Most projects warrant the inclusion of pieces with an inventive edge, but others require designers to take their creativity further. These finishes—from an energy-efficient designer lamp to a revitalized 1970s contract sofa—feature forms that are meant for prominent display. Plus, we’ve added one design object to showcase on your desk.
GIS, Christophe Delcourt for Avenue Road
A series of asymmetrically angled brass legs supports a trio of skewed pine slabs to form the surface of this console table from French designer Christophe Delcourt for Avenue Road, a furniture brand with locations in Toronto and New York. The legs are offered in a combination of three contrasting shades of brass while the table’s wood surface features a brown-brushed finish to give its contemporary form a rustic appearance. GIS measures 78.75” wide, 17” deep, and 29.5” tall.
Deep Tuft, Harvey Probber
M2L is reviving a selection of the late furniture designer Harvey Probber’s Modernist pieces, including the 1960 Architectural Series, the 1947 Sling Chair, and the 1972 Deep Tuft sectional sofa (shown). Through his firm, Harvey Probber Inc. (1945–1986), the designer helped to bring modular seating into the American home and, later, the contract market. Known for their elegant sculptural forms, refined details, and luxe finishes, Probber’s pieces are a touchstone of Modern furniture design. Deep Tuft features the proprietary urethane foam used in Probber’s original pieces, that does not sag or disintegrate. The sofa is offered with three modular units—a seat; a seat and back; and a seat, back, and arm.
Plumen 002, Hulger
London-based studio Hulger is out to craft a high-design, energy-efficient lamp with Plumen 002. Released more than three years after its neon-sign-inspired Plumen 001, which is now in the permanent collection at the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum in New York, the 2500K lamp is intended to replace 30W incandescents. “The change in lighting is enormous—billions of lamps are going to be changed in the next 10 years to energy-efficient technologies. That’s not just about a subtle product preference,” Hulger co-founder Nicolas Roope told ARCHITECTURAL LIGHTING. “It’s a great moment because there’s so much conversation. It’s the moment when brands are made.” The non-dimmable lamp measures 6.29" tall, 2.55" wide, and 2.59" deep. The company wraps up its crowd-funding campaign on Kickstarter in early February.
Dream Chair, Tadao Ando for Carl Hansen & Søn
Renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando, Hon. FAIA, swapped reinforced concrete for wood in this tribute piece to Carl Hansen & Søn founder Hans J. Wegner. “Wood is in our DNA, so of course we wanted to make it in wood,” says Jesper Bruun, director of research and development for the Danish furniture maker, in Residential Architect. The Dream Chair comprises a shell and base made from three-dimensional plywood veneer that is bent and curved along two axes. The chair measures 39.4” tall and 31.5” wide. Available in oak and walnut with optional upholstery in leather and fabric.
The Apollo, Apollo Pens
Recall life before CAD and BIM with a forthcoming drafting pen and architectural scale set whose Minimalist geometric form makes it worthy of a spot on—not in—your desk. The scale, crafted from a single block of aluminum, houses three titanium-and-stainless-steel pens whose modular components accommodate a variety of popular refill cartridges and Apollo-brand tips, including a stylus. The Apollo Pen and scale are the work of serial entrepreneurs Paul Blais and Pranay Kumar, who launched the design on the crowd-funding platform Kickstarter this fall. To date, they’ve raised $100,000 toward the pen’s production. Though not architects themselves, Blais and Kumar tested prototypes with design students and professors at Carlton University, in Ottawa, Canada, the duo’s hometown. “The whole idea of the pen is that it will last forever because of the materials,” Blais says. “You’ll always be able to use it. It’ll never be obsolete.” The first batch of pens—delivered to those who backed the crowd-funding campaign—are anticipated for delivery this month.
