november-2010

Isabel Lane takes a look at the designers
bringing a new twist to recycling
TREND WATCH
Something old, something new
Repurposed works that proudly display their origins
Producing work from recycled products
is nothing unusual, but the latest wave of
recycled design seems to display more
wit and verve than its sometimes dry
predecessors. The new approach embraces
the recycled aesthetic either by celebrating
and proudly brandishing an item’s former
life, or by mimicking it.
Leading the charge is the Gymnasium
range of cabinets by ethical Danish company
Mater. Launched in 2008 and originally
constructed from old gym fl oors, the
mass-produced series is now made from
renewable pine and controlled oak, with
the colourful silhouettes of the gym court
recreated on the wood. Finnish design
company Muuto, meanwhile, has released
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a sleek,
utilitarian
dining table
called Keep,
which proudly reveals its construction from
leftover wood blocks held together by metal
bands. And the recycled look is really shining
in lighting design, from British designer Lee
Broom’s pendants resembling golden and
crystal decanters to the ‘Bogracs’ enamelled
light from Hungarian duo A plus Z Design,
which is based on the traditional outdoor
cooking pots used by Gypsies. So, think
twice before you chuck out that old pan…
Clockwise from below: Mater’s Gymnasium
cabinet; the Keep dining table rocks the makeshift
look; Lee Broom’s decadent decanter lights
AGENDA\\\
design
Leg up: the ‘Missing’
Coff ee Table by
Walter Raes
The inspirational Swedish architecture and design fi rm Claesson Koivisto Rune (ckr.se) has designed its third hotel, Nobis, which
will open on Norrmalmstorg square in downtown Stockholm early next month. Expect a modern look, with plenty of natural materials and organic shapes
and furniture – including the company’s ‘Doodle’ chair for Tacchini. Check it out to check in at nobis.se
Brussels and Stockholm from €99; London from €139 return all-in
PROFILE WalterWorks
This Belgian design company embraces
waste to create art
Established In 2005 by Belgian artist
Walter Raes (pictured below), in association
with Gordon Taylor and Guy Cooper.
What? A conceptual art, design and fashion
company specialising in one-offs made from
recycled household and industrial materials.
Where? Based in London, Walterworks
pieces are sold at Milk in Shoreditch and
the Oxo Tower Gallery, as well as online.
He says “I describe my work as witty
and funky, with a big splash of good
old-fashioned Belgian cool.”
Inspired by “I come from an artistic
family; my father Edwin is a sculptor, my
mum (the late Maria Peeters) was a poet.
Growing up I was surrounded by art; my
dad took me to galleries in Antwerp and
Brussels, and we would visit the fl ea
markets in Sint-Niklaas.”
He loves “To walk in Antwerp’s
Old Town – you always fi nd
something new and inspiring.”
What’s next? “I’ve just
fi nished designing
the interior of Hari’s
Hairdressers on
London’s King’s Road.”
We love The ‘Missing’ Coffee
Table (above), €2,880.
walterworks.co.uk
Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine November 2010 19