Milan 2014: collaborative exhibition Low Motion showcased products amongst ambient lighting and sounds to provide a "safe haven" amid the chaos of Milan design week (+ slideshow).
Designers Jesse Visser, Thomas Eurlings, Geke Lensink and fashion label Youasme Measyou came together to present their work in a shared installation called Low Motion, which invited visitors to slow down and contemplate the role that products play in our lives.
A dimly lit basement space within Corso Como 9's inner courtyard came to life during last month's design week with light effects, projected footage and an ambient soundscape, indirectly drawing attention to the products the designers were presenting.
"What unites us is the aspiration to make products that transcend time and become part of your life," said the designers. "This requires quality in design, responsible choices of materials and production, and a clear and personal signature."
"This presentation aims to show that common vision: to slow down the speed at which we consume by inviting us to become more aware of the role these products play in our everyday private lives, pointing towards a more sustainable production and most of all towards continual lasting design," they explained.
"In this way we aim to create a safe haven during the hysteria that's going on outside during this week, a place where you can retire and sense."
Items on display included Jesse Visser's expanded steel Harold Cabinet, made from galvanised steel and available in a golden finish. "The overlay of the grids composing the cabinet create a moiré effect which makes the object attractive to observe while walking around it," said Visser. "They also make it possible to see what is inside the cabinet, so the objects inside can become part of their environment." The cabinet can be used as a wardrobe or for office storage.
Also by Visser is the Special Case, a coated steel storage trunk. "At first the object suggests a rather simplistic and massive look constructed with a relatively rough outline," said the designer. "On the contrary the object is planned in every detail, and it is carefully designed for having a more refined look. The design becomes special due to the absence of bolts and weldings on the outside." The trunk is made from lasercut steel with a galvanised finish.
Visser's third piece in the collection is Medieval, a wall lamp made from lasercut anodized aluminium. The lamp is made in two pieces – a tube that holds a transparent lightbulb and a circular sheet that reflects warm light back into the room.
Thomas Eurlings' Fading Mirror is part of a collection for the French label ENO studio. A full-length design is available alongside the circular version. A printed gradient in black or white sits behind the glass to create the effect of the reflection fading towards the edge of the mirror.
The first iteration of Eurlings' Ribbon Carpet was commissioned Dutch embassy in Tokyo. Eurlings wove wool and silk together in his signature diamond shape to create a sense of depth.
Eurlings' Little Boxes were developed with the Technological Institute Eindhoven and reference the fine details of antique jewellery boxes. They are 3D printed using nylon. In order to optimise the 3D-printing process, the boxes are printed inside each other.
The Spring Colour Tables are part of the Buhtiq31 collection. Using the same principle as the Fading Mirror, Eurlings created coloured glass tabletops in ruby, beige and mauve – supported by three differently sized steel branches.
Bold is a collection of porcelain tableware by Geke Lensink described by the designer as "bold and angled". The mould-formed plates are lifted from the surface of the table by a porcelain ring attached to the bottom with coloured glue.
Also by Lensink is the The Cut the Crab table, a concept that can be executed in a range of materials. The design and construction of the legs makes the table highly functional and easy to link and enlarge. "The design of the total table reminds one of a big crab walking slowly over the beach," said the designer. The Cut the Crab Table shown featured bent plywood legs with a white finish and a solid wood tabletop.
The Giraffe table by Jesse Visser and Geke Lensink for eQ+ is a "standing conference table" and owes its name to its long legs. It is made by milling oak on a Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) machine and is available in natural oak, grey and a matte black finish. It comes in two heights, and several sizes and shapes.
Also by Jesse Visser and Geke Lensink for eQ+ is the Soft Sofa. "The Soft Sofa is a comfortable seating element highly appropriate for waiting rooms, reception areas, lobbies, galleries and other lounge areas," said Lensink. "The Sofa is entirely cut from soft polyurethane foam and covered with a glossy or matt coating available in a massive range of colours."
Crowd-funded fashion brand Youasme Measyou presented a looped two-screen film projection with sound and subtitles. The subtitles were taken from dialogues between lovers in films, one film has the male dialogue, the other female. The two films have different lengths, so are always out of sync resulting in a different "conversation" every time. The exhibitors wore clothes from the brand's Spring Summer 2014 collection.
"We aspire to realise a closer connection between design and the consumer, to be inclusive rather than exclusive," said the designers. "Our aim is to slow down the speed at which we consume, choosing to be more aware for better quality and long lasting design."
Exhibition photography is by Andrew Meredith.