1 Bower at Sight Unseen OFFSITE
No it’s not a door – it’s a mirror, and one of many playful objects crafted by Bower, a newish New York design studio run by Danny Giannella and Tammer Hijazi. The duo describe their process as that “happy place of experimenting and exploring a detail without being sure how it will manifest itself in the end.” That curiosity-seeking spirit – of finding something new in the familiar – seems to characterize many of the pieces being featured at Site Unseen OFFSITE, where over 60 studios have been handpicked by the show’s curators, Kokoro & Moi.
On view May 13 to 16, Grace Building, 15F, 1114 Avenue of the Americas.
2 Muuto at Designjunction Edit
The Copenhagen-based manufacturer is one of 30 European brands and cutting-edge enterprises on hand at Designjunction Edit, a smaller version of London’s largest off-site expo held each year during London Design Week. Muuto will debut Control by Stockholm’s TAF Architects, a minimalistic lamp that pays tribute to old Hi-Fi equipment. The light switches on and off with a heavy click of the knob, which also regulates the bulb’s intensity. Other items of note at the show: furniture by Artek, textiles by Anne Kyyrö Quinn and Bokara Rugs.
Taking place May 13 to 15 at Art Beam, 540 W 21st St.
3 Michael Anastassiades’ Flos installation at ABC Home
More often than not, lighting designs are all about the fixture, with the cord trailing along the floor as though an unfortunate necessity or afterthought. That’s not the case in many of Michael Anastassiades’ masterful luminaires that turn cords into vital elements for creating atmospheric spaces. At ABC Home, Flos is presenting an installation by Anastassiades titled The Story of the String Lights, where the evolution of his lights, from concept to original drawings to final renderings will be part of the exhibit.
ABC Home, at 888 Broadway at E 19th St, will host a reception and talk on May 13.
4 Leong Leong installation at Sight Unseen OFFSITE
Besides hosting a curated exhibition during NYCxDesign, the popular design blog Sight Unseen has invited New York architecture firm Leong Leong to create Topo, an immersive and experiential landscape that turns a flowing field of more than 1,000 foam rollers into “a kind of musical instrument, using acoustic actuators to pick up ambient sounds and translate them into a sonic soundscape.” With mirrors lining the installation, the overall effect distorts perceptions of distance, scale, and space.
May 13 to 16, Grace Building 15th Floor, 1114 Avenue of the Americas.
5 The Bouroullec brothers at the Vitra & Axor showroom
It’s already been a busy year for the Bouroullec brothers, who have rolled out an impressive number of new products from their still relatively modest Paris studio, including a television set designed for Samsung that looks like a fabulous piece of furniture. The brothers will be on hand for the North American launch of four new products by four manufacturers: Artek, Axor, Nanimarquina and Vitra. The novelties will be part of a special installation designed by Ronan and Erwan.
On view on three levels at the Vitra & Axor showroom in the Meatpacking District, 29 9th Ave.
6 Handmade Industrials and Ventura New York at WantedDesign Manhattan
WantedDesign has two locations: one in Manhattan, at The Tunnel; the other in Brooklyn’s Industry City – the epicentre for many of burgeoning studios. Both shows promise to be packed, with both established brands set up alongside up-and-comers and programming that includes dozens of events, talks and exhibits.
One such showcase is by Ventura Lambrate, a must-see Milan Design Week event for spotting young designers fresh out of school. At WantedDesign Manhattan, the curators present a selection of 14 emerging Dutch talents worth knowing about. Included in the lineup are Handmade Industrials of The Hague, who created these colourful and wonky vases – the Make&Mold RYB collection – using a flexible mould and bio-degradable polymers.
WantedDesign Manhattan takes place May 13 to 16, 11th Avenue, between 27th and 28th streets.
7 Bjarke Ingels and Kibis for Fritz Hansen
One of the most intriguing projects to open in Manhattan of late is Bjarke Ingels’ VIA 57th West, a trapezoid residential building at 625 W 57th St. Shaped like a mountain peak – as so many of BIG’s buildings are – this most-desired-building-in-NYC features rental units with balconies that simultaneously face onto a communal courtyard and across the Hudson River. Working with Fritz Hansen, Bjarke Ingels and Kibisi have designed a lounge chair specifically for and named after the building. The chair, yet to be unveiled, will be on display at the Fritz Hansen booth at ICFF.
8 Lee Broom at Broom off Broome
British product and interior designer Lee Broom is set to unveil his own store in New York. Named Broom off Broome (for its location off Broome Street in Soho, at 63 Greene Street), the pop-up shop opens its doors for one month, starting May 12. This is Broom’s first retail venture in North America and for the occasion he is releasing a new lighting product to be presented alongside 50 pieces from his existing collections, including the Hanging Hoop Chair, the Drunken side table, and one of his best known pieces, the Crystal Bulb.
9 Yabu Pushelberg’s new furniture line for Linteloo
The studio doors of Yabu Pushelberg will be open on the evening of May 14 to visitors hoping to get a first glimpse at Heath & Oiseau, the inaugural collaboration between the interior design studio and the Dutch manufacturer Linteloo. Not surprisingly, the collection, which consists of soft seating and bookcases, is a lot like so many of YP’s five-star hotel and luxury retail interiors: a tasteful combo of modern elegance and timelessness.
YP, located at 88 Prince Street, welcomes visitors on May 14, 6-9pm.
10 Moroso at WantedDesign Manhattan
At WantedDesign Manhattan, Moroso will have its brilliant M’Afrique collection on full display. The collection is upholstered in fabrics from Senagal. Other exhibitors at the Manhattan location include Cappellini, Alessi, Anderson + Voll and Dear Human.