Łódź Design Festival
Poland’s third largest city is offering first rate temptations
Now in its sixth year, Łódź Design Festival is firmly established as a key event on the trade fair calendar. The festival, held annually in October under the direction of Michał Piernikowski and Małgosia Żmijska (pictured), presents a wide spectrum of contemporary Polish design – industrial design, arts and crafts, graphic design, architecture and fashion – but its core message always comes via a thematic main programme consisting of curator exhibitions, events and lectures given by world renowned experts, which this year include Jurgen Bey and Deyan Sudjic.
This year also sees the return of the ‘Make Me!’ contest for young designers (we loved last year’s winner, Jan Lutyk’s ‘Ribbon’ stool), and a portfolio review which enables the students and graduates of art schools to debate their ideas with professionals, curators, designers and producers. And the rapidly developing Łódź (locals call it HollyŁódź) is also becoming a great place to visit. Be sure to check out David Lynch’s film studio and cultural centre in the old EC1 power station and the new underground railway station. www.lodzdesign.com
See more from our Polska supplement:
Design revealed
Architecture revealed
Interiors revealed
The project has been made possible with the support of the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, as part of the programme aimed at promoting Polish design worldwide www.culture.pl
Łódź Design Festival
Poland’s third largest city is offering first rate temptations
Now in its sixth year, Łódź Design Festival is firmly established as a key event on the trade fair calendar. The festival, held annually in October under the direction of Michał Piernikowski and Małgosia Żmijska (pictured), presents a wide spectrum of contemporary Polish design – industrial design, arts and crafts, graphic design, architecture and fashion – but its core message always comes via a thematic main programme consisting of curator exhibitions, events and lectures given by world renowned experts, which this year include Jurgen Bey and Deyan Sudjic.
This year also sees the return of the ‘Make Me!’ contest for young designers (we loved last year’s winner, Jan Lutyk’s ‘Ribbon’ stool), and a portfolio review which enables the students and graduates of art schools to debate their ideas with professionals, curators, designers and producers. And the rapidly developing Łódź (locals call it HollyŁódź) is also becoming a great place to visit. Be sure to check out David Lynch’s film studio and cultural centre in the old EC1 power station and the new underground railway station. www.lodzdesign.com
See more from our Polska supplement:
Design revealed
Architecture revealed
Interiors revealed
The project has been made possible with the support of the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, as part of the programme aimed at promoting Polish design worldwide www.culture.pl
Keret House
A compact residence lodged in a crack between two Warsaw buildings
Measuring only 92cm at its narrowest point and 152cm at its widest, Keret House is the world’s slimmest residence. Located between two buildings – a pre-Second World War, brick structure on Żelazna Street and a concrete apartment block building on Chłodna Street – Keret House, built in 2012, was initially conceived as a controversial talking point by Jakub Szczesny, of architecture practice Centrala, during the Wola Art Festival in 2009.
The building now serves as a temporary home for travelling writers, starting with Israeli writer Etgar Keret. ‘We believe it will become a symbol of modern Warsaw, engrained in its complicated history. We hope it will show the most fascinating side of Warsaw,’ say project curators Sarmen Beglarian and Sylwia Szymaniak of the Polish Modern Art Foundation.
‘The construction of living space within such a premise is impossible,’ explains the architect. ‘But Keret House is there to contradict that false image, simultaneously broadening the concept of impossible architecture.’ The house will remain in place for at least two years, but could end up staying for good. www.kerethouse.com
See more from our Polska supplement:
Design revealed
Architecture revealed
Interiors revealed
The project has been made possible with the support of the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, as part of the programme aimed at promoting Polish design worldwide www.culture.pl
Keret House
A compact residence lodged in a crack between two Warsaw buildings
Measuring only 92cm at its narrowest point and 152cm at its widest, Keret House is the world’s slimmest residence. Located between two buildings – a pre-Second World War, brick structure on Żelazna Street and a concrete apartment block building on Chłodna Street – Keret House, built in 2012, was initially conceived as a controversial talking point by Jakub Szczesny, of architecture practice Centrala, during the Wola Art Festival in 2009.
The building now serves as a temporary home for travelling writers, starting with Israeli writer Etgar Keret. ‘We believe it will become a symbol of modern Warsaw, engrained in its complicated history. We hope it will show the most fascinating side of Warsaw,’ say project curators Sarmen Beglarian and Sylwia Szymaniak of the Polish Modern Art Foundation.
‘The construction of living space within such a premise is impossible,’ explains the architect. ‘But Keret House is there to contradict that false image, simultaneously broadening the concept of impossible architecture.’ The house will remain in place for at least two years, but could end up staying for good. www.kerethouse.com
See more from our Polska supplement:
Design revealed
Architecture revealed
Interiors revealed
The project has been made possible with the support of the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, as part of the programme aimed at promoting Polish design worldwide www.culture.pl
Fera bikes’ bamboo model
A single-speed bike made of natural fibres
Fera Bikes is a small, independent Warsaw-based outfit designing and manufacturing bicycles on request. Most of its two-wheeled portfolio is American-inspired; beach cruisers and choppers, with some fixed gear and Dutch sit-up-and-beg styles, all of which can be made to the customer’s tastes, colours and preferences. Wallpaper’s favourite model is Fera’s newest, the Bambusowy Rower, left, a single-speed bike made of natural bamboo and hemp fibre.
‘The majority of the raw materials used in the production of the frame are completely natural,’ says the Fera team. ‘Bamboo is incredibly strong and ideal for making bikes. Key elements of the framework are supplemented with strengthening carbon fibre. The Bambusowy Rower has a unique and striking appearance that has fascinated and puzzled every connoisseur of cycling.’ Including us. www.fera-bikes.com
See more from our Polska supplement:
Design revealed
Architecture revealed
Interiors revealed
The project has been made possible with the support of the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, as part of the programme aimed at promoting Polish design worldwide www.culture.pl
Fera bikes’ bamboo model
A single-speed bike made of natural fibres
Fera Bikes is a small, independent Warsaw-based outfit designing and manufacturing bicycles on request. Most of its two-wheeled portfolio is American-inspired; beach cruisers and choppers, with some fixed gear and Dutch sit-up-and-beg styles, all of which can be made to the customer’s tastes, colours and preferences. Wallpaper’s favourite model is Fera’s newest, the Bambusowy Rower, left, a single-speed bike made of natural bamboo and hemp fibre.
‘The majority of the raw materials used in the production of the frame are completely natural,’ says the Fera team. ‘Bamboo is incredibly strong and ideal for making bikes. Key elements of the framework are supplemented with strengthening carbon fibre. The Bambusowy Rower has a unique and striking appearance that has fascinated and puzzled every connoisseur of cycling.’ Including us. www.fera-bikes.com
See more from our Polska supplement:
Design revealed
Architecture revealed
Interiors revealed
The project has been made possible with the support of the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, as part of the programme aimed at promoting Polish design worldwide www.culture.pl
