One of the more surprising pieces at Design Miami/ Basel last week was a see-saw by Tom Foulsham. When two people sat perfectly balanced at either end, it could be made to slowly revolve using only the power of their breathing - or for a slightly wilder ride, a hairdryer. It attracted a good deal of attention and enquiries from collectors (and their kids) even before its official unveiling, but according to Foulsham, it's still really a work in progress.
Foulsham, who is based in London, trained at the Royal College of Art and is one of this year’s three recipients of the W Hotels Designers of the Future Award, now in its third year. With Philippe Malouin and Markus Kayser making up the trio, the full installation was one of the highlights of the Design Miami/ Basel fair. Responding to the brief 'From Spark to Finish', the designers all created new works for the show that highlighted the creative process.
In recognising innovative and emerging design studios, the award seeks to provide the designers with a global platform to showcase their work, while also developing working relationships between the W brand and the winners that will later play out in their rapidly-increasing portfolio of properties. Picked by an international jury of especially clued-up design experts, the list of past recipients includes Asif Khan and Mischer'Traxler (winners of the 2011 award) and Raw-Edges.
Markus Kayser, a German-born designer who also studied at the Royal College in London and has already been headhunted by MIT, garnered much attention for his astounding graduate project, the Solar Sinter - a machine powered by the sun’s rays, which melts sand and 'prints' it into glass objects using rapid prototyping technology. His project for W is called Lightzeit, and explores ways in which the ever-changing qualities of natural light can be harnessed artifically.
A minimal light installation comprising tubular lights and globes, the intensity and colour temperature of the space changes according to the time of day and geographic location, reconnecting it to the natural rhythm. It can also be set manually, making it a perfect jetlag remedy that W might want to look at installing in its rooms.
Philippe Malouin’s project - one of the more photogenic pieces in the fair - is called Daylight. A series of 'artificial windows' inspired by plantation shutters, in the familiar geometric shapes that make up a Tangram, the shutters contain an artificial light source designed to mimick natural daylight and give the impression of a real window behind it. The light intensity can be adjusted by manipulating the angle of the shutters. Malouin, also London based, is originally from Canada, and studied at the Design Academy Eindhoven.
In Foulsham's space, the 'Go-Round' see-saw is joined by a number of other fascinating balancing acts. Among them is an up-side-down toy giraffe, its entire body weight delicately balanced via a cantelevered system on the nose of a whale. A tiny propeller powers it with the momentum to spin slowly around. Like all of his pieces on show though, it's continuously evolving: Foulsham says he is already in the process of building a life-sized version back in London. Watch this space - because at this rate these three designers will need a lot of it.
Foulsham talks us through his projects
The designer and the accessories of 'Go-Round': a 'balloon dress' and hairdryers
'Daylight' is a series of 'artificial windows' that contain a light source designed to mimick natural daylight
Inspired by plantation shutters, the 'windows' are in the familiar geometric shapes that make up a Tangram
German-born Markus Kayser, who has already been headhunted by the MIT, exhibited his project titled 'Lightzeit'
'Lightzeit' explores ways in which natural light can be harnessed artifically. A minimal light installation, it comprises tubular lights and globes. The intensity and colour temperature of the space changes according to the time of day and geographic location
-
Hassan Hajjaj's vibrant portraits put Moroccan women at the centre of the storyFor more than three decades, the visual artist has been making portraits that centre Moroccan culture, albeit through a subversive lens. Now, an exhibition in Toronto explores the sporty facet of his portraits
-
A new exhibition interrogates the spectacle of the runway show: ‘Fashion shows are image machines’The first show at Basel’s Vitra Design Museum dedicated to fashion, ‘Catwalk: The Art of the Fashion Show’ guides us from the silent Paris salon to the raucous digital spectacle of the present day
-
Projection made simple courtesy of Vibe One, the first offering from XGIMI’s new sub-brandVibe by XGIMI wants to bring projection to the masses, with a debut product that simplifies and streamlines the art of conjuring up cinema wherever you happen to be
-
With a secret members’ club, this Washington, DC barbershop is a ‘theatre of self-care’At Manifest 002, come for a haircut; stay for the boldly hued social spaces designed by INC Architecture & Design
-
Step inside a ‘dream desert sanctuary’ tucked into Moab's rust-red landscapeSusannah Holmberg designed this home to harmonise with the extreme climate and dramatic surroundings of Utah’s Moab desert. 'The landscape is everything'
-
Nicole Hollis launches a collection of home objects ‘rooted in mindfulness’The American interior designer worked with artists, makers and artisans to create objects for the home, emphasising materiality and visual simplicity
-
USM furniture turns shelter in a New York exhibition‘The Room You Carry’ by interior design studio Loveisenough examines the space between order and wilderness, indoors and outdoors
-
A Miami pied-à-terre channels Art Deco glamour and endless summerInterior designer Olga Malyev reimagines a South of Fifth apartment with bold colour, vintage treasures and a sunlit spirit that captures Miami’s timeless allure
-
This designer’s Montecito home – once a modest wood cabin – has been transformed into a charming sanctuaryOriginally built by architect Lutah Maria Riggs, this compact family home has been reimagined by another influential female designer – Tamara Honey of House of Honey – who has imbued the space with her signature touch
-
The owner of this restored Spanish Colonial home turned it into a gallery – with no social media allowedCasa Francis in LA is a private residence, but recently opened its doors to one member of the public at a time for an exhibition centred around domesticity
-
This Manhattan apartment and studio is a shrine to artThis New York artist's home is both comfortable and flexible, acting as a studio and a showcase for his work and collected pieces. We take a tour for our interiors series, The Inside Story
