Trends Salone del Mobile Milano 2009

Text by Nils Becker
Zürich, Switzerland
28.04.09

At times of crisis many manufacturers go back to basics, and the design principle of the "super normal" propagated by Naoto Fukasawa and Jasper Morisson has become the answer for products when times are hard.

"Super normal" is normal
At times of crisis many manufacturers go back to basics, and the design principle of the "super normal" propagated by Naoto Fukasawa and Jasper Morisson has become the answer for products when times are hard. No more focus on elaborate experiments with design and form. The aim is no longer to be noticed whatever the cost – instead the objective is to become part of scene as unobtrusively as possible. Delicate new interpretations of the archetypical chair were to be seen in large numbers and are intended to ensure healthy sales figures without long development times. The reason for this trend is that the "super normal" (almost) always adapts itself to its surroundings, whether these are in private households at the kitchen and dining table or for commercial purposes such as the restaurant or waiting room...

Cappellini: Bac Chair, Design: Jasper Morisson

to the Cappellini Collection

Lapalma: Stil Chair, Design: Patrick Norguet

to the Lapalma Collection

Plank: Monza Chair, Design: Konstantin Grcic

to the Plank Collection

Riva1920: Melissa Chair, Design: Riccardo Arbizzoni

to the Riva1920 Collection

Driade: Zaza Chair, Design: Naoto Fukasawa

to the Naoto Fukasawa Collection

Colours and colour changes
It's not a conspicuous formal idiom but targeted changes in material or colour that create an effect. Minimal resources can be used to create the maximum impact. Products with a long and cost-intensive time to market are no longer being launched. In contrast colour is once more becoming prominent, with existing collections being subjected to a contemporary colour revision. A good example of this is the new colour range designed by Hella Jongerius for the Vitra Standard collection.

Magis: Trattoria Chair, Design: Jasper Morisson

to the Magis Collection

Kartell: Hi-Cut, Design: Philippe Starck

to the Philippe Starck Collection

Vitra: Eames Plastic Chair Collection. New Colours by Hella Jongerius

to the Vitra Collection

"Applied graphics"
"Applied graphics" as an eye-catcher for furniture were a prominent feature in Milan, for example the surprise effects in the designs of Front for Moroso. Draped covers or soft cushions are printed as photo-realistic graphics on furniture upholstery. Moroso also presented flowers pressed into a table top by Tord Boontje. Especially effective were the relief graphics by Antoine Audiau and Manuel Warosz for BD Barcelona.

Moroso: Cushion Sofa, Design: Front

Moroso: Draped Sofa, Design: Front

Moroso: Pressed Flower Table, Design: Tord Boontje

to the Moroso Collection

Cappellini: Homage_to_Mondrian, Design: Shiro Kuramata

to the Cappellini Collection

Porro: Black and White Cabinet, Design: Front

to the Porro Collection

BD Barcelona: Tout Va Bien, Design: Antoine Audiau, Manuel Warosz

to the BD Barcelona Collection

Shooting stars 2009
Two designers were prominently represented at the Milan fair with a large number of their designs for prestigious manufacturers. Only recently Nendo from Japan and Philippe Bestenheider from Switzerland were newcomers known only to a few insiders, but they have now arrived among the acknowledged masters of their trade. Philippe Bestenheider, in particular, has made a rapid rise to fame after opening his own studio in Milan and Crans Montana only as recently as 2007.

Nendo: