swiss design showcases at neue raume 13

swiss design showcases at neue räume 13
image © h.unger

designboom is just back from zurich where we were in town for neue räume 13, the seventh edition of the international interior design exhibition, showcasing an exclusive array of local and global creatives through a range of disciplines and aesthetic personalities. with a focus this year on swiss manufacturing and materials, the furniture, lighting, kitchen, bathroom, and textiles presented by both young, emerging talent and ones established in the field demonstrated their latest creations and career favorites, all of which exemplify the current industry trends. curated and founded by architect and designer stefan zwicky, neue räume hosts tradition and innovation, bringing the latest swiss formula to the architect, the planner and the user.

the exterior of the 8,000-square-meter ABB event hall
image © sabine dreher
 

the ‘strala’ booth, presented at the ‘young labels’ section
image © h.unger

lighting by secto design
image © h.unger

presented at the 8,000-square-meter ABB event hall were multiple special exhibitions that embodied the visual aesthetic of this year’s theme of swiss precision and mastery. amongst them were the ‘young labels’ and ‘swiss made’ groups who presented their latest works alongside career classics. the latter collection introduced the work of renowned manufacturers, presenting innovation, functionality, and quality. amid the chosen exhibitors was ‘hotello’ the portable office / hotel room presented by the swiss firm daskonzept, previously covered by designboom, here. the 4 sqm unit is conceived to temporarily inhabit empty lofts of a contemporary city;  the outdoor, colorful aluminum chairs ‘coray’ by seleform stack for convenience; and ‘etage’ by zurich-based designer moritz schmid for röthlisberger, the chosen winner of this year’s design.arena.preis award. 

 ‘etage’ by moritz schmid

schmid’s shelving system organizes space in a new way by concealing interior items by a colored wrap-around shell — in arura vermelho natural, aubergine violet, oak natural — that conveniently slides upwards and down the outside of the unit. ‘etage’ contains several a large, modular ledges inside, ready for storing objects and a large handle locks the external piece into place.  

 ‘etage’ contains a shell that slides up and down

detail of ‘etage’ handle

 
packed into a trunk, ‘hotello’, presented by the swiss firm daskonzept, is a portable space that contains all the necessary elements needed to work and rest. it consists of a metal structure that supports a transparent and sound absorbent curtain. the volume can also be combined and aggregated in varying configurations.
 
 

the 4 sqm unit ‘hotello’ by das konzept

the inside of the mobile unit ‘hotello’

stacking onto of each other, the primary colored aluminum ‘coray’ chairs by seleform have perforated holes at their back and seat. designed for outdoor usage, the structural framework is of each unit is formed by an under-frame stainless steel piping that contours the chair.

the seat and back rest of the ‘coray’ chairs by seleform are formed from perforated aluminum sheets

‘coray’ chairs by seleform at  neue räume 13
image © h.unger

swiss atelier oï presented the ‘stelle filanti’ collection of luminaires, alongside a series of seating islands ‘oasis’, which designboom has previously covered here. the set of lamps suspended from the ceiling are made from traditional craft materials and glass; long, thin strands of interwoven leather, both colored and raw, hang in a geometrically patterned cylindrical shape. a hand-blown glass volume suspended in the maze of material strips holds a bulb at its core, which diffuses soft light in every direction. each illuminating piece was shown at a different height, creating a glowing undulating expanse. as part of the installation, the strips of leather were fixed to an electronic system that moved the sheets up and down, showing the expanse that forms when the lamps are hung from the ceiling.

‘stelle filanti’ lights alongside ‘oasis’ seating units

detail of ‘stelle filanti’
image © designboom

leather strips mobilizing, showing the expanse that forms when the lamps are hung from the ceiling

neue räume dedicated a expansive portion of ABB event hall in the showcase of emerging swiss talent. the ‘young labels’ presented a versatile and extensive range of interiors, lighting, and furniture designs, exemplifying the up-and-coming creativity in the field. amongst the booths was the swiss studio fries+zumbühl, led by kevin fries and jakob zumbühl. the duo presented a twist on the notion of folding chair, appropriating the imagery as a coat and apparel rack. ‘error’ is made from individual steel pipes that rotate on an axis, each one acting as a distinct placement stand. every leg of the piece can hold a different item of clothing. consolidating into a single unit, the painted and polished steel unit is adaptable and functional for multiple uses, yet is completely aesthetically streamlined and minimal.

young labels at neue raume 13 – fries+zumbühl ‘error’ 

young labels at neue raume 13 – fries+zumbühl ‘error’

 the ‘kirin’ lamp designed by zurich-based duo iris durot and nina eigenmann of eigenmann DUROT is a rotatable light whose square-shaped head produces both indirect and direct illumination. LED points are hidden behind a translucent fabric case, creating a soft glow when lit. available in varying hues and patterns — pictured above in white, yellow, and a bold blue — the free-standing unit incorporates minimalism and precision into the vibrantly colored designs.

young labels at neue raume 13 – eigenmann DUROT ‘kirin’

lighting by austrian designer georg bechter licht was integrated directly into the walls and ceiling of the neue räume space. with a breadth of work encompassing spaces and places that create a luminous atmosphere, licht explores the relationship between the light source and the environment it inhabits. ‘vlobe’, presented at the exhibition, seamlessly descends from the roof. rounded forms are integrated into the surface of the ceiling and gold painted interiors lend color and a radiating intensity to the surrounding area.

young labels at neue raume 13 – georg bechter licht ‘vlobe’

zurich-based studio strala presented a diverse collection of work ranging from woven interior units, metallic design objects, and a brilliant light sculpture. ‘schweini’ is an origami-like animal item which begins as single sheet of copper. instructions on how to fold and pleat the small shape into place are included, so that each person can build their own metallic mammal from scratch.  

young labels at neue raume 13 – strala ‘schweini’

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