small family workshop in Brianza, Italy, Riva 1920 has blossomed into a fully fledged furniture company dedicated to sustainable production and design collaboration. Working with over 100 designers and architects and across three production facilities in Italy, the family-run brand strives to give new shapes to wood with each new project. riva1920.it

‘Black Onyx’ Kinesis Personal
Technogym

To celebrate Wallpaper’s immersion into the world of fitness and wellbeing, our friends at Technogym created this special version of their legendary Kinesis machine. The iconic home fitness design, developed as a collaboration between Technogym’s own research and development team and architect Antonio Citterio, is inspired by nature and science, and allows more than 200 different exercises in just one square metre of space. For the ‘Black Onyx’ edition, the front aluminium panel was handcrafted by Italian artisans in a new reflective black, while the mechanical elements were rendered in a novel matt black, creating a stark contrast between the surfaces.

Technogym
Technogym was founded in 1983 by Nerio Alessandri, who built his first pieces of fitness equipment in the family’s garage in Cesena, near Bologna, with the help of his brother Pierluigi. Today the Italian brand has turned into a global empire, equipping more than 65,000 wellness centres and over 100,000 homes worldwide with its state-of-the-art treadmills, exercise bikes and cross-trainers. Designed by Antonio Citterio and using exclusive materials, its Personal range represents the best of ‘Made in Italy’. technogym.com

‘Unruffled’ chimes
Gabrielle Shelton

Designer Gabrielle Shelton has long been inspired by the subtle movement and melodies of gongs and chimes. ‘They act as both an awakening and a focusing tool,’ she observes. Her series of chimes responds to our Wellness + Wonder quest by acting as a ‘tranquil alarm bell to tune out from distractions and tune into the subtle tones of the brass and bronze, which flirt with each other as you focus on your own mind and body experiencing the euphony’. Made of brass and bronze tubing and rods, the kinetic sculpture creates a gentle sound when the wind passes through, or when touched.

Gabrielle Shelton
Brooklyn-based metalwork sculptor Shelton’s past projects include fabricating a staircase for David Zwirner’s Chelsea gallery and building a glass and steel wall for the home of Richard and Clara Serra. sheltonstudiosinc.com

III
Based Upon

Exploring ideas of stillness and meditation, Based Upon’s Breath series of sculptures was a perfect fit with our wellness-inspired compendium. So we asked the collective to create a new addition. The original series was developed following Based Upon’s documentation of primitive landscapes on Ireland’s Inis Oírr island. The artworks recreate ancient rocks, and feature lighting that responds to the viewer’s presence and is intended to bring about a meditative state. This new piece, III, is on a smaller scale than previous works, with simplified technology, and offers scope for use to enhance wellbeing in a range of environments.

Based Upon
Twin brothers Ian and Richard Abell founded Based Upon in London in 2004, initially specialising in metal surfaces. The practice grew to become a collective of artists and creatives working on sculpture, furniture and installations. Among its latest projects is a partnership with meditation enterprise BeBox, to create immersive meditation spaces in urban environments. basedupon.com

‘Ceremony’
Davod Caon and Christopher Farr

A homage to the traditional Japanese tea ceremony, with a nod to the relaxing and social aspects of Italian aperitivo, ‘Ceremony’ comprises two woven rugs with an aluminium support structure, and a table with a removable mirrored-glass top and an interior compartment that can be used to hold snacks or ice and beverages. Made from recycled PET plastic, in a unique weave developed by Gregory Parkinson for Christopher Farr, the hand-knotted rugs reflect oriental tradition. But unlike their historical counterparts, they come in a fantastically modern ultramarine hue.

Christopher Farr
2018 marked the 30th anniversary of Christopher Farr’s eponymous label. Based in London and renowned for working with a diverse collection of artists and designers, Farr, along with his business partner Matthew Bourne, has revolutionised contemporary rug design. He continues to innovate through recent collaborations with the Josef and Anni Albers foundation, the Courtauld Institute, and artists Jorge Pardo and Gary Hume. christopherfarr.eu

David Caon
Australian designer David Caon founded his studio in Sydney in 2009. His modus operandi is to apply innovative design thinking to industrial processes, and his output is an amalgamation of industrial logic, commercial awareness and precision analysis. The studio’s work ranges from aircraft interiors, including the award-winning Airbus 380 for Qantas, to interior design and architecture. caonstudio.com

Hugging column
Mae Engelgeer and Savoir Beds

Mae Engelgeer’s Hugging column is an invitation to total relaxation. Step inside to separate yourself from your surroundings, experience mental and corporeal wellbeing by surrendering to the soft inner shell, or squeeze the outer half-moon, upholstered in a custom-made speckled Kvadrat fabric, for that extra wellness kick. Inspired by the shape of classical columns, it was built by Savoir Beds using traditional bed-making elements such as horse-tail upholstery, small-diameter pocket springs and pure lambswool elements. Engelgeer’s design exposes the inner part of the mattress, making the craft clearly visible. Its base is covered in sustainably produced 3D-printed flooring with terrazzo infill by high-tech Dutch company Aectual.

Mae Engelgeer
Dutch textile designer Mae Engelgeer studied at Amsterdam Fashion Instituut and the Sandberg Instituut before opening her own studio in 2014. She now works on a range of different projects, including textile products, material explorations and furniture design. She has recently collaborated with Kvadrat on a series of fabric designs, and with Baars & Bloemhoff on a capsule furniture collection. mae-engelgeer.nl

Savoir Beds
First created for London’s Savoy Hotel in 1905, Savoir Beds’ tailor-made creations are the epitome of luxury. From its London workshop, the company creates the most exquisitely crafted beds, working closely with private clients on bespoke designs and with interiors designers on special editions. savoirbeds.co.uk

Water vessel
Beatrix Ong, Lou Blackshaw and James Cropper

A million disposable plastic bottles are bought around the world every minute, most of them winding up in the oceans or in landfill. In an effort to combat waste, designer and marine campaigner Beatrix Ong joined forces with paper manufacturer James Cropper and set designer Lou Blackshaw to create a water vessel out of old coffee cups. The technology, developed by James Cropper, involves removing the polyethylene lining from the cups, then repurposing paper fibres for further use. The resulting vessel is biodegradable and environmentally friendly, its sculptural form evocative of seashells.

Beatrix Ong
In 2000, aged 22, Ong secured the creative directorship of Jimmy Choo Couture, before launching her eponymous shoe brand, using recycled materials in her designs wherever possible. Her first foray into furniture was a ‘Shoe Tree’, created with Jointed + Jointed for Wallpaper* Handmade 2016. beatrixong.com

Lou Blackshaw
A specialist in paper sculpture, London and Gloucester-based Blackshaw trained as an illustrator before turning to set design. Her abstract, organic creations have appeared in campaigns for Burberry, Cos, Graff and Nike, as well as the pages of Wallpaper*. loublackshaw.com

James Cropper
Founded in 1845, the company is one of the UK’s oldest traditional paper mills. Based in the village of Burneside, in the Lake District, the sixth-generation family business produces coloured papers as well as 3D products using materials from cotton to wood to carbon fibre. It is the developer of CupCycling, the world’s first recycling process dedicated to upcycling take-away coffee cups. jamescropper.com