Newsletter 01.2009

Dear Readers

We're back from the imm in Cologne and can now show you the most significant new products. For the first time short video statements by exhibitors live from imm cologne are available at Architonic.

And in one week's time we'll be on our travels again: from 4 February we look forward to seeing you at the Stockholm Furniture Fair, and from 10 March at ISH. We'll also be in Milan in April and at the Interzum in May.

We'd like to draw the attention of all retailers to a lecture by Architonic on the occasion of the Stockholm Furniture Fair. The lecture will be held on Friday, 6 February, and takes as its theme the integration of traditional marketing by the retail trade with the new challenges presented by the internet.

Be inspired!

Your Architonic team
Zurich | Milan | Berlin | Barcelona | Copenhagen | London | Miami

For the fourth time the imm this year showed the work of up-and-coming young designers as part of its [d³] design talents. We were impressed by the high level of international creativity for the design of tomorrow, and we have selected five of the best examples here.

Since 2008 Reinhard Dienes Diaz has been assisting in the Industrial Design department of the Academy of Arts and Design in Offenbach am Main in Germany. His trio of chairs »juan pedro pablo« made of folding plastic sections fold out to form a robust shape, which is fastened by a strap and can be collapsed again at any time for storage.

llot llov specialise in the areas of conception, installation, interior and product design and impressed the jury with their ensemble 'Bill, Clark and Todd'. The series was created on the basis of the observation that storage space is often used in a more chaotic way than originally planned. The 'Clark' desk is a small office unit which invites the user to let work stack up a little. The 'Todd' stool is just the place for discarded clothing, because Todd is only really comfortable when there's something covering it.

With their new collection »Unique Standard« designers Chandra Ahlsell and Anna Holmquist from Folkform, Stockholm, place the focus on the perception of materials and their origins. What happens when we combine real material with surfaces which imitate this material? The »bench in three types of leather« is upholstered in the original type of leather used in the »Swan Chair« by Danish designer Arne Jacobsen, in combination with synthetic imitation leather.

The young label Kieser + Spath was founded in 2008 by the German designers Marcel Kieser and Christof Spath from Darmstadt, with the aim of developing out-of-the-ordinary and innovative products. The 'Ross Well' side table demonstrates in an experimental way that a table doesn't always need a solid top. The cover made of tightly stretched cloth is not only light and replaceable but also forms a solid base.

Outsize pieces of furniture are impressive, but unfortunately they're difficult to transport and store. The London-based designer Philippe Malouin took his inspiration from conventional inflatable furniture and then, in cooperation with the British firm of Eurocraft, designed a large-scale table which is big enough for up to ten people.

22 running metres of Concept Space II - the imm cologne saw a fitting start to Architonic's 2009 trade fair tour. Many thanks to all who visited us and for your positive feedback! Here are some impressions for those who were unable to be there.

Everybody was in a state of suspense and nobody knew what to expect of this year's imm cologne in a time of financial crisis. At the fair it was obvious that the uncertain future had caused many manufacturers to cancel their participation at short notice, while some had preferred to go to Paris. However, those manufacturers who ignored the negative forecasts and had the courage to exhibit their products were, against all expectations, for the most part positively surprised and were rewarded for their faith with full order books. Clearly the number of visitors does not have a proportional influence on turnover: quality remains the deciding factor. In the following random selection of videos a number of manufacturers give their own account of the fair.

The provocative thesis that for retailing in the premium segment there is, in the last analysis, no difference between online and offline marketing is of course not a tenable one. But it will perhaps help to break down the fundamental attitude problem which premium segment retailers have long had in their dealings with the internet. It isn't easy to accept the fact that the same customers who research and order products on line are for the most part the very same ones who, under different circumstances, go to the shops. When it comes to brand, service and performance their expectations and demands may well be the same - online and offline. But how can service, personality, brand identity and competence be communicated on the internet today? What's the best way of developing synergies between the respective strong arguments which each medium has to offer?

If we regard the internet as an important component of our lives today, it will become obvious that any company which does not take advantage of the new online strategies will lose influence and turnover. In the solution the Architonic Virtual Showroom©, which is already successfully implemented by more than 260 retailers worldwide, can play a significant role.

Europe´s Bio-Battery
Zeekracht. OMA's North Sea master plan

With his 'Picture of Europe' exhibition, which was shown at the Haus der Kunst in Munich a few years ago, Rem Koolhaas demonstrated his instinct for going beyond the limits of architecture and integrating sociological, technological and political aspects into his work.

2009 Detail prizes awarded

On 14 January the 2009 Detail prizes were presented in seven special categories at Munich's 'Künstlerhaus' in the course of the Detail celebration gala.