Editor's Letter – June 2023

How was it for you? 

The spring fair season, I mean. The big-top design shows seemed to come thicker and faster than ever over the past month or so – ICFF New York, imm cologne Spring Edition, 3daysofdesign in Copenhagen and Chicago's NeoCon – with each event trying to stake its claim to a continued relevance and meaning, both commercial and cultural. 

In some cases, the fairs were smaller in terms of real estate than we've known them, a reflection of the very real challenges faced by the physical exhibition industry right now, but all had clearly taken the strategic decision to attempt an activation of their halls beyond simply the presentation of brands and products. This came in the form of live content along the lines of organised networking sessions, young-designer and national show-in-shows, and, of course, on-stage interviews and panel discussions.

The latter was delivered, to a large extent, by Architonic, where I was delighted to take to the stage with some of the greatest and the goodest of the A&D world, including 3XN, Sebastian Herkner, Norm Architects, Kaschkasch, Space Copenhagen and Dara Huang. My mission: to find out, in a series of live talks, what makes them tick. Think projects, products and processes, but also personal backstories and a dash of psychology. The results were both fascinating and entertaining and you can watch some of them here. 

Did you know, for example, that the quietly spoken, but melodiously voiced, Patrick Reymond – one third of Swiss architecture and design office Atelier Öi – is an accomplished jazz musician? I asked him in conversation at this year’s boutique edition of imm cologne how his music-making informs his design work. ‘It teaches you to listen to others (which helps if you’re a creative trio), to feel the atmosphere, and to interact with the public. Improvisation, too, means that you can create something really unique and in the moment.’ Reymond’s comment put me in mind of Goethe and his notion of architecture as a kind of ‘frozen music’. Good design requires a good ear.

Speaking of ears, my colleague James Wormald published a fascinating feature recently on acoustic baffles. His analysis, via a survey of recent interiors projects, of how to deploy sound-managing panelling across a range of spatial typologies for maximum utilitarian and architectural effect, is highly instructive. Did you know, for example, that the word ‘baffle’, as in the physical object, actually comes from the other meaning of baffle, the idea being that it confuses and disrupts matter (be it sound, water or heat)?

And another fun fact: when a baffle interrupts sound waves, the latter get converted into heat, rather than reflected. Read it, learn it. In fact, check out our Architonic Magazine for all sorts of information and inspiration to aid your product and project research, expand your knowledge and hopefully entertain you at the same time. It’s all been created with you, our audience of creative professionals, in mind.

That’s it for now. Take care.

Simon Keane-Cowell
Editor-in-Chief

© Architonic

Head to the Architonic Magazine for more insights on the latest products, trends and practices in architecture and design, or find inspiration in a whole world of projects from around the globe through ArchDaily’s architecture catalogue.