Debuting this past week at Cape Town’s Design Indaba and now stateside tonight at New York’s New Museum, Israeli-born, New York-based designer Dror Benshetrit presents his latest design – a versatile support system called QuaDror.

Four years in the making, this unique structural support geometry is made by assembling four identical, interlocking, L-shaped pieces. Initially, the designer was excited by the system’s flexibility and aesthetic. Upon further exploration, though, he soon recognized its structural integrity and broad potential applications, and began working collaboratively with a variety of experts to determine its capabilities.

The collapsible system allows for rapid assembly (from closed and flat to open and self-standing) and easy transfer (less volume in transit without giving up great load-bearing capabilities), and adapts to a variety of conditions, making it a fit for everything from product design (lamps, etc.) to trestle structures (bridges, saw horses), dividing walls, sound barriers, and architecture (frame and relief structures, and high-end dwellings, pop up structures, public art installations, emergency structures, etc.). And the collapsibility of the units and the potential use of local materials allow for low-carbon footprint and energy efficiency. In fact, according to the studio, 1750 QuaDror relief structure kits (each one creating a new emergency relief home) can fit in one 40-feet container. The studio is currently in the process of manufacturing the “QuaDror Home,” and hopes to construct the first QuaDror houses in Sierra Leone.

According to Dror: “Our goal is to inspire change. Working with creative and innovative experts from various fields, we aim to share and implement this geometry in urban design, architecture, philanthropic work, and public art. When realizing that the system could potentially bring a groundbreaking solution to the global issue of habitat, we were eager to complete our experimentations and share this discovery with the world.”

Check out the video demonstration below, plus several possible applications for QuaDror’s design. And if you’d like to learn a little more about Dror, check out studiodror.com or my recent interview with him for Dwell.com.

QuaDror from Dror on Vimeo.

*above: QuaDror table

*above: QuaDror Volume MGX (lamp)

*above: QuaDror PopUp Building

*above: QuaDror building

*above: QuaDror villa

*above: QuaDror bridge

*Images and video courtesy of Dror Benshetrit.

POLKA‘s interactive CUT Lamp invites its owner to customize the design to his or her heart’s desire. The pendant shade even comes with its own pair of scissors – yet another innovative design from the playful Vienna-based studio of partners Monica Singer and Marie Rahm.

*Images courtesy of POLKA

Handmade by artisans in Japan’s Ehime Prefecture, these beautifully-designed chopsticks are made of Mizuhiki (Japanese twined paper, silk) and bamboo. Named for the Japanese word “Mutsumi Hashi (chopsitcks),” they convey a sense of “enjoying a meal with a loved one,” and, if you ask us, a pure sense of style. They sell online from OEY for $30 in a range of colors.

*All images courtesy of OEY.

Now showing at San Francisco’s Contemporary Jewish Museum:
Maira Kalman: Various Illuminations (of a Crazy World)

“I was out walking the dear dog and I saw 500 things that made me want to make art.”
- Maira Kalman

The first major museum retrospective of award-winning illustrator, author and designer Maira Kalman is open now at San Francisco’s Contemporary Jewish Museum. Perhaps best known for her covers and drawings for The New Yorker, Kalman’s art characteristically shines a joyful, insightful, and often humorous light on contemporary life. The New York-based, Tel Aviv-born artist has written and illustrated over a dozen books for children and adults, authored two celebrated illustrated blogs for The New York Times, and collaborated with the likes of fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi and choreographer Mark Morris.

The exhibition, organized by the Institute of Contemporary Art at the University of Pennsylvania, features a selection of 100 original works on paper that span thirty years of illustration for publication as well as less widely seen works in photography, embroidery, textiles, and performance.

The works on view – from preliminary sketches to paintings – are hung as a running narrative of personal memories, cultural references, life’s abundant pleasures and distractions, and the chaos of profound events – all rendered in Kalman’s now signature blend of written text and drawings and infused with her keen sense of the absurd.

“I think everything I do is narrative,” Kalman says. “It’s things that are from my life, and things I’ve seen, and things I’ve seen in books. It’s always telling stories.” She goes on, “As an artist, I’m reporting the big things and the small things. And sometimes you don’t know which is which.”

Describing the inspiration behind her work – her curious nature and daily observation – Kalman says: “Being curious is a completely natural part of it, and being a busybody, and wanting to know what people are doing, and why, and how it works. And why are you wearing those shoes? And what’s that hole puncher for? The nature of curiosity is both about how people live their lives and about the bigger picture of how the world works.”

Various Illuminations (of a Crazy World) runs through October 26th.

above: Maira Kalman, Crosstown Boogie Woogie, 1995, gouache on paper, 15 3/8 x 11 1/2 inches. Courtesy of the artist and Julie Saul Gallery, New York.

*above: Maira Kalman, Keep Calm, 2007, gouache on paper, 11 3/4 x 8 3/4 inches. Collection of Barbara Becker and Chad Gallant.

above: Maira Kalman, Woman with Face Net, 2000, gouache on paper, 17 x 14 3/4 inches. Courtesy of the artist and Julie Saul Gallery, New York.

above: Maira Kalman, Man Dances on Salt, 2007, gouache on paper, 9 x 7 3/4 inches. Collection of Tom and Claire O’Connor.

above: Maira Kalman, Self-Portrait (with Pete), 2004–5, gouache on paper, 16 x 15 inches. Courtesy of the artist and Julie Saul Gallery, New York.

above: portrait of Maira Kalman, courtesy of Rick Meyerowitz.

*Images courtesy of The Contemporary Jewish Museum.

Inspired by Mexico’s rich glass works tradition, Mexico City-based artist Valeria Florescano translates that legacy into modern home accessories, jewelry and installations. Florescano shares some of her favorite projects – and the creative rationales behind them – with us below.

Valeria Florescano has been awarded scholarships for Pilchuck School of Glass, Corning Museum of Glass, and Penland Arts and Crafts School. She is an active member of the Board of the School of Design at Universidad Anáhuac, México.

She has shown in galleries and museums in Mexico and abroad in the Netherlands, the United States, Japan and Ukraine. Her glass work is part of the Vitro Glass Collection in Monterrey, N.L. Mexico, and the National Museum of Lviv in Ukraine.

Florescano is currently working in the notable glass factory Nouvel in Mexico city while completing an MFA in sculpture at the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas at the National University of México, UNAM.

Enjoy!

above: “Bulbs,” made of recycled glass. Technique: blown glass into optic mold. Length: 17cms. Width: 6 cms. (At the widest part), mouth ø: 2 cms. According to Florescano: “It was my intention to reverse the flower vase idea. The ‘bulbs’ function as glass flowers, and therefore become the prominent object to contemplate. This design enhances the stem. The ‘bulbs’ are unifleur vases designed for soft stem flowers like the calla lily, tulips, daffodil, agapanthus, or the African lily. The idea was that the stem would fit perfectly into the hole and work as a cork, thus preventing the water inside from spilling. The design lets you use them horizontally and vertically, or to place them as sculptures in an upside down position. When used as unifleurs without a vase, the ‘bulbs’ can play with gravity. They can be held together from the stem with a knot so the bulbs settle in balance forming an architectural like structure.”

above: The Mangle Unifleur are a set of vases made in borosilicate glass, available in three sizes.

above: Manita rings. Technique: found object, wax casted in Silver .925 . Says Florescano: “This ring has a sense of romanticism. It also reminds me of Kahlo´s finger pieces. It can be used as a pendant, while it is reminiscent of antique door knobs, but the ring actually has movement. When you place it on your finger, the hand rests in your own, in a caressing gesture.”

above: Sol-O rings. Technique: Silver .925 and goldleaf. “This ring is based in the circular form. Both the wire and the sheet of metal started as a circle, and only with a simple twist and a cut we obtain this strong form,” says Florescano.

above: The Tehuana Goblet Technique: Installation with hand blown venetian pieces and video performance. Explains Florescano: “In the frame of the Tehuana Goblet exhibit held in … Oaxaca this past summer, I presented works that refer [simultaneously] to the garment of the isthmus and to blown glass, particularly the style known as Verre à la façon de Venise…
“Both practices share parallel processes and circumstances; therefore, the exhibition allows me the opportunity to work with certain ideas and concepts of interest in regard to the historical trajectory of objects, their development from a natural state passing through an utilitarian condition (from which its subsistence depends) into a higher degree of sophistication in usage.
“The geographical conditions of the isthmus of Tehuantepec and the Venetian archipielago site are both zones in the crossroads of the old commercial routes between east and west of their respective continents. This particularity has been translated into various aspects of cultural richness and hybridization where habits, beliefs and needs expanded the expressive local languages. Today, it is [important] to revisit these cultural wonders in order to think carefully [about] the skills and shortages of our present. Therefore, trying to approach and strengthen different fields of knowledge, Tehuana Goblet presents itself as a container of ideas on identity, ritual, richness and seduction.”

*All images courtesy of the artist.

Tsunami Glassworks Incorporated, one of ArtSlope.com’s faves, introduces a new series of custom designed platters called PETAL. Inspired by the soft curve of a flower petal, design partners Kriston Gene and Eva Milinkovic have created hand blown and etched platters measuring 20″x8″, available either etched or shiny. And there are eight color combinations to choose from: black/iris, cherry/turquoise, olive/aqua, citron/jade, strawberry/saffron, citron/saffron and amethyst black.

For a list of retailers, click here.

*All images courtesy of Tsunami Glassworks Incorporated.

When approaching their designs for a new pot collection with traditional Austrian enamel company Riess Email, young Vienna-based design duo POLKA chose to reimagine the ways in which we interact with this common object. Asking questions like “How many handles does a pot need anyway?” and “What makes a functional object?” the pair created a new form of pot, one in which the idea of the pot is mutated and modified, rearranging our expectations for interactions with daily-used objects. The resulting collection of creatures entertain the user, allowing one to handle them as he or she sees fit, and encourages all of us to think about our daily routines and expectations.

Describing their playful approach to design, POLKA partners Marie Rahm and Monica Singer say:
“We like to observe, we like to surprise, we like to discover, we like to irritate, we like to find solutions, we like to tell stories, we like to entertain, we like to change the point of view . Above all, we like to create. And we like things.”

POLKA Pots are made on order.

POLKA product pleasure
Mariahilferstr. 9/7, 1060
Vienna, Austria
polkaproducts.com

* Photographs by Michael Stelzhammer. Images courtesy of POLKA.

Molecule is part of the “Setcast” collection by British design firm voonwong&bensonsaw. This gorgeous dish is made of bone china, created at distinguished China manufacturer, Asianera. Molecule comes in two sizes (Small: 6.75″ x 5.5″ x .5″h and Medium: 8.5″ x 7.5″ x .5″h), and is available starting around $50 from Merchant_4.

London’s voonwong&bensonsaw was launched in 2001, and since that time, the multi-disciplinary design practice has completed over 60 architectural and interior design projects internationally. The partners draw upon their backgrounds in architecture, engineering and product design to lend a unique perspective to furniture, lighting, product design, architecture and interior design. Currently, the designers are working on new building projects in Singapore, Beijing and London, as well as designing a collection of furniture for the company Air Division.

To learn more about voonwong&bensonsaw, visit voon-benson.com.

*Images courtesy of Merchant_4.

Now showing at Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum: “Ted Muehling Selects: Lobmeyr Glass from the Permanent Collection.”

Jewelry and decorative arts designer Ted Muehling has been invited to curate a Cooper-Hewitt show of more than 100 pieces by legendary Viennese glassmaker, Lobmeyr. The resulting exhibition – which runs through fall 2010 – features J. & L. Lobmeyr glassware from 1835 to 2008 (spanning nearly the entire history of the firm) from the museum’s permanent collection, alongside original drawings lent by Lobmeyr, and other related works from the museum’s collection. The result is a thoughtful show, grouped by period, that demonstrates the timelessness of Lobmeyr’s glassware, the company’s influence on the modern aesthetic, and the its ongoing collaborative spirit.

Over the years, Lobmeyr has collaborated with an amazing list of designers and artists, including Josef Hoffmann, Adolf Loos, Michael Powolny and Josef Wimmer. The collection also features works by major 19th-century designers, such as Ludwig Lobmeyr and Josef Storck, as well as glass by contemporary designers like Max Lamb and Polka.

Muehling, who has also created his own designs in glass for Lobmeyr (see below!), brings a unique perspective to the show, and has chosen works that celebrate the art of drinking and entertaining.

Celebrated for its clear, simple forms, many of the Lobmeyr’s designs have been in continuous production since their introduction in the mid-19th century. One of Lobmeyr’s most celebrated commissions is the Starburst Chandeliers at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.

According to Lobmeyr co-owner Leonid Rath, “Our parents conserved an appreciation for quality and the abilities of craftsman. We inherited a great opportunity…and we have a great love for designers in a time when people are fed up by superficial products.” Rather than compromising on quality, he says, Lobmeyr continues to create quality work that simultaneously pleases the contributing designers, the company and the public. “There is no tradeoff.”

“Ted Muehling Selects” is the 10th in a series of small one-gallery exhibitions in the Nancy and Edwin Marks Gallery. The museum invites guest curators from all around the world to create exhibitions and installations interpreted in their own voice from works in the museum’s permanent collection.

*above: Butterfly” Tumbler, pattern no. 279. Designed by Ted Muehling (American, b.1953) . Manufactured for J. & L. Lobmeyr. Austria, 2007. Glass. Museum purchase through gift of Arthur Liu and Anonymous Donor and from General Acquisitions Endowment Fund.

*above: Josephine bedside bottle. Designed by POLKA (Marie Rahm (Austrian) and Monica Singer (Austrian). Manufactured by Bšhmische Manufaktur for J & L Lobmeyr. Vienna, Austria, 2006. Glass. Museum purchase from General Acquisition Fund.

*above: Ambassador” wine decanter, pattern no. 240. Designed by Oswald Haerdtl (Austrian, 1899–1959). Manufactured for J. & L. Lobmeyr. Vienna, Austria, 1925. Glass. Museum purchase through gift of Arthur Liu and Anonymous Donor and from General Acquisitions Endowment Fund.

*above: “Black and Gold” Water pitcher. Designed by Karl Massanetz (Czech, 1890–1918). Manufactured for J. & L. Lobmeyr. Vienna, Austria, 1913–14. Glass. Museum purchase through gift of Arthur Liu and Anonymous Donor and from General Acquisitions Endowment Fund.

*above: Group of table glass, pattern no. 218 . Designed by Stefan Rath (Austrian, 1876–1960). Manufactured for J. & L. Lobmeyr. Vienna, Austria, ca. 1905. Glass. Museum purchase through gift of Arthur Liu and Anonymous Donor and from General Acquisitions Endowment Fund.

*above: Drinking set no.248 – “Loos.” Design: Adolf Loos, 1931. The bar set. The architect Adolf Loos was ahead of his time with this clear, uncompromising concept of form. This tumbler service is made with a so called brilliant pattern on the base. Each line is still cut by hand and carefully matt-polished. This series paved the way for modern glass design and is another Lobmeyr classic since 1931. This particular image courtesy of Lobmeyr.

*All photographs by Andrew Garn, except Drinking set no.248 – “Loos.” Images courtesy of Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum.

Friends since childhood, Daniel Hellman and Eric Chang began their furniture design/build practice – Hellman Chang – together on weekends in a Maryland garage. As enthusiasm for their furniture grew, their weekend obsession turned into a thriving business. Shortly after launching the firm, their dramatic, handmade pieces got the attention of Interior Design Magazine, which awarded them the 2006 Best of Year Product Design Award. Since then, the duo has moved to Brooklyn, and their client roster now includes names like the Four Seasons Hotel, Setai Hotel, Sotheby’s, and Metropolitan Home’s Showtime Showhouse.

Hellman Chang currently distribute their line through designer showrooms throughout the US. Below, two of our favorite Hellman Chang pieces, from the boldly angled “Z” series…

*above: Hellman Chang’s Z Dining Table, available with either a static base, with a pedestal base which expands, or as a large dining table with fixed pedestal bases placed apart from each other.

*above: The Z Bedside Table’s softly twisting legs create a dramatic effect.

*above: designers Daniel Hellman and Eric Chang

To learn more, visit Hellman-Chang.com.

*Images courtesy of Hellman Chang