vincent olm: utopia

‘utopia’ collection

belgian designer vincent olm‘s ‘utopia’ collection opposes the conventional ideas of ‘the meal’ and dining. it is a bit of a cross-breeding between cultures and eating rituals. olm takes the meal to the floor, to be enjoyed around an over-sized plate, with chairs which are just barely implied, and a lamp which is round and resembles methods of nourishment as a baby. here, the ‘western’ model of enjoying a meal is rejected, but functionality still remains. ‘utopia’ invites one to a place of sharing, giving the user the opportunity to experience his eating environment in a new perspective.top view

‘utopia’ dining table

taking the form of a plate, ‘utopia’ dining table, invites users to enjoy their meals close to the ground. it represents a celebration of sociability and sharing at the dinner table. the central part of the table is a space for everyone, meant to house all the food, while individual diners eat their meal from the edge. ‘ham_chair’

the ‘ham_chair’ reduces a chair to its simplest form – just a thin slice in the shape of a seat. it is made from a material derived from the combination of beech and rubber. a purist and economical application of materials. ‘ham_chair’ ‘peeled’ back

‘mom’ pendant lamp

part dome, part mother’s breast, the suspended ‘mom’ pendant lamp is meant to provide light to the meal. a reminder of our original source of nourishment, it is made of plaster and produced in collaboration with gesso. ‘mom’ pendant lamp – side view

‘mom’ pendant lamp – top view