September—Innovation and surprise reigned at the 24th edition of 100% Design—and that was contrived. This year, the annual design event covering interior furnishings during the London Design Festival, running September 19-22 at Olympia, London, came with fresh new programming. 100% Forward focused on eight emerging design talents, while 100% Futures presented forward-thinking design by 20 new industry names. From a lounge-like rocking chair meeting every tech need to a decanter that is more interactive art to tile that reacts to nature’s whims, here are five clever products that stopped us in our tracks.
More Than a Rocking Chair
What does working in the 21st century look like? What does a rocking chair look like? Portuguese firm Se7e has one untraditional answer to both of these questions. A rocking chair that allows full-bodied lounging, the iBerço 2.0 is fitted out with two 50-watt speakers, a 22-inch screen kitted out with Bluetooth technology and an amplifier.
“It’s the world’s first chair that incorporates a monitor,” architect and project manager Mario Sousa Henriques told ArchiExpo e-Magazine. “This is a product that allows you to rest, connect your mobile or wireless keyboard and listen to Spotify – all in your own space.”
Breastfeeding Oasis
When baby wants to eat, negotiation is not on the table. The first of its kind, Heer is an ergonomic plastic bench that offers mother and child a sculptural retreat with a gentle rock. “It’s a breastfeeding bench for public spaces—say airports, shopping centers, or public institutions,” designer Ivana Briss told ArchiExpo e-Magazine.
“While there have been some attempts to make designated areas for breastfeeding in public—more accepted in some countries than others—this is the first design solution.”
Photo by photo by Marija Gašparović/courtesy of Heer.
Slow Pour
A playful decanter drawing a crowd, Pours from experimental design company Guineapig is perfectly engineered to drop liquid—from water to wine to whiskey—into a glass. With a weight sensor, the innovative machine becomes aware of the glass. Then, with a slow, graceful bow—a movement generated by liquid moving up the glass stem—Pours pours. “It’s an attention-grabber, but also meant to slow things down,” says Mary Martin, mediator for Guineapig told ArchiExpo e-Magazine.
Pours. Photo courtesy of Guineapig
How Does Your Garden Grow?
One of the products in young designer showcase Design Fresh, press-molded terracotta Moss tiles by Poppy Pippin encourage the growth of the flowerless, dense-growing plant, in order to improve air quality in urban environments by absorbing carbon dioxide. Pippin told ArchiExpo e-Magazine:
“The presence of moss will bring nature to the city, increasing a sense of well being and encouraging a connection between people and their environment.”
Photo courtesy of Poppy Pippin
Water, Water Everywhere
Simplifying decorative walls in wet areas, glass fiber and glass polycarbonate wallpaper Glamfusion from Italian manufacturer Glamora is prefinished to be waterproof, saving installers from that timely process. Ultra-thin, it can be installed over existing materials for a rapid, low-cost redesign of water-friendly spaces.
“While it can’t be immersed, it’s perfect for spas, fitness centers, or the areas around swimming pools,” notes Glamora representative Jessica Tiano.
Photo courtesy of Glamora
