http://www.jonathanprestwich.com www.JonathanPrestwich.com Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:59:41 +0000 http://www.jonathanprestwich.com en http://www.jonathanprestwich.com/IF-Gold http://www.jonathanprestwich.com/following/jonathanprestwich.com/IF-Gold Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:59:41 +0000 www.JonathanPrestwich.com 2798872 IF Gold Award We are proud to announce that our cafe chair designed for Arco has now been awarded a Gold IF product design award 2012 at the BMW museum in Munich. <img src="http://payload24.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/2798872/4f370604-d270-4dbf-afb5-4038b23f2d69_l_1200.jpg" border="0" width="1024" height="683" width_o="1024" height_o="683" src_o="http://payload24.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/2798872/4f370604-d270-4dbf-afb5-4038b23f2d69_l_o.jpg" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload24.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/2798872/Screen Shot 2012-02-13 at 11.36.29_1200.png" border="0" width="935" height="496" width_o="935" height_o="496" src_o="http://payload24.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/2798872/Screen Shot 2012-02-13 at 11.36.29_o.png" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload24.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/2798872/Screen Shot 2012-02-13 at 11.36.39_1200.png" border="0" width="939" height="499" width_o="939" height_o="499" src_o="http://payload24.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/2798872/Screen Shot 2012-02-13 at 11.36.39_o.png" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload24.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/2798872/Screen Shot 2012-02-13 at 11.38.53_1200.png" border="0" width="984" height="563" width_o="984" height_o="563" src_o="http://payload24.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/2798872/Screen Shot 2012-02-13 at 11.38.53_o.png" align="left" /> http://www.jonathanprestwich.com/Cafe-chair-clothing http://www.jonathanprestwich.com/following/jonathanprestwich.com/Cafe-chair-clothing Sat, 14 Jan 2012 15:06:28 +0000 www.JonathanPrestwich.com 2556991 Cafe chair clothing During ‘IMM Cologne’ starting 16/01/2012, Arco will be introducing several additions to our current products. This will include a taste of our ‘clothing for furniture’ concept which we will be continuing through the year. Please visit Arco at the design Post. <img src="http://payload12.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/2556991/Arco_Cafe chair with cover_Jon-Prestwich-LowRes-001_1200.jpg" border="0" width="900" height="701" width_o="900" height_o="701" src_o="http://payload12.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/2556991/Arco_Cafe chair with cover_Jon-Prestwich-LowRes-001_o.jpg" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload12.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/2556991/Arco_Cafe chair with cover_Jon-Prestwich-LowRes-002_1200.jpg" border="0" width="900" height="688" width_o="900" height_o="688" src_o="http://payload12.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/2556991/Arco_Cafe chair with cover_Jon-Prestwich-LowRes-002_o.jpg" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload12.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/2556991/Arco_Cafe chair with cover_Jon-Prestwich-LowRes-003_1200.jpg" border="0" width="674" height="900" width_o="674" height_o="900" src_o="http://payload12.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/2556991/Arco_Cafe chair with cover_Jon-Prestwich-LowRes-003_o.jpg" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload12.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/2556991/Arco_Cafe chair with cover_Jon-Prestwich-LowRes-004_1200.jpg" border="0" width="900" height="674" width_o="900" height_o="674" src_o="http://payload12.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/2556991/Arco_Cafe chair with cover_Jon-Prestwich-LowRes-004_o.jpg" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload12.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/2556991/Arco_Cafe chair with cover_Jon-Prestwich-LowRes-005_1200.jpg" border="0" width="900" height="674" width_o="900" height_o="674" src_o="http://payload12.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/2556991/Arco_Cafe chair with cover_Jon-Prestwich-LowRes-005_o.jpg" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload12.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/2556991/Arco_Cafe chair with cover_Jon-Prestwich-LowRes-006_1200.jpg" border="0" width="686" height="900" width_o="686" height_o="900" src_o="http://payload12.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/2556991/Arco_Cafe chair with cover_Jon-Prestwich-LowRes-006_o.jpg" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload12.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/2556991/Arco_Cafe chair with cover_Jon-Prestwich-LowRes-007_1200.jpg" border="0" width="686" height="900" width_o="686" height_o="900" src_o="http://payload12.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/2556991/Arco_Cafe chair with cover_Jon-Prestwich-LowRes-007_o.jpg" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload12.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/2556991/Arco_Steel table_Cafe Chair-LowRes-004_1200.jpg" border="0" width="675" height="900" width_o="675" height_o="900" src_o="http://payload12.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/2556991/Arco_Steel table_Cafe Chair-LowRes-004_o.jpg" align="left" /> Produced by: Arco http://www.jonathanprestwich.com/IMM-Cologne-2012 http://www.jonathanprestwich.com/following/jonathanprestwich.com/IMM-Cologne-2012 Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:18:15 +0000 www.JonathanPrestwich.com 2556962 IF Award for Arco Cafe chair We are pleased to be launching several updates to our existing product range with Arco during the IMM furniture faire in Cologne. <img src="http://payload12.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/2556962/image001_1200.jpg" border="0" width="794" height="563" width_o="794" height_o="563" src_o="http://payload12.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/2556962/image001_o.jpg" align="left" /> http://www.jonathanprestwich.com/IF-Award-2012 http://www.jonathanprestwich.com/following/jonathanprestwich.com/IF-Award-2012 Tue, 25 Oct 2011 12:50:46 +0000 www.JonathanPrestwich.com 2201363 IF Award for Arco Cafe chair We are proud to announce that our cafe chair designed for Arco has won an IF product design award 2012 <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/2201363/01 no text_1200.jpg" border="0" width="680" height="481" width_o="680" height_o="481" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/2201363/01 no text_o.jpg" align="left" /> http://www.jonathanprestwich.com/Modus-Process-exhibition http://www.jonathanprestwich.com/following/jonathanprestwich.com/Modus-Process-exhibition Wed, 14 Sep 2011 09:25:35 +0000 www.JonathanPrestwich.com 2001808 Modus Process Exhibition Modus furniture will be hosting an exhibition about new designs and the processes involved durning the London design festival. They will feature a preview of the new Hold chair we designed to be launched in Milan next year. For further information please feel free to contact us. <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/2001808/SetWidth610-Process-preview-invi5402copy.jpg" border="0" width="610" height="432" width_o="610" height_o="432" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/2001808/SetWidth610-Process-preview-invi5402copy_o.jpg" align="left" /> http://www.jonathanprestwich.com/Sketch-Davis http://www.jonathanprestwich.com/following/jonathanprestwich.com/Sketch-Davis Thu, 02 Jun 2011 12:28:04 +0000 www.JonathanPrestwich.com 1534546 Sketch launch for Davis Davis Furniture will be launching the Sketch chair for the American market durnig this years NeoCon fair in Chicago June 13-15. If you are visiting NeoCon this year please feel free to contact me to meet. <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/1534546/04b_1200.jpg" border="0" width="680" height="481" width_o="680" height_o="481" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/1534546/04b_o.jpg" align="left" /> http://www.jonathanprestwich.com/meet-the-designer http://www.jonathanprestwich.com/following/jonathanprestwich.com/meet-the-designer Fri, 08 Apr 2011 13:09:56 +0000 www.JonathanPrestwich.com 1282245 meet the designer During the Milan furniture fair this year, Arco will be holding a 'Meet the designer' event on their stand (Hall 16, stand B31). I will be there Wednesday 16.00 to 18.00 and hope to see you then. <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/1282245/image003.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="471" width_o="2048" height_o="1442" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/1282245/image003_o.jpg" align="left" /> http://www.jonathanprestwich.com/Wallpaper-award http://www.jonathanprestwich.com/following/jonathanprestwich.com/Wallpaper-award Fri, 11 Mar 2011 11:57:59 +0000 www.JonathanPrestwich.com 1108985 wallpaper award <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/1108985/OS_wallpaper front_1.jpg" border="0" width="406" height="567" width_o="406" height_o="567" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/1108985/OS_wallpaper front_1_o.jpg" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/1108985/OS_wallpaper_2.jpg" border="0" width="383" height="567" width_o="383" height_o="567" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/1108985/OS_wallpaper_2_o.jpg" align="left" /> http://www.jonathanprestwich.com/Experiencing-design http://www.jonathanprestwich.com/following/jonathanprestwich.com/Experiencing-design Fri, 11 Mar 2011 11:37:14 +0000 www.JonathanPrestwich.com 1158513 experiencing design We see a peach and pick it up; we feel its surface texture and temperature, its thickness of skin and softness of interior, smell it and finally taste it. This is until now how we have evolved as human beings. We have developed our five major senses to our current state to enable us to create shelter, feed our selves and find a partner. We can feel the structure of different woods, sense a materials natural insulating and impermeable properties, feel a change in the climate around us and know what smells good enough to eat and nourish our bodies, we have evolved in to fantastic complicated machines, ideal to connect with the natural environment around us. Then at this advanced state of evolution, we decided to make our own environment instead. To reach the point of habitat that we have created around ourselves today, an important milestone was the industrial revolution, arguably the time when the design profession was born. Machines facilitated production on a mass scale and the choice of what we would produce for ourselves became far more important. The first furniture products were merely replicas of elaborate Victorian furniture aimed solely at the new middle class and nouveaux riche. Then as a reaction to this the ‘Arts and Crafts movement’ was born. Although pro craft, they instigated considered products or design as we call it today. In this new man made environment the quality of an object is very important. We demand the best from a product and with our naturally honed five senses constantly analysing we can sense if a product has value or not. One of the ways to create quality in a product is when a conscious effort is made to connect the product with our senses. This can take on several approaches dependent on the product and indeed the intention of the product. We pretty much all use a pen, but what gives one pen more value than another? Similar to the analytical process we used for the peach; firstly we see it then pick it up, we touch it and in some cases employ the mechanism, or maybe take the cap off before using the pen. In this short automatic process we have decided if we feel comfortable with the object and if we believe it has quality, a tough crowd you could say. John Small from Foster and Partners took on such an approach with ‘Foster Writing Implements’ for ‘Diplomat in Germany’. They spent some time getting the feel and the ‘click’ just right, they felt that as this was an object that would be carried around and used frequently, both the tactile and aural qualities were important. But how do we subconsciously judge which sound has more quality than another? Another project by John Small for Foster and Partners was a Room Control Device for SVEA, Germany. Whilst explaining the sound they were trying to achieve from the switch they describe this as “a Mercedes click not a VW one” showing how our senses are able to reference aural values from existing products in the man-made world. Sensing which product may be stronger, last longer, be more protective and possibly more fit for purpose. A products appearance, form and feel can also be used as a communicatory device. This was a challenge set for Naoto Fukasawa to come up with a product that would connect with the five senses for the ‘Haptic’ exhibition, Takeo paper show 2004. The product he designed was a drinks container, iconically a banana fruit drink. He wanted the taste to be communicated through the packaging, and when you see the carton you know you will have the taste of banana in your mouth even before you have plunged the straw to break the seal. He made several cartons of different drinks, when making a strawberry carton, pips, or so we perceive them, were embedded into the drinks carton giving the tactile communication of holding a strawberry and triggering the memory of the taste and smell. As Idea’s like the juice pack become more accepted and sensual concepts in products more common, we will cease to see them as standout products and simply read them with our senses. This sensual consideration will hopefully lead us to a more natural feeling of well being in our man-made world, as we have in the natural world. Antony Gormley describes Naoto Fukasawa’s work as “un-thought-known” the ability move through our environment with a natural flow. One might say the ability to live our lives without an instruction manual. Many examples exist already that are helping the flow of our lives that we simply accept and no longer notice. Walking through the streets we feel the dimpled paving stones near junctions, use arm rails on stairs and hear the beep of the road crossings. We naturally sense, read and react. The emergence of computers and communications technology with their possibilities to be completely incomprehensible to the average person is a major factor in the need to further research natural products that we can connect to with our senses. The Apple Computers approach to software shows pure intention of creating a product that can be operated without thought. The new itunes software ‘Cover Flow’ with its album cover selection gives us the feeling of a physical object, flicking through our album collection, allowing us to store image memories of cover art and their placement in the pile of music. The new ‘ipod touch’ and ‘iphone’ use multi touch screen technology in an almost ‘Minority Report’ like way, immersing the user and his natural movements and senses, allowing a connection between man and object intuitively. People’s sense of well-being in their environment is as old as Zen Buddhism and certainly older still, yet in the 20th Century workplace the focus was on efficiency. A product needed to be efficient or at least give the impression of being efficient. Which though lacked consideration for the people working there, quite honestly was a damned site better than the child slave labor time of the industrial revolution. So clearly consideration for the worker has been an issue for a couple of hundred years already. Finally we have come to the point to realise that a happy worker is a better worker and that their feelings are important to the success of a company. Furniture producers have picked up on this and are now considering such products that put the workers feelings first. Vitra have as usual created some beautiful brochures and out lined their most recent work place theory ‘Net and Nest’. Products that consider the ‘personal space’ of the workers at the same time as the communal advantages of open space offices, Networking, ‘Net’ and areas to retreat to, they call Nesting’. Creating areas of concentration, privacy, even relaxation. A concept which many companies still find hard to value in the workplace. The consideration for sensual pleasure can also be found in textures and material choices, arm pads of many office chairs are made to be squeezed, allowing us relieve some work related stress. Stephen Burk’s sofa ‘Pleat’ for Modus was conceived with a tactile quality that invited you to stroke the texture of the pleated fabric subconsciously giving a calming feel. Bellini’s headline office chair for Vitra has a connection with the body that feels natural. The soft adapting backrest moulds organically to our form allowing us a range of movement to relieve stresses, sit ergonomically correct and importantly feel well. The machine like aesthetic of office chairs was a worrying period for Mario Bellini, a period that started when computers first became important in the office place. The role of the office worker became that of a computer operator, fixing a person to an anthropometric position designed to work efficiently with little consideration of how the worker may feel. Always something that Bellini was fighting against as we saw with his office chair for Vitra named ‘Persona’. He describes the personal relationship that we have with seating giving its parts the same names as human parts like the back, feet and arms. When making ‘Persona’ Bellini dressed the chair, giving it a belt where the body bends and clothes you can take off and wash. His concepts stem from a belief that when relating to an object we relate to our system of knowledge, knowledge we began accumulating from the moment we were born through, grabbing all things around us analyzing them and probably sticking them in our mouths. Sensory knowledge is built up from all our experiences be them sound, sight, touch, taste or smell. Designing the work place with consideration of our senses can take us further than visual, acoustic and tactile influences. As we read in Onoffice issue 11, companies working with Yasmine Mahmoudieh will see scent branding, office spaces will not only have climate control controlling the temperature and moisture in the air, but scent too. According to Yasmine, furniture manufacturer Beyon has shown interest in a fragrance that enhances efficiency and concentration to help people feel awake. Will this mean scented furniture? And actually, would that be such a surprise? So in this world of sensual bombardment how do we withdraw, relax our senses and end our day? Mike Mieré’s ‘Energetic Recovery System’ made in 2004 for German bathroom company Dornbracht shed some light on the future of a sensually complete world. A system built of six stages designed to take you through a process of physical and mental cleansing which through water light and air, will connect the physical with the spiritual part of the body. At first glance it’s a glass tube in the middle of a forest with a shower, light display and a sleeping bag on a concrete slab. When considered seriously you can see the almost church like quality. A mind and body cleanser of the cacophony of sensual intellectual content in our modern man made world, leaving us free of input allowing our five senses to shut down and sleep before restarting another day. http://www.jonathanprestwich.com/More-of-what-we-want http://www.jonathanprestwich.com/following/jonathanprestwich.com/More-of-what-we-want Fri, 11 Mar 2011 11:11:33 +0000 www.JonathanPrestwich.com 1158451 more of what we want What will the future bring? Well I hope it brings us more of what we want. Wouldn’t we all like to fly off on more holidays, take private transport, have a big tele, leave lights on around the house, leave music on, have boiling hot water at the ready, get rid of the stuff we have gone off and buy something new. We should follow our flights of fancy and explore our needs and desires. Unfortunately if we do that today we will destroy the Earth, so my vision for future technology would be to find ways to make this possible with no negative implications. The digital media market is a great example of giving the consumer what he wants when he wants it. With TV on demand, digital cameras and the itunes store, the value of the end product has been reduced to content or information, demanding no physical form in transit from artist to consumer. Giving us the option to buy as many albums as we wish, download films, take as many pictures without them ever having to take shape in the physical world. Giving us more choice and control than ever before, more satisfaction with no waste. Visiting the Science museum’s current ‘plasticity’ exhibition in London, the progress of digital media and the potential for the product industry becomes obvious. On show, 3D printers for the home that given the right information could produce themselves! Some machines look very basic, a CNC controlled nozzle dripping molten plastic to build a product that could be used (or not) then thrown back into the melter to start again. A process far more primitive in product quality than selective laser sintering or stereolitography, but showing a clean production and potential to instantly re-use the material. Far from useful as it works today, but as with all world-changing inventions, inevitably they get better and faster. <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/1158451/02b.jpg" border="0" width="292" height="567" width_o="292" height_o="567" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/1158451/02b_o.jpg" align="left" /> So how about a 3D printer and recycler in every home! Imagine going to the local supermarket, produce is held in strong packaging designed with no compromise, you can take as many of their strong plastic bags as you feel you need. When you get home, nothing goes in the bin but straight in to your home recycler topping up your plastic supply to make you an ottoman to put your feet up! Suddenly waste is not an issue and all our materialistic desires can be realised! So shall we sit on pantone chairs tonight or download the latest Jamie Hayon interior? No washing up to be done, just chuck the cutlery and plates in the recycler and make new ones tomorrow. <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/1158451/04b.jpg" border="0" width="481" height="340" width_o="481" height_o="340" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/1158451/04b_o.jpg" align="left" /> Product companies will become a base of 3D product files. MGX in Belgium have already begun working with designers on just this. They have a product line consisting of furniture and lighting designed specifically to be produced by 3D printers. Creating products unlike any other that use traditional production techniques, with functional objects looking more like artists’ sculptures. With all the information of each product on one small digital file that could be exchanged over the internet in seconds. Just like the digital media industry, product companies can use their brand equity to make the transition in to the digital market. There will be technical hurdles but the main challenge, as we have learnt from existing internet companies will be maintaining brand confidence. The interface and purchase experience will replace the production quality and showroom. A sensual, pleasurable experience of the highest quality will be demanded. <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/1158451/05b.jpg" border="0" width="429" height="340" width_o="429" height_o="340" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/1158451/05b_o.jpg" align="left" /> So what does this mean for the design of tomorrow? New materials and production techniques create new epochs in design, and this time will be no exception. Designers work within the parameters of the material and process they are using, in the case of 3D printing formally there are no constraints. Work made specifically for 3D printers show us how designers are initially exploring this technique, creating an array of intricate and expressive forms, which mainly appear to be grown rather than produced. And they are just touching the surface. The sensual experience with the product will become more important, not just a movement but the way something moves, the touch, the sound a product makes. How the product works closer to the human form, relates to our senses and emotions. The nature of this technique allows us to use an extreme level of detail that designers have never had the freedom to use before, allowing us to explore more intricate structures, to get one step closer to the beauty and intelligence of nature. <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/1158451/01b.jpg" border="0" width="358" height="454" width_o="358" height_o="454" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/1158451/01b_o.jpg" align="left" /> Designer Patrick Jouin has used the ability to place a form within a form to create a repeated articulating joint that is made in one shot. The name of the product is ‘one_shot’, an intricate stool that can be folded with a fluid motion. Having strong influences from nature, looking very complex but with an understandable presence, the quality of the product lies in its level of design, material stress engineering and 3d generated model. The most important advance however of this technique will be the advantages to the average man in the street. The 80’s brought us disposable products and now we will have regeneratable products… recyclable products… reconstructable products... or something... with hygienic advantages, guaranteed quality, and always a product made to fit the users exact specifications, requirements and desire. A brand new toothbrush every time you brush your teeth made for the specifics of your mouth and hand, a leg splint made to a 3d scan of your leg, flip-flops to fit your exact foot shape, a bike helmet optimised for your personal safety, self designed jewellery, false teeth, a fully working model car! Limitless advantages at no detriment to the environment, more choice, more convenience, things will cost less and be better. Now we can really start getting what we want. <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/1158451/01b.jpg" border="0" width="358" height="454" width_o="358" height_o="454" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/1158451/01b_o.jpg" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/1158451/02b.jpg" border="0" width="292" height="567" width_o="292" height_o="567" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/1158451/02b_o.jpg" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/1158451/04b.jpg" border="0" width="481" height="340" width_o="481" height_o="340" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/1158451/04b_o.jpg" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/1158451/05b.jpg" border="0" width="429" height="340" width_o="429" height_o="340" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/82937/1158451/05b_o.jpg" align="left" />