While some products are designed to blend into their surroundings, others are built to stand out. The latter is the case for this week’s collection of product finds. From a pendant whose curves are inspired by Elizabethan-era ruff collars to a single-surface wireframe chair, these selections make architectural elements out of standard geometric forms. Plus: a modular playground that’s a little out of this world.
Parabola Chair, Carlo Aiello
Los Angeles-based product designer
Carlo Aiello used a minimal metal frame to support a chair whose structural complexity is offset by its clean lines and symmetry. A one-piece, wireframe surface comprises Parabola’s arm and back rest, as well as the seat. Made from chrome-plated steel, the chair curves in two directions to create its namesake shape—a hyperbolic paraboloid.
carloaiello.com
Paraaf, Global Lighting
Created from a single strip of stainless steel, this curvy light fixture is inspired by the flourishes found on the ruff collars of Elizabethan times. Designed by Netherlands-based designer Jacco Maris for
Global Lighting, Paraaf is 27-1/2” wide by 5-1/8” tall by 17 ½” deep. It uses two 75W incandescent lamps.
globallighting.com
Manhattan Collection, Imagine Tile New York is the type of place where visitors can wander for days, discovering the culture of the city’s unique neighborhoods from which Imagine Tile’s Manhattan Collection draws inspiration. For example, the Gramercy pattern is inspired by the Gramercy Park Hotel. Available in 8” squares—other sizes are also offered—the tiles are suited for commercial, hospitality, and residential use. imaginetile.com
Apps, Artifort
Square icons with rounded corners are familiar to nearly every smartphone user. That geometry also forms the basis for Apps, a seating collection by Dutch designer Richard Hutten for
Artifort. Apps is available in both one- and two-person versions, with the first measuring 90cm wide and the second 144cm wide. The chairs have a wooden internal frame and can be upholstered in one or two fabrics.
artifort.com
Pirce Mini Suspension, Artemide
The Pirce Mini is a smaller version of
Artemide’s fixture of the same namesake. Developed by Italian industrial designer Giuseppe Maurizio Scutellà, the Pirce Mini comprises a single piece of aluminum, cut to create a fixture that slopes gently downward, resulting in a series of spirals. Available in both ceiling and wall versions, the Pirce Mini uses a 300W halogen lamp and measures 27-9/16” tall by 26-3/8” inches wide.
artemide.us
UFOs, Berliner Seilfabrik
UFO may have an otherworldly name, but it is manufactured with the needs of the Earth—and little earthlings—in mind. German play equipment manufacturer
Berliner Seilfabrik created the playground equipment to withstand the wear and tear that inevitably accompanies horseplay, to minimize the need for replacement parts in the future. Made from aluminum and steel that are 85% and 70% recycled, respectively, the modular UFO challenges users mentally and physically with ropes and nodes that are ideal for small climbers.
berliner-playequipment.com
