Across bathroom collections, integrated kitchen systems and professional-grade appliances, the strongest launches showed how design can support daily life with greater subtlety, durability and atmosphere. From Laufen’s quiet approach to ageing in place to Fisher & Paykel’s material-led kitchen rituals, these releases reframed utility as something deeply spatial and considered.

Fisher & Paykel

Fisher & Paykel presented Nature — Ritual at EuroCucina 2026, an immersive expression of the brand’s life-centred design philosophy. Rooted in the landscapes and material sensibilities of Aotearoa New Zealand, the exhibition explored how daily routines can become rituals through atmosphere, technology and material connection.

At the centre of the presentation was the brand’s State of the Art Collection and the evolution of its Minimal Style, both conceived as refined, visually recessive systems for material-led spaces. Rather than foregrounding the appliance as an object, Fisher & Paykel focused on the way appliances disappear into architecture, supporting kitchens that feel calm and intuitive.

Materials played an important role. Tōtara and basalt were used to express a design language of contrast: warmth and weight, tactility and permanence. In doing so, Nature — Ritual positioned the kitchen as more than a place of function. It became a setting for care, social connection and the repeated gestures that shape domestic life.

Available through Fisher & Paykel.

Molteni&C

Molteni&C presented a wide-ranging 2026 offering across kitchen, living and outdoor environments. Physis, the new kitchen designed by Creative Director Vincent Van Duysen, positioned the kitchen as an architectural centre of the home. Rounded edges, soft curves, transparent glass doors, open compartments and integrated lighting create a sense of openness and continuity, while the use of Hinoki veneer introduces warmth, humidity resistance and natural antibacterial properties.

Available through Molteni&C.

ASKO

ASKO’s Professional range brings the brand’s Scandinavian restraint into commercial laundry, with appliances designed for endurance and repeated daily use. Built for environments ranging from hotels, restaurants and health clinics to salons, self-service laundries and marine settings, the collection positions the washing machine less as a back-of-house utility and more as a reliable, integrated co-worker.

The washing machine range is designed around professional performance, with models tested for up to 15,000 or 30,000 cycles and capacities spanning 7kg and 9kg. Features such as EasyControl TFT display, Active Drum, Quattro Construction and motor weight control support both usability and long-term operation, while external dosing capability allows detergent use to be adjusted according to load weight.

ASKO also places hygiene at the centre of the range. Its Steel Seal construction removes the traditional rubber bellows, reducing places where bacteria and mould can collect, while selected models include disinfection programs. In this context, the washing machine becomes a study in robust, precise and practical design — made for the kind of everyday labour that depends on consistency, durability and care.

Available through ASKO.

antoniolupi

At Salone del Mobile Milano 2026, antoniolupi presented a series of new projects within an exhibition architecture inspired by the Roman domus. Organised as a sequence of rooms around a central space, the stand explored the bathroom as a domestic environment shaped by architecture, material and water.

Among the standout launches was Carsico, a freestanding marble basin designed by Paolo Ulian. Hand-carved by specialist artisans, the basin makes visible the core drill holes that are usually hidden within marble sinks. These technical voids become the defining aesthetic feature of the piece, producing a sculptural composition of solids, cavities, light and shadow. Rather than concealing the process of making, Carsico preserves its traces, allowing imperfections, marks and material variations to become part of the basin’s character.

Also presented was Skyline, a marble washbasin designed by Antonio Iraci. Inspired by urban architecture, Skyline is formed from staggered planes and intersecting surfaces, creating a basin that reads almost as a small architectural landscape. Its function is partially concealed from the front, with the object revealing itself through movement. The result is a washbasin that turns an everyday gesture into a spatial encounter with stone, reflection and water.

Further releases included Nazionale, a tapware line by Michele Vitaloni; Lilium, a basin by Brian Sironi inspired by the form of a flower; Slide, a marble bathtub by Carlo Colombo; and a capsule collection of porcelain stoneware surfaces by Carlo Colombo, Gumdesign, Giorgio Rava and Mario Trimarchi.

Available through Design Precinct and Pure Interiors.

Laufen

For Laufen, Konstantin Grcic has designed PAR, a bathroom collection that translates the passage of time into form, material and use. Created for people in later life, PAR supports daily routines without overtly signalling limitation. It is designed around experienced users who value simplicity, comfort and autonomy, with solutions that are already present when needed rather than added later as afterthoughts.

The collection includes washbasins, a drawer element, storage pieces and a T-grab handle bar, with elements made in SaphirKeramik. Its strength lies in how quietly it works. PAR does not treat support as a visible concession, but as part of the bathroom’s architecture. In doing so, it reframes the bathroom as a space that can adapt over time, accompanying changing needs with clarity and dignity.

Available through Reece Bathrooms.

GROHE

GROHE’s Milan Design Week presentation continued the bathroom’s movement toward wellness, atmosphere and architectural integration. With GROHE SPA Aqua Sanctuary, the brand explored water as a sensory and spatial material, presenting the bathroom not simply as a functional room, but as a place of ritual, restoration and highly personalised design.

Within the installation, GROHE SPA Atrio Private Collection was shown as part of a fully integrated bathroom environment, centred around a continuous cascade waterfall. The collection brought together premium materials, refined finishes and handle designs with quartz inserts, while the GROHE SPA x Buster + Punch collaboration extended this language across metal hardware, lighting and water solutions.

GROHE also presented Allure Gravity in Phantom Black with Caesarstone Vanilla Noir details, alongside Rainshower Aqua Tiles and flush-mounted Grohtherm controls. These pieces were arranged around the rituals of preparation, relaxation and rejuvenation, with technology designed to recede so that water, tactility and atmosphere could take precedence. Material innovation also formed part of the story, with revia, a circular material made from recycled waste, and PremiAL R100, a low-carbon material made from 100 per cent recycled aluminium, suggesting a future where luxury and environmental responsibility are more closely aligned.

Available through Reece Bathrooms.

essi

At Milan Design Week 2026, Gessi extended the bathroom’s shift toward wellness and ritual with the unveiling of Rituale del Vapore, a steam system designed to integrate directly into the domestic shower environment. Rather than requiring a dedicated spa room or structural intervention, the system envelops the body in steam from above, bringing a more immersive idea of private wellness into the everyday bathroom.

Available in Pure Steam and Steam + Intenso Flow versions, Rituale del Vapore can be personalised through steam intensity, chromotherapy and aromatherapy controls. In this context, steam becomes part of a wider self-care routine, connected to skincare, haircare and beauty rituals as much as relaxation.

Available through Gessi.

2026 Salone del Mobile
salonemilano.it

The post The kitchen and bathroom launches at Milan Design Week 2026 appeared first on Indesign Live: Interior Design and Architecture.

Good stewards of the planet

MillerKnoll’s sustainability story is not a new one. Six decades ago, founder D.J. De Pree was making commitments to being “good stewards of the earth,” setting up an early framework through which the brand conceived itself and its operations. Today, this framework remains, with every product, every office, and every partnership evaluated against a mission to make the world’s best products in the most sustainable way.

The 2024 report lays out a holistic strategy to achieving this mission, with actions sectioned between the three pillars of planet, community, and people. Within the former of these, the subgoals of carbon, materials, and circularity reveal ambitious targets for addressing some of industry’s most complex challenges, including:

• Designing the lowest carbon footprint products
• Achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, facilitated by a 25% reduction in the carbon footprint of MillerKnoll’s top 100 products by FY203
• Use sustainable, 100% bio-based or recycled materials by 2050
• Create timeless, durable products with zero waste by 2050

Perhaps most impressively, these goals are also set to be achieved without the use of offsets and with the mobilisation of MillerKnoll’s supply chain, with plans to set carbon baselines and reduction goals for the company’s top 25 suppliers by FY2027.

Industry Leaders

Importantly, the report is not just a forecast, but an assessment of the progress already made. In covering the company’s FY2022, FY2023 and FY2024 ESG performance, the report reveals key accomplishments, including an approximate 50% reduction in total waste since FY2022, a 52% reduction of single-use plastic packaging since 2020, the increased use of innovative materials like bamboo-based upholstery, eelgrass and biomass-balanced foam, and an energy reduction that has seen 75% of MillerKnoll’s electricity sourced from renewables.

Specific case studies are also presented, including a solar installation at the company’s largest manufacturing and distribution facility in the UK, a wallpaper production studio in the US that runs 100% on solar and uses 100% captured rainwater in its production processes, and a tale of continual evolution for the iconic Mirra Chair, which most recently was updated to have its base and spine made from 100% recycled material, cutting the chair’s carbon footprint to 64.2 kg CO2.

One of industry’s most intricate challenges also has a detailed action plan, with a dedicated program set up to address MillerKnoll’s circularity targets. The rePurpose program is an in-house initiative that has been offering customers and dealers an alternative to sending surplus and end-of-life product to landfill since 2009. With an interim goal to increase the

volume of furniture waste diverted from landfills to 4.5 million kg by FY2027, the expansion of rePurpose through Europe and Asia is an essential expansion that is not only set to help MillerKnoll but also designers and end-users the world over.

Other key interim goals include: the elimination of added per- and poly- fluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”) in North America by FY2025 and globally by FY2027; the transition to 100% renewable electricity by FY2026; establish logistics carbon baselines and set reduction goals by FY2026; achieve a 25% reduction in the carbon footprint of top 100 products by FY2030; exceed 75% recycled content in top 100 textiles by FY2030; and achieve zero landfill for the top five manufacturing sites by FY2030, among many more.

Design for the good of human kind

In a period of time where the challenges of emissions, circularity, and waste can seem insurmountable, MillerKnoll’s progress shows that it can be done, and their commitments prove that it can be done better, and perhaps even more quickly, than anyone could have predicted. As a collective of dynamic global brands, MillerKnoll’s goals cover businesses and supply chains both small and large, taking every player in the company’s ecosystem along for their journey. More than just an important exercise in transparency and accountability, the report shows that companies can lead the way on sustainability while still being viable in the market, a standard which is sure to urge others to action and make the industry stronger and more ethical as a whole.

The post MillerKnoll’s 2024 Better World Report sets ambitious targets for carbon, materials, circularity appeared first on Indesign Live: Interior Design and Architecture.

On the evening of Thursday 1^st August, the cream of the design community celebrated these achievements at a VIP Gala Event at The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne and shared the occasion with a live international broadcast. Entrants from across the region gathered as the honourable mentions and winners of the 2024 INDE.Awards were announced, and we celebrated their achievements at a glittering party after the formalities. Along with the acknowledgment of their work, winners received a uniquely crafted trophy created by INDE partner Tilt Industrial Design.  

The INDE team would like to extend our congratulations to all entrants, shortlisted and awarded entries of this year’s program. We extend our thanks to our esteemed jury who gave their time to assess the immense entry pool and to all of our event partners whose regional design leadership helps to drive the INDEs forward.

While the gala marks the end of the 2024 INDE.Awards, there is time to reflect on the incredible talent that resides within the Indo-Pacific and how the region is leading the way in expert and original design that pushes boundaries and offers creative ways of thinking. Entries for the 2025 awards will open in November!

Best of the Best

Proudly partnered by Zenith

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Winner

Darlington Public School by fjcstudio | Australia

The Building

Proudly partnered by Verosol

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Winner

Lasalle Church by CAZA in collaboration with NSI Architecture Planner Consultancy | Phillipines

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Honourable Mention

Surat Diamond Bourse | Morphogenesis | India

The Multi-Residential Building

Proudly partnered by Cult

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Winner

Upper House by Koichi Takada Architects | Australia

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Honourable Mention

Nightingale Marrickville by SJB | Australia

The Living Space

Proudly partnered by Gaggenau

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Winner

Zen Spaces by Sanjay Puri Architects | India

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Honourable Mention

Peak House by Emma Tulloch Architects | Australia

The Work Space

Proudly partnered by MillerKnoll

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Winner

Intermain by BVN in collaboration with Intermain | Australia

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Honourable Mention

Esquel Innovation and Incubation Village by Studio RYTE | China

The Social Space

Proudly partnered by Maxton Fox

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Winner

Harudot Chon Buri by Nana Coffee Roasters by IDIN Architects | Thailand

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Honourable Mention

Capella Sydney by BAR Studio in collaboration with Make Architects | Australia

The Retail Space

Proudly partnered by Alspec

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Winner

Dion Lee Flagship by PTID and Stamuli | Australia

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Honourable Mention

Fortune Farm by MuseLAB | India

The Object

Proudly partnered by American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC)

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Winner

Kurunpa Kunpu | Strong Spirit by Tanya Singer, Errol Evans and Trent Jansen | Australia

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Lo-Hi Tech: Terra-Cool System by Studio SKLIM | Singapore

The Learning Space

Proudly partnered by Autex Acoustics

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Winner

Waimarie – Lincoln University Science Facility by Warren and Mahoney in association with Lab-Works | Aotearoa/New Zealand

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Winner

Darlington Public School by fjcstudio | Australia

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Honourable Mention

Where wonders Dwell by Studiobird | Australia

The Health & Wellbeing Space

Proudly partnered by Milliken

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Winner

Total Fusion Platinum by ACME and Cavcorp Design | Australia

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Honourable Mention

Hooroo by CoLAB Design Studio | Australia

The Interior Space

Proudly partnered by Tongue & Groove

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Winner

Vessel by Madeleine Blanchfield Architects | Australia

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Honourable Mention

Shakespeare Grove by B.E Architecture | Australia

The Influencer

Proudly partnered by K5 Furniture

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Winner

Kurunpa Kunpu | Strong Spirit by Tanya Singer, Errol Evans and Trent Jansen | Australia

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Honourable Mention

Yutjuwala Djiwarr – Nhulunbuy Flexible Aged Care by Kaunitz Yeung Architecture | Australia

The Photographer – Commercial

Proudly partnered by Image Makers Association Australia

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Winner

Katherine Lu for South East Centre for Contemporary Art – SEECA | Australia

Architect/Designer of the project: Sibling Architecture

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Honourable Mention

David Chatfield for Gerard’s Restaurant | Australia

Architect/Designer of the project: J.AR Office

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The Photographer – Residential

Proudly partnered by Image Makers Association Australia

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Winner

Cieran Murphy for Sandringham House | Australia

Architect/Designer and any collaborators of the project: Tonkin Zulaikha Greer (TZG)

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Honourable Mention

Jade Cantwell for Harry Passive House | Australia

Architect/Designer and any collaborators of the project: Altereco Design

The Graduate

Proudly partnered by Colorbond

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Winner

Mingxun (Gary) Ma | The University of Melbourne | Australia

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Honourable Mention

Ian Chung Enzhi | Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) | Singapore

The Prodigy

Proudly partnered by Steelcase

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Winner

Evelyn Jingjie Wong of JUJURWORK | Malaysia

The 2024 Luminaries

Proudly partnered by Woven Image

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Brit Andresen | Architect, Andresen O’Gorman Architects | Australia

Colin Seah | Founder and Director of Design, Ministry of Design (MOD) | Singapore | Ministry of Design

Shimul Javeri Kadri | Founder SJK Architects | India | SJK Architects

Vince Frost | Founder, CEO and Executive Creative Director, Frost*collective | Australia | Frost*collective

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Congratulations to the winners of the INDE.Awards 2024!

Thank you to all our partners and sponsors whose support has enabled us to celebrate the diverse, extraordinary and outstanding architecture and design industry in our Indo-Pacific region.

The INDE.Awards will return in 2025 and entries open in November 2024.

Catch up on our Digital Gala here!

The post Celebrating the best of Regional Design in the Indo-Pacific for 2024 – INDE.Awards Winners are Revealed! appeared first on Indesign Live: Interior Design and Architecture.

Fluidity, material and colour cohere in Cesar’s products, and these were heavily highlighted at a Milan Design Week 2024 showcase created in collaboration with the Garcia Cumini studio. Instead of unveiling yet another kitchen design collection, Cesar explored the possibilities of surface finishes offered by technological advancement. Dante Chester, Managing Director of Cesar, shares more about this new direction, the showcase’s concept and Cesar’s pursuit for innovation.

The advanced exploration of material was the focal point of Cesar’s collaboration with the Garcia Cumini studio. How was this translated into product development and showcased at Milan Design Week 2024?

Cesar’s vision for research and development lies in pioneering original finishes through technological innovation. ORAMA, meaning ‘vision’ in Greek, embodies this philosophy, recognising finishes as integral to interior design, influenced by architectural style, context, functional needs and personal preference.

This concept is integrated into our product development, resulting in two of our newest creations presented at Milan Design Week 2024. Nuance is a new finish that uses abstract visual language to portray shades of colour on glass. Meanwhile, Wonder Landscape is the first instalment of the Utopian Gardens project by Garcia Cumini, which is a collection of decorations created using the innovative MVi Inalco technology, featuring environments that exalt beauty, in which intimacy, imagination and nature are freely interpreted.

We’ve also updated our flagship store for the occasion including a captivating multimedia installation showcasing ORAMA, Cesar’s innovative approach to finishes. The installation consisted of a large volume the size of a kitchen island clad in LED panels that reproduce a video project curated by Matteo Cherubino, establishing a visual dialogue between the monitors and the monolith. Set in an evocative atmosphere and narrated by Garcia Cumini’s artistic direction, the installation encourages spectators to reflect on the various finishes and the relationship that is created between colour, texture, shape and space. This initiative is tailored to assist designers and clients in finding the perfect match for both the atmosphere of the space to be furnished and the lifestyle of its occupants.

A new glass finish – Nuance – was introduced and presented as a worktop at Milan Design Week. It showcases a dynamic use of colour on glass, but how durable is this material when used as a worktop?

Presented as a worktop on Tangram’s asymmetrical island, Nuance is made from tempered glass and the material has exceptional hardness and impact-resistance, achieved through a tempering process. This process involves heating the glass to high temperatures (650 degrees celsius) and then rapidly cooling it with jets of air. This treatment significantly enhances the durability and strength of the glass, making it an ideal material for use as a worktop, capable of withstanding daily wear and tear in a kitchen environment.

The Wonder Landscape instalment is a photorealistic artistry of flora and fauna printed on framed doors with the support of cutting-edge AI technology. Can you tell us more about this innovative approach and how you see it being adopted in actual design projects?

Wonder Landscape portrays a dreamlike landscape printed on the N_Elle kitchen island doors as seen at Milan Design Week this year using MVi Inalco (Minerals, Vitrified, innovation). The revolutionary production process involves the high-temperature fusion of the purest mineral powders to the glass surface via a digitally controlled process, ensuring long-lasting permanence. This system allows for projects with rich chromatic depth, offering a recyclable surface of high value with textures that enhance depth and naturalness, visually and tactilely.

Will Cesar adopt more AI technology in its kitchen design and manufacturing?

To date, the Wonder Landscape of the Utopian Garden project is the first image studied by Garcia Cumini that has been created using artificial intelligence. Currently, we are evaluating the market’s response and working with our research and development offices, artistic direction and marketing department to determine how we can evolve and bring added value to our continuous offerings and research through the use of AI.

It seems that Cesar is constantly striving for original and innovative kitchen design solutions. What can we look forward to next?

The guidelines that drive research at Cesar are the wellbeing of people and self-awareness, along with our need to have a part of the home where we can not only cook but also welcome, experiment, socialise, and take care of ourselves and the people we love to surround ourselves with. Even though different cultural habits around the world make this sociality very personal, we can find a coordinated, timeless style through design, in deep dialogue with the world. The new projects, which will expand from the kitchen to the dining and living areas, will be inspired by these guidelines.

In Singapore, Cesar is available at XTRA

Cesar
cesar.it

XTRA
xtra.com.sg

The post Cesar’s Dante Chester on AI integration, bespoke design and material exploration appeared first on Indesign Live: Interior Design and Architecture.

She is currently the project lead for the new $658m Sydney Children’s Hospital Stage 1 and the Minderoo Children’s Comprehensive Cancer Centre (MCCCC). The MCCCC is a fully integrated partnership between the Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children’s Hospital Network, the Children’s Cancer Institute, and UNSW. Set to open in 2025, the project will bring together health practitioners, researchers, academics, patients and their families, and the community to integrate patient care, research and education in Australia’s first Children’s Comprehensive Cancer Centre.

Tell us a bit about your background and what you do.

I’ve always been fascinated with science — in fact, I toyed with the idea of doing a science degree when I left school! I’m interested in leading-edge science, advanced health technologies, and the intertwined aspects of both — collectively, they shape our world in profound ways.

I’ve worked predominantly in the science and technology sector for the past 30 years or so. I was at Cox for 23 years before BLP, where I also headed up science and technology.

In recent years, I’ve had the opportunity to work on the integration of health with science and technology in a more targeted way, particularly while working at the Sydney Children’s Hospital Stage 1 and the Minderoo Children’s Comprehensive Cancer Centre (MCCCC). I particularly enjoy the briefing and early design stages, sitting down with our clients and exploring the ‘whys’ and ‘hows’ of what they do.

What advice would you give to other women looking at forging a similar career path in science and technology design?

I think it’s an amazing sector to be part of and women should absolutely be encouraged. The past view that science, technology, engineering and maths were not suited to women is an outdated view of the world. There is absolutely no reason why women can’t and shouldn’t be at the forefront of STEM!

What inspires you?

People who do great research to better people’s lives and the environment we live in. It’s been  inspiring working on MCCCC learning about the leading-edge developments that have been made in treating childhood cancers. Being a mother myself, I can’t imagine how it would feel having a cancer diagnosis in a child, so seeing the work they do is really inspiring.

This is evident with all our science and technology clients — they’re doing incredible work to try and change and improve the world. Being able to play a role in helping deliver that is an incredible privilege.

BLP have been quiet achievers in science and technology, so it’s been great working for a company with such commitment, passion and understanding of how important this sector is, particularly in its interface with health design. With our overarching vision of designing for a healthy world, BLP understands this cross-sector aspect of delivering a healthy future for our clients and communities.

Related: BLP on designing for non-binary youth

What role do you think science and technology play in healthcare design? How is this evolving?

Precision medicine and artificial intelligence are transforming healthcare and scientific research in a big way. Particularly with cancer treatment, there’s been almost a seismic shift in treatments over the last few years and the role of science and technology in that shift — they have never been more aligned. I think COVID has also made people focus on the importance of science in healthcare, because prior to that, people generally weren’t as likely to connect the science with its role in public health.

Our previous projects, such as The Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity in the heart of the Parkville Medical Precinct in Melbourne, were really in the spotlight. These types of institutes were in the news every day, so naturally there was a fundamental shift in the community’s understanding of the important role science plays in healthcare. 

This is only going to increase in the future — I’m involved in a number of other projects right now that use cutting-edge technologies to enable targeted treatments, which is dynamic and exciting. With these changing models of care, coupled with the advancement of personalised therapies, not to mention the integration of AI, we have a duty to make our buildings as responsible and adaptive as possible because technology and treatments are evolving extraordinarily fast.

You travelled to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region recently for Arab Health 2024. What was this experience like?

I’ve never ever seen a conference like it — there were about 150,000 attendees, and I was fortunate enough to attend the Future Health Summit. As a region, it’s absolutely embracing the newest and latest technologies — my key takeaways were the challenge climate change presents to public health and how that sector stands to gain the most from meeting sustainability and climate targets.  I think that as designers we need to recognise the significance of climate change’s impact on public health — designing climate-responsive sites has never been so critical.

Any advice or words of wisdom to your younger self?

At the start of my career, construction was an incredibly male-dominated industry. I would have reiterated the importance of having a gender balance in all industries. Also — have confidence and always back yourself!

BLP
blp.com.au

HDR’s megatrends forecast for 2024 includes some intriguing healthcare insights

The post BLP’s Bettina Bartos on science, technology and healthcare design appeared first on Indesign Live: Interior Design and Architecture.

Serving as a central hub for Perth Design Week, which runs from 14th to 21st March, 2024, PRINCIPLES Square celebrates contemporary workplace furniture that “can be used by anyone, at any time,” says Italian-based, international furniture brand, UniFor. In true OMA style, the pieces range in size from S to XL, and are designed to be configured in limitless ways, enabling both collaborative or independent working environments.

Collaborating with numerous global architecture studios and designers, Molteni Group is a leading independent high-end furniture collective renowned for facilitating collaborations such as PRINCIPLES. With roots in Italian construction since its inception in 1934, they have an ever-growing passion for technological innovation; their constant investment in research and design evolution allows Molteni Group to be pioneers in the furniture world, creating products with an intrinsic quality that lasts generations. Being one of their many arms, UniFor is Molteni Group’s furniture development business, with a focus on workplace solutions and office interior design.

Through UniFor and OMA’s previous collaboration for the OMA-designed Axel Springer Campus in Berlin during 2018, the duo created a series of pieces that embraced OMA’s design ideas while leaning heavily into UniFor’s technical and manufacturing expertise. CEO of UniFor, Carlo Molteni, shares how “working alongside OMA [always offers] an opportunity for UniFor to gain new perspectives and visions.”

For Perth Design Week’s PRINCIPLES, various designs were taken from their original collaboration and re-engineered to be highly modular and completely customisable. “It offered us a platform to further experiment” with these pieces, shares OMA associate, Philippe Braun. He also notes how they looked to the “public’s various ways of interacting with furniture to further explore how the collection can be applied beyond the typical workplace”.

Within Principles Square, over 100 items take form in round, triangular, square or donut shapes. Integral to stitching these items together are curved partition panels, forming the “backbone structure onto which shelving and seating is attached,” as UniFor explains. The result is an unraveling office-scape, with pockets of varying functionality.

Related: Studio Edwards and the zero-waste workplace

The reading room is intimate; it has a tighter radius, and is lined with shelving. The radius loosens to form a more generous area for larger, more informal sofas within the movie screening zone. Gridded tables are boxed in among straight runs of partition walls, resembling a rectangular room of more traditional office-like proportions. Double-sided partition walls host tables and chairs along its run, promoting multiple uses and user agency. UniFor notes that “the overall result is an interior landscape with infinite possibilities, composed of microarchitectures that provide for multiple and diversifiable functions.”

An innovative approach to materiality was integral to the further development of the collection. Breaking the barriers of traditional workplace textiles, high-tech sportswear fabric has been adopted for the upholstery, allowing for the softness of fabric to be present, while also instilling a resilient and highly durable material sensibility into the pieces.

Extra-thick colour core laminates were used in limited but carefully selected colours, carefully balancing out the everyday greys of typical officescapes with exciting pops of colour. Microperforated sheet metals were also opted for, particularly for their acoustic performance. Together, the various material choices work harmoniously while progressing the norms of traditional workspace materiality.

Open from 10am to 7pm daily, Perth Design Week’s new central hub, PRINCIPLES, is set to be a boundary-pushing exhibit, showcasing just what happens when an international architecture practice such as OMA collaborates with renowned workspace furniture design professionals like UniFor.

Perth Design Week
perthdesignweek.com

Photography
Delfino Sisto Legnani and Alessandro Saletta, DSL Studio

More office furniture design with TCW and Barry Jenkins

The post OMA and UniFor launch PRINCIPLES Collection at Perth Design Week appeared first on Indesign Live: Interior Design and Architecture.

Piero Lissoni, a renowned designer and the creative director of B&B Italia and Living Divani, acknowledges the accessibility of cheaper alternatives in the market but argues that the decision to invest in designer furniture is akin to other luxury purchases, such as Prada shoes, Hermes bags, or a Rolex watch. He also noted the differing purchasing patterns of luxury fashion and designer furniture. 

“Unlike the cyclical nature of fashion choices, where items may be replaced seasonally or yearly, selecting furniture items like sofas and kitchens for the long term necessitates a consideration of economic factors. Plus, the former is often driven by a desire for display, a means of showcasing one’s taste to public, while the latter leans towards a more private, personal domain, often reflecting a commitment to a long-term perspective,” explains Lissoni.

The pursuit of enduring quality often comes with a corresponding financial investment. The high price of designer furniture, according to Lissoni, is driven by factors such as sustainability, craftsmanship, and quality. He highlights the longevity and durability of well-crafted pieces, emphasising the economic value over time. Lissoni argues that “the cost per day or the daily cost in bulk, considering the lifespan of the furniture, makes designer pieces economically reasonable.”

Related: Design Conversation: Sustainable development in the furniture industry

Iconic designs also contribute to the lasting appeal and value of designer furniture. The UP5_6 armchair designed by Gaetana Pesce in 1969 for Italian furniture brand, B&B Italia, is a classic example. Available in Singapore through Space Furniture, the armchair’s lasting popularity attests to the timelessness of its design, making it a collector’s item with a strong resale value. The same can’t be said for mass-produced alternatives.

Limited edition collaborations between designers and furniture manufacturers also add a layer of exclusivity to designer furniture, further enhancing its investment-worthy status. The collaboration between French designer Philippe Starck and Italian brand Kartell resulted in the creation of the wildly popular Louis Ghost Chair. This transparent polycarbonate chair, inspired by the Louis XVI chair, is not only a functional piece but also a statement of modern design. 

Such collaboration, however, is not to be confused with those between designers and mass-market brands. Lissoni expresses scepticism, particularly when it comes to quality, durability and ethical considerations. He emphasises the importance of fair trade, pointing out that the environmental and social impact of production should be a crucial factor in determining the value of a piece.

According to Lissoni, 90 percent of B&B Italia furniture are produced in Brianza, north Italy. The region is renowned for its long-standing tradition of craftsmanship, particularly in the field of furniture and woodworking. The artisans are paid fairly for their skills, work in conducive environments and are protected by comprehensive Italian laws and regulations to promote fair trade practices. This is unlike the working conditions of garment manufacturers in developing countries where fast fashion businesses outsourced to, as depicted in The True Cost documentary. When dangerous practices are conducted by fast fashion businesses, it makes you wonder if the same is being practiced by fast furniture businesses.

Related: 4 stylish Italian furniture pieces to covet

This also leads to the challenges posed by replicas and the importance of buying original pieces. Lissoni draws parallels between choosing original designer furniture and investing in an original painting. The enduring value, resale potential, and the satisfaction of owning an original piece are significant factors that set designer furniture apart. “It’s not about buying more. It’s about investing in choice pieces that last a long time,” he adds.

As consumers navigate the world of furniture choices, Lissoni encourages a mindful approach, urging them to minimise the quantity of pieces in their homes, choose wisely, and invest in original designer furniture for its long-lasting value. His vision for a sustainable market involves sharing the appeal of designer furniture with a broad audience, making it an interesting and accessible market for many.

Space Furniture Singapore showroom photography by Finbarr Fallon

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