sans crafts street furniture for art center satellite studio in berlin
photo © laura deschner
all images courtesy of michael sans

 

 

 

influenced by its location next to the zoo, michael sans, a product design graduate of art center college of design, brings his keen eye for the environment and furnishings to the historic ‘bikini building‘ – creating a temporary studio for art center berlin, where he is managing director. in addition to dividing the space in a way that maintains a feeling of light and openness, sans also crafted a family of simple, functional ‘lida street furniture’, echoing the nature of the institution’s indefinite occupation of this otherwise public gallery.

 


video courtesy of michael sans

 

 

 

embracing the roughness and industrial quality of the shapes and materials, sans celebrates the ‘do-it-yourself’ history that characterizes the city as a dynamic atmosphere imagined and occupied by artists of all kinds. this aesthetic was also suited to the time frame and to the material and human resources available, developing a space that could be used both by the students, as well as for other events.

michael sans lida street furniture art center berlin bikini building germany
two lida chairs
photo © laura deschner

 

 

 

taking its name from the location of the school in pasadena, california, the ‘lida street collection’ is MDF and solid wood, hand-painted with semi-gloss in mostly natural colors that blend with the nearby animal habitats. the set includes tables, stools, chairs, and a variety of benches with different purposes. walls were erected from timber structures, then covered with cardboard and paper maché.

michael sans lida street furniture art center berlin bikini building germany
stacking the pieces
photo © laura deschner 

michael sans lida street furniture art center berlin bikini building germany
long bench
photo © laura deschner

michael sans lida street furniture art center berlin bikini building germany
high chair
photo © laura deschner

michael sans lida street furniture art center berlin bikini building germany
the space in the bikini building
photo © laura deschner

michael sans lida street furniture art center berlin bikini building germany
(left) gallery interior
(right) piece detail with architectural lighting projecting shadows
photo © laura deschner 

michael sans lida street furniture art center berlin bikini building germany
stools
photo © laura deschner

michael sans lida street furniture art center berlin bikini building germany
the bench
photo © laura deschner 

michael sans lida street furniture art center berlin bikini building germany
stool and chair
photo © laura deschner

michael sans lida street furniture art center berlin bikini building germany
chairs
photo © laura deschner

 

 

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.