Gyöngy Laky now at DZINE

DZINE in collaboration with Cain Schulte Contemporary Art is pleased to present Gyöngy Laky.

Gyöngy Laky presents a series of work examining our complex relationship with nature.  Sculptural vessels are made of painted and stained branches and twigs combined with screws, nails, and wires.  The organic essence of the natural wood contrasted with the spiky industrial elements draws upon the ambivalence of the natural and artificial, organic and industrial, and encapsulates co-existing feelings of violence and serenity, aggression and sanctuary.

Born in Budapest, Hungary, in 1944, Gyöngy Laky studied at UC Berkeley where she earned both her B.A. and M.A. degrees (B.A., 1970 and M.A., 1971). She has exhibited in museums and galleries throughout the United States and internationally in France, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Holland, Switzerland, Hungary, Lithuania, Colombia, the Philippines, China, and England.

A past recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship, and a Professor Emeritus at the University of California, Davis, Laky’s work is in museum collections in Europe and the United States, including the San Francisco MOMA, The Smithsonian’s Renwick Museum of American Art, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Oakland Museum, and the Contemporary Museum in Honolulu.

An artist, academic and activist (all encouraged during studies at UC Berkeley), I engage subjects of particular and on-going concern to me using hand constructions as my primary vehicle of expression. I build pieces in the architectural spectrum. Environmental concerns are obvious in my sculptures and temporary site-specific works composed of orchard, park and street tree prunings from the tons of debris available as growers and gardeners trim and dump (or burn). With these exquisite hardwoods, I play with the question, “What is waste?” What is, and is not, garbage or is considered useless, is both intriguing and problematic. The specific choices I make selecting materials and structuring forms allow me to experiment with intent and attitude, extending and altering possible responses. The juxtapositions of screws and branches or toothpicks and charcoal, address the edgy relationships and flux of human interactions with nature. With language works, incorporating words and/or signs, I borrow from the concrete poets and their visual poetry -- that physical attributes, pattern or arrangement enhances meaning. Transforming wall works and basketry into vessels for meaning lends itself to associating pieces with issues beyond just my worry about the rising threat to our environment. The word/symbol works, particularly, have allowed me to present more strongly the activist part of my life associated with such concerns as gender equity, diversity, economic upheaval and, after March of 2003, with my opposition to militarism and our wasteful and tragic wars. I support the Occupy Wall Street movement.

Below are more of Gyöngy Laky's works.

Gyöngy Laky working in her studio on her words collection piece "NO".

To check out her website go here.

Somnium: The Mattress with Benefits

These days, only 25 percent of Americans get the eight nightly hours recommended for peak performance.  Make sure you are among those that make the most out of their precious zzzzzs.

The creators of Somnium are obsessed with good sleep.  Of all the things you can do on a mattress, they believe sleep is by far the most exciting. After hearing the Somnium story, they've got DZINE convinced they are the best thing for a good nights sleep.

Below are four good reasons why their patented elastomer springs, European design and ergonomic technology made in the United States will perform better for you than any other technology.

Lightweight technologies improve our lives everywhere: From the graphite tennis racket to titanium car parts and now the Somnium elastomer spring. Just like those other lightweight innovations, Somnium has improved upon the original and created the product's best version yet. Eliminating the heavy metal coils and unnecessary bulk allowed Somnium to build a sleek 8-inch profile mattress with outstanding support at a fraction of its predecessor's weight.

Somnium is proud to be one of the coolest mattresses around. Though in their case being cool doesn't even take much effort, since it's all in design. And it's all about the air. Every part of their mattress has been designed to create a well-vented and temperature-controlled environment. Because sleeping at the right temperature equals better comfort. Because their elastomer springs don't need additional filling materials for comfort air can circulate freely inside the core.

Somnium spring only have the moves for you. And that's assuring to know when sleeping next to a restless partner. On a Somnium bed you will never feel any motion transfer. The design of the springs is the antidote to this unkindest of all chain reactions. Connected with each other at the center - rather than top and bottom in the manner traditional coils have done for centuries - each of the springs moves individually allowing you to move without disturbing your partner.

Every component of a Somnium mattress can be recycled or re-purposed once you are ready to part with it again. That's how they see to it that saving the world in your sleep is possible after all. Used mattresses are a huge problem in landfills because they are hard to break down and sheer impossible to dismantle. Somnium begs to differ. Their covers simply zip off so the fibers can be recycled and the soy-blend foam can easily be stripped away to be turned into yoga mats, insulation or carpet underlay.  Even their high-tech springs enjoy a useful afterlife: Once ground up, their high-quality elastomer is reborn as a kid's toy.

Sleeping in style has never been this easy - or this good for you!

Maarten chair by Victor Carrasco

The 'Maarten' chair designed by Spanish designer Victor Carrasco, for the furniture manufacturer Viccarbe, was designed as a tribute to the late Belgian designer Maarten van Severen. 






















This swivel chair was designed for both the home and for public spaces.  It's lacquered steel tube structure and carefully made, elegant, upholstered seat recall the classics of the '70's.

'Maarten' is available in a large range of finishes to adapt to different environments.






























The 'Maarten' chair premiered at this years Salone del Mobile.

New Window Display at DZINE

Published on dwell.com

June 01–September 09

Dzine, 128 Utah Street, San Francisco, California

If you find yourself in the San Francisco design district be sure to stop by DZINE, where a new display by Gensler featuring the FLOS Minikelvin lamp is brightening its storefront. The display is entitled "Light, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness" and features cutouts of an elephant and donkey surrounded by a heart-shaped series of the Antonio Citterio–designed lamps in what Collin Burry, Principal at Gensler, describes as "a big bipartisan smooch." In addition to the Minikelvin, DZINE stocks the Piani, D’E-Light, and Miniteca by FLOS.

More info: dzinestore.com

You can find the original article here.

Gensler SF Curates FLOS Window Display at DZINE

officenewswire


5.30.12 | San Francisco, CA | DZINE, San Francisco’s leading retailer of high-end, modern furniture, is pleased to announce a new window display curated by Gensler SF in the FLOS section of the showroom. Collin Burry, Principal at Gensler SF, led the team and selected FLOS’s new Minikelvin LED lamp, designed by Antonio Citterio, for the display entitled “Light, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.” The design represents the political ideal of the Republican and Democratic parties working together to lead the country more efficiently.

“DZINE, FLOS and Gensler help put the symbols of the political parties, elephant and donkey, head to head in a big ol’ bipartisan smooch,” said Burry. “What better way to illuminate this lovely union than a heart of Minikelvins, a light source for all no matter your affiliation.”

The Minikelvin LED lamp is a pint-sized version of FLOS’s best-selling Kelvin LED lamp by Antonio Citterio. Featuring all of the technologically advanced aspects of its predecessor, the Kelvin LED, including an on/off switch with Soft Touch technology (touch sensor), light flow adjustment to 2 intensities (100%, 50% and 0%), an adjustable head and a fused aluminum alloy body in chrome, this mini version has an arm length of 11.81” and weighs just 1.76 lbs.

“We are thrilled to have Collin Burry and the Gensler SF team contribute this latest design to the FLOS window, incorporating FLOS’s Minikelvin LED lamp,” said Cardenio Petrucci, Co-owner of DZINE. “Gensler selected a very apropos theme for the display, which will be debuted prior to the anticipation of the presidential election.”

DZINE will unveil the new window display at a private event on Wednesday, May 30^th, 2012 from 5:30-6:30 pm at their showroom (128 Utah St., at Alameda St.). Burry and other Gensler SF team members will be on hand at the event to answer any questions about the display.

Gensler SF team in front of their window display entitled “Light, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.”


FLOS opened its San Francisco store inside the DZINE showroom in November 2011 with FLOS classics such as Arco, Taraxacum and Toio by Castiglioni, as well as new favorites such as the elegant Wallpiercing, part of the Soft Architecture line, the simplistic Lightspring and La Linea, and the inventive Miniteca table lamp, all designed by Gilad; the Ktribe by Philippe Starck; Glo-Ball by Jasper Morrison; Skygarden and Zeppelin suspension lamps by Marcel Wanders and, of course, Antonio Citterio’s Kelvin LED and Minikelvin LED lamps. The initial FLOS window display featured the Piani lamp by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec and was designed by renowned interior designer Nicole Hollis.

Read original article here.

Shigeru Ban - 10-Unit System

Shigeru Ban, born in 1957 in Tokyo, Japan, is an internationally recognized Japanese architect. He has been a pioneer in applying the principles of sustainable development to architectural design. Shigeru Ban’s architecture emphasises refinement and a highly developed innovativeness, especially in materials technologies. His original and bold approach to the use of paper, cardboard and bamboo as construction materials, combined with a clean-lined and contemporary architectural aesthetic, has made him one of the most important architects of our time.

Artek New York (2009)


Shigeru Ban studied at the Southern California Institute of Architecture and later on in the Cooper Union’s School of Architecture. Ban graduated in 1984 after which he started his own practice in 1985.

Artek in Milan (2009)


Shigeru Ban can be described as a modernist, experimentalist as well as a rationalist. The architect is most famous for his innovative work with paper tubes as a material for building construction. Ban’s architecture has strong influences from his interest in humanitarianism. Shigeru Ban is concerned with building as a whole, and is not interested only in so-called beautiful architecture: providing assistance in coping with catastrophes is just as important to him. Shigeru Ban’s DIY Refugee shelters (used for example in Japan after the Kobe earthquake, in Turkey and in Rwanda) have proved very effective for disaster relief housing. Ban knows that simple solutions are often the most difficult to develop –especially when using inexpensive materials.

Shigeru Ban’s major works include among many other things the Japanese Pavilion at the Hannover Expo 2000 and the new Centre Georges Pompidou in Metz, which is expected to be completed in 2009. In 2007, Shigeru Ban designed the Artek Pavilion, “The Space of Silence”, for the Salone del Mobile. Ban’s 10-UNIT SYSTEM for Artek is launched in Milan 2009.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Artek in Miami (2009)


The 10-Unit System is comprised of 10 wood plastic composite L-shaped units. The 10 L-units in a system can be used to assemble several items, including a chair, a stool and a frame for a table. By combining more L-units you are able to create new furniture pieces, such as benches.

Kartell Work In Project - Video story from Salone 2012

The below video features Kartell's display at this years Salone del Mobile. The theme for their display focuses on explaining the culture of the Kartell project through the development and evolution of their products. A number of Kartell's collaborating designers discuss their ideas behind the new products introduced at the Salone del Mobile and their process with Kartell from project to product.