June 2013
Transport &
Technology special
Strap yourself in for our
jet-propelled new issue.
Soft landing guaranteed
The W* House / Chairs
'Rimini' sun lounger
Fredrikson Stallard / Driade
£1,853
What better way to celebrate summer's first dip in the pool than with a new sunlounger? Like a perfectly executed front-crawl, there's nothing superfluous about this one. Elevation is achieved with a simple lift and click; a visually pleasing basket weave peeks out from beneath the quick-drying padding; and a sturdy frame keeps the lounger stable. Until, that is, you need to move it to catch the sun, at which point the castored wheels practically turn on a dime.
Rocking chair
Marni / Marni
€300
As restful as it looks, there's nothing sleepy about the thinking behind this rocking chair. Commissioned by the fashion house Marni, it is part of a 100-piece collection handmade using coloured PVC threads woven on iron frames in 20 different styles by Colombian convicts-turned-artisans as part of a social rehabilitation project. Realised in vibrant colour schemes selected by Marni's creative team, the limited-edition assortment is available exclusively at Marni's via della Spiga boutique in Milan, with all proceeds benefiting ICAM, a Milanese charity that helps place the children of imprisoned women in safe family environments.
'Ping Pong Pang' chairs
Paolo Rizzatto / Serralunga
€215 each
One of summer's pleasures is the chance to enjoy the great outdoors and toss back a few well-shaken cocktails in the garden. Seeing as we like to do it with a bit of élan, these 'Ping Pong Pang' chairs are just the ticket and ensure we're sitting pretty. Created by the Milanese architect and interior designer Paolo Rizzatto, the chairs come in a candy-store palette of hues. But more to the point, they're extremely comfortable, thanks to the moulded curvature of the seat and back, which also facilitates drainage. Made of 100 per cent recyclable plastic, the alliterative seats are coated with a special UV-blocking resin for a durable, all-weather finish.
404 chair
Stefan Diez / Thonet
£348
German company Thonet is a living example of the old adage that if it ain't broke don't fix it. Nearly two hundred years after Michael Thonet started the company, it's still run by a fifth generation namesake and still plying considerably good trade on Mr. Thonet’s original bentwood innovation. The latest chapter is one of their cleverest yet. Courtesy of German designer Stefan Diez, the 404 is made of just six pieces of wood and no other material. Four bentwood parts are knotted together and held in place by a curved plywood seat without the need for screws or glue of any kind. And quite aside from looking the Thonet part, the curved back and seat make for a remarkably comfortable addition to their fold.
Rotterdam chair
Hella Jongerius / Vitra
Price awaiting confirmation
Hella Jongerius speaks of her home city Rotterdam as a 'sturdy working city' with a 'don't talk just do attitude' and these are exactly the kind of qualities she wanted to replicate in her latest chair for Vitra. The 'Rotterdam' chair, as it has become known, may be a classic, robust wooden stacking chair that screams of functionality but through the combination of solid wood construction, plywood seat and translucent coloured inlays it also manages to emanate Jongerius' bold and convivial signature style.
Back chair
Patricia Urquiola / B&B Italia
Price awaiting confirmation
The geometric shape of the seat means this chair throws up a fine silhouette from whichever angle you care to look, which contrasts perfectly with the naughty glamour of the zip that 'binds' its front and back faces.
Brio chairs
Mikiya Kobayashi /
Prototype
Mixing a vintage look with splashes of modernity has the potential to go so very wrong. But Mikiya Kobayahi pitched it perfectly with his 'Brio' Chair. The wicker backrest played on our heart strings reminding us of Marcel Breuer's much loved Cesca chair, while the thin white metal legs and coloured felt seat hark to a more contemporary age. Not surprisingly we weren't the only ones who picked up on the design, Kobayashi can't reveal too much but nods to the fact that there are currently at least two companies very keen on producing it. Keep a sharp eye on his website for further details.
About The W* House
We thought it only fair to throw open the doors to The W* House and share with you our wealth of experience in the design world. From cutlery to cupboards, pots to plumbing, The W* House features our favourite pieces of design from around the globe, room by room. We'll update them every time we find something new we like, building the collection into an archive for as long as the pieces are for sale. Practicality isn't often a buzzword at the Wallpaper* HQ, but when it comes to sharing our finds we wanted to keep things simple, letting you furnish your house the Wallpaper* way, with the click of a mouse.
