Milan 2014: these hand-blown glass bubbles by Dutch duo Studio Thier&VanDaalen that delicately spill out of their wooden frames have been created to house precious objects (+ slideshow).
Each design in Studio Thier&VanDaalen's collection can be used as a cabinet, light shade or vessel. Wenge wood frames appear to struggle to contain different shaped glass structures within.
The basis for the Round Square Cabinet range was "the fascinating effect of a floating bubble which adapts to its surroundings until it snaps," explained designers Iris Van Daalen and Ruben Thier. "We had the dream to capture these temporary beauties in a tendril frame."
To recreate this idea, the studio teamed up with Dutch glass blower Marc Barreda.
Wood has traditionally been used as a mould in free-hand glass blowing, but not as a permanent fixture for the glass to sit inside.
The frame was created first, then the glass was gently blown to swell through the gaps.
"The glass will mark the wood forever during blowing, therefore the wooden mould and its object in glass match perfectly together," the designers said.
The Round Square Cabinet comes in a variety of sizes. A low rectangular frame features a gold fish bowl-shaped piece of opaque glass.
A taller variant, akin to a side table, features a piece of glass perched on top of a stand inside the frame.
The largest iteration of the cabinet has two frames stacked on top of the other. Inside, glass with a blue hue appears to be escaping the upper frame through the sides.
The collection will be on display from 8 to 13 April at Ventura Team Up exhibition in the Ventura Lambrate district during Milan's design week.
Here's some information about the project from the designers:
Round square glass bells to show your precious objects
When blowing soap bubbles in the air Iris & Ruben had the dream to capture these temporary beauties in a tendril frame. The fascinating effect of a floating bubble which adapt to its surrounding until it snaps, was the inspiration for a new series of objects in glass combined with wood by Studio Thier&VanDaalen.
They came up with the idea to blow a round bubble of glass in a square frame made from wood. To challenge two ancient handcrafts; free glassblowing and fine woodworking. Fascinated by the two different materials with their own unique properties and treatments; when combined, they have to deal with each other.
Wet wood is commonly used as a mould in free hand glassblowing. But never as a definitive part of the end object. Iris and Ruben saw this as a beautiful element to use in the end result. The glass will mark the wood forever during blowing, therefor the wooden mould and its object in glass match perfectly together. With this new method Studio Thier & VanDaalen created different objects, to show your precious objects.
During the Milan Design Week 2014 we launch this new evolution of our showcase cabinets: Round Square. Our dream finally came true, "soap bubbles" made from glass blown in wooden frames! Come and see it in real life, from the 8th until the 13th of April at Ventura Lambrate Team-up (B on the map). We called AIR Collaboration.
We worked at 'Van Tetterode Glas Studio' together with Marc Barreda to blow the glass pieces in wood.
Materials: glass & Wenge
Variations: cabinet, light object, vessel etc.
Size: diverse
Year: 2014