Be Magazine 2021 EN

BE#16
The Supersalone indulged in
comfort and nostalgia
1.
BRUSSELS FURNITURE FAIR
4 5
3.
4.
5.
2.
The design refers to the roaring twenties, with warm colours and refined materials.
The colours are deep and saturated, with only light contrasts. The decorations
are geometric and the materials shine and are refined. There is a great
deal of marble, brass, marquetry in heavy wood and rich wallpaper. Everywhere,
allusions are being made to a stylish past. Is this tendency only visible in the big
Italian brands, as a precaution? Taking no risks in these times? There were no
large, expensive stands to be seen at the fair, but a reusable vertical wall, the
same for everyone.
With the new generation, it’s a different story. They have nothing to lose, because
material richness is not their goal. They are focused on the bigger picture.
Fortunately, alongside the uniform stands there was also The Maker Show with
experimental material innovations from small producers and sustainable startups,
and in The Lost Graduations Shows, recent graduates presented their projects
on radical sustainability.
We can certainly conclude that there is an impetus for change. Not yet in the big
brands, because there is no sense of urgency to be detected there. All kinds of
things are happening in the world – from climate change to urbanisation, not to
mention a huge health crisis with an enormous social impact – but the exhibitors
at the Supersalone are wallowing in comfort and nostalgia. Also in the city, the
fashion brands are causing a furore during the Fuorisalone, and seem to be the
only ones still investing in expensive large, imposing, irresponsible installations;
Hermès, Dior, Bulgari, Gucci…
1. MOLTENI&C
Flight D.154.5, an installation by Ron Gilad at
the Supersalone with the The Round D.154.5
armchair, designed by Gio Ponti in 1954 and
reissued by Molteni&C in collaboration with
the Gio Ponti Archives.
2. THREE’S COMPANY: MICHAL KLEINER
Developed during the pandemic Kleiner’s
graduation project is the result of a personal
search for comfort in her lockdown life. The
project is a series of three products: a hot water
bottle, a sourdough starter container, and
a kit for growing plants. All three products require
water and work together as one system.
Photo: Michael Shvedron
3. ARPER, KATA: ALTHERR DÉSILE PARK
Kata is designed with circular sustainability at
its core. Kata takes inspiration from artisanmade
wood and woven straw chairs and reimagines
the near universal typology using
contemporary, sustainable solutions.
4. CASSINA, SORIANA: AFRA & TOBIA SCARPA
The idea for this armchair that changed the
face of upholstered furniture belongs to Afra
and Tobia Scarpa, who designed it in 1969,
starting with the new possibilities offered by
the forming of polyurethane foam.
5. BOLD CHAIR: ANDRÉS REISINGER
At Nilufar Depot, 'Odessey' narrates the unexpected
connection between the digital
world and the real world, through the groundbreaking
combination of furnishings and NFT
(non-fungible tokens).
6. E15, TORE: DAVID THULSTRUP
A family of side tables, which explore an essential
yet monolithic design approach whilst
highlighting the role of materiality and form.
7. BULGARI, SHELTER: VINCENT VAN DUYSEN
A monolithic object created as a refuge offering
shelter and silence, especially from the
rush of Milan design week.
8. CHA‐CHA LOUNGE CHAIR: KHALED EL MAYS
A Beirut based design studio that works with an
array of local craftsman in the Bekaa Valley in
Lebanon.
6.
7.
8.