Stefan Diez for HAY | An office like a jungle

If I had to imagine my ideal studio, surely it will look very similar to this one: an open space probably with an warehouse past,  filled with light to create the perfect indoor environment to host an urban jungle.

The studio belongs to one of the most interesting German designers, Stefan Diez, based in Munich. His name is well known within the Scandinavian design world for Diez's collaboration with Danish brand HAY for the creation of a new generation of shelving system: the images pictured here actually belongs to HAY catalogue for Diez's New Order.

I find very interesting how HAY decided to make so visible the strong connection between the product and its designer by shooting part of the catalogue in Diez's studio. In a way, it becomes a manifesto of the importance of craft as an essential part of the design process. It also mirrors HAY's desire to reconnect to the glorious innovative craftmanship that made Danish design so famous during the 50's and 60's; also, it is a declaration of Diez's approach to design through an intense work with materials and technology.

However, New Order is a "100% industrial choice, [...], a high-precision product" that speaks our contemporary language: in a digital world where everything is stored online, the traditional office material is disappearing from our shelves, leaving space to display more objects and memories. Therefore, here it is the choice of many brands to re-think the traditional shelving unit; to make it versatile and flexible, able to both divide space and to create it. Just take a look at the image above: the group of two could actually be easily repeated at home, almost like an overlapping scenography populated by our favourite pictures, photographs, objects and curiosities. A wall-less room that could grow in height and length according to the movement of our life. Design has never been so human.

New Order is the shelving system for a new type of space, one that adapts to contemporary life and its needs of flexibility and, at the same time, is also a cocoon inhabited equally by plants and human beings in harmony.

All images © HAY

BARCELONA | Palo Alto for the Design Market

Last weekend took place the first Barcelona Mercado Condal del Diseño, an event where to young designers can present their work to the wide public. The location is one of the greenest in Barcelona, the Palo Alto foundation in Poblenou, a cultural landmark in the city for being, on one side, a real jewel of industrial archaeology (the long factory chimney gives actually name to the complex) and, on the other, an attraction spot for creatives, such as Mariscal the designer of the 1992 Olympic games logo (Cobi).

The industrial warehouses and factories (naves) are perfectly conserved and nowadays covered in a dense green canopy of Parthenocissus. For sure, the extremely favourable climate of Barcelona helped a lot in the creation of this urban jungle and its gardens, where people working in the companies located in Palo Alto can have their lunch. I believe this is one of the greenest spots in the city and the special character of the area just makes you want to pack your stuff and move in.

This unique mix of rough industrial and jungle was the perfect location for the first Mercado Condal del Diseño and a great background for these young talents to showcase their works. I was very impressed by the quality of some of the products, so much some came home with me! 

But I will tell you more in the next few days about my most favourite ones, so stay tuned because there were some amazing surprises!

All images © facing north with gracia

PLACES | Kinfolk Magazine Headquarters

For PLACES, a special post today focused on Kinfolk Magazine studio + office space in Portland, Oregon. We all love Kinfolk beautifully detailed aesthetics, its simple take to life and its embrace to nature and the new space they moved in last December mirrors it perfectly. 

A clean, open office - formerly a production company - that looks more like a home than a working area: the Bliss-sofa and chair zone is the meeting room where the 10 people currently working in Portland discuss the future editions of Kinfolk.

The Kinfolk headquarters is thought to be a multi-purpose space designed to reflect the communal and essential style of the magazine. The furniture is clean and "utilitarian" and mix perfectly with the lots of greenery popping up everywhere inside.

I think the office on its own is enough to make you looking forward to going to work on Monday morning and I'm not even taking into account that you have to go to work on the next fab issue of Kinfolk Magazine!

| 1 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 8 | by Carissa Gallo via Blog West Elm.
| 3 | courtesy of Adriana Xochitl via Instagram.
| 4 | courtesy of Lia Din via Instagram.
| 5 | courtesy of Benjamin Holtrop via Instagram.

PLACES | The Lanterns Studios in London

 

The Lanterns Studio in London is an all white perfect location for photoshooting. I'd love to find a place like this somewhere in Barcelona ( with a terrace at least ): just the kind of perfect place for me to live.

This post was supposed to be published later this week but it got out by mistake yesterday  while I was tiding up all my posts and re-organizing labels in the blog. I immediately took it down ( also from Facebook and Networkedblog) but the images just managed somehow to arrive in Pinterest: I am shocked how much fast people can be! So I thought it was better to share it with everybody: I hate when empty links! LOL

Bureau A

The project I introduce you today is hardly recognizable as an office space. Located in a 19th century attic, it belongs to Swiss BUREAU A.  From one side, the place emanates a strong domestic feeling while recalling one of those fantastic architectures by Piranesi. White is used extensively, probably for several reasons: the surfaces captures the light coming from the glass roof and also lighten the visual weight of the beams. A splash of emerald green is found all along the rustic wooden stair, that is simultaneously an entrance to the office, a greenhouse and the library.

Via BUREAU A.

PLACES | White absolute in Berlin

This is the studio of photographer Alexander Gnädinger based in Berlin that I first saw it on Emma Designblogg back in 2011. The pictures popped up a few days ago on my friend holmberg __'s account and could not post it on FNWG. I struggle to see flaws in this place: industrial renovation, almost absolute whiteness and concrete floors. I'm speechless for the second time.

Via holmberg__

IntSight, Barcelona

IntSight, the Interior style studio from Barcelona, is here with their latest project: a workspace for the icon building agency, Iconista. The space is minimal and based on the company colour palette: black, white and gold. Most of the furniture is designed and made on comission for this space but they also used some great classics like the Jean Prouvé Standard Chair. My favourite details? The white on white minimal clock and the light bulbd above the desks: the industrial touch fits perfectly with the space.

Via INTSIGHT