Be Magazine 2021 EN

BE#16
An appeal
for the
Reconnect & look forward
We continue to exhaust and waste natural resources, we continue to pollute our
environment, we disturb the balance of biodiversity and destroy natural habitats.
The Covid-19 virus, with a worldwide pandemic as a consequence, is one of the
many reactions to our actions, as are the extreme weather conditions resulting
from climate change.
Sustainability alone is no longer enough. We must come up with restorative and
regenerative solutions. Design must become a catalyst for lasting, sustainable,
environmentally-conscious thinking and action. Long-term thinking must take
centre stage: we need to design for future generations. We must now acknowledge
what went wrong and take responsibility for our future. Can we create a
legacy of which we can be proud? This is a gigantic task and responsibility for
designers. This appeal is a call to the furniture industry and trade to support
them in every possible way.
BRUSSELS FURNITURE FAIR
planet
The power of design
But let’s make this a positive story, because today the work of many designers,
artists and makers revolves around the circular economy and sustainability, for
example waste management, recycling and upcycling through interdisciplinary
collaborations, the encouragement of traditional crafts, the sharing of knowledge,
research, social participation and imagination. New, hopeful collaborations
are being forged between designers, knowledge institutions, organisations
and industry.
2 3
We must believe in the power of creativity to transform society. Money, governments
or science cannot solve complex global problems alone. We need fresh
ideas, alternative strategies and provocative thoughts. Whilst we work towards
a global circular economy, we must be aware of local challenges and opportunities.
We will also need to make better use of energy, becoming more efficient and
generating less waste. The pandemic and the lockdowns have made many of us
pause to consider the way we live, and an awareness has grown that things need
to be done differently.
1.
2.
‘Every little helps, but it
doesn’t solve everything.’
The world is changing, we’re seeing and hearing
that everywhere. The trade fairs in Milan and Paris
confirm this, albeit at a gradual pace. But it is clear
that we will have to get back in harmony with nature.
The big international brands are cautious and are
falling back on the familiar, on re-editions and
recognisable design. Fortunately, the young designers
have understood that it’s high time we started
caring for our planet.
1. COLLECTION 02: BURNT CORK
NOÉ DUCHAUFOUR-LAWRANCE
While moving to Portugal, Noé drove through
the dramatic fires of summer 2017. This visceral
experience resonated deeply. The second
collection of Made in Situ pays tribute to Portuguese
Cork, and is an ode to the resilience of
material, of people, of process. Each piece of
furniture contains and exhibits the marks of its
history. From calcined bark to fine grain, from
rawness to fluid curves evoking a caress, the
Burnt Cork collection plays with dichotomies.
Discarded burnt cork is transformed into custom
gradient blocks, then carved to reveal a
tactile & sculptural creation. This collection
is something of an anomaly, symbolic of the
phoenix rising from the ashes.
2. CHAIR
The tangible rigidity of the base of each of the 3
chairs morphs into curved shapes to welcome
the body. The first piece that Noé designed
was the Chaise Longue; this opened up the
path for the rest of the collection, evolving and
morphing first into the lounge chair and then
the chair.
→ Text: Siegrid Demyttenaere
Milan, back & forward
Under the influence of the pandemic our bedrooms became offices, our kitchens
schools, and our terraces or balconies the places where we wanted to make our
social engagement visible. In this hybrid environment, the private was increasingly
obliged to give way to the public, whilst many of the usual social functions
were actually suspended. Could we see the consequences of this in Milan or
Paris?
The trend towards smaller and more flexible living spaces has certainly been
rolled forward a year. We see large, comfortable sofas and chairs at the small
Supersalone in Milan. As a sign of ‘keep your distance’, but no doubt also to
achieve maximum peace and relaxation, whilst the design language is in fact
understated, as is the material use.