Monday, June 25, 2012

dwell design at the Los Angeles Convention Center



























Last week, I was in the domain of a modernist design icon - the Eames
house in Pacific Palisades. This week, I entered the world of a highly 
successful commercial enterprise which purports to represent modernist 
design. Based on my blog, I was able to obtain a media pass to the
dwell show at the Los Angeles Convention Center. (see above)

Having avoided shopping malls most of my adult life, I am a total novice
in the world of present day consumerism. When my wife Mary had a
specialty food business, I would help her set up at the food shows in New
York's Javits Convention Center. There, we were exposed to the underbelly
of the convention center world and learned how to cope with the mafia
controlled workforce there. In Milan, I had attended several big trade
furniture shows and was prepared for the worst - bad design promoted as
good design, with emphasis on commerce at a banal level.

Much to my surprise, I found "dwell on design" to be a reasonable
mix of some interesting designs, some blatantly commercial products
and some innovative designs offering real promise. "dwell magazine"

is a coherent and  tasteful presentation of living with modern. Much as
"Design Within Reach" has created a network of stores where many
 classic examples of modern furniture can be purchased along with work
by younger designers, "dwell magazine" has expanded knowledge of
modern design to broader audiences representing a younger generation.
My taste is more orthodox, so I am never going to be a big fan of popularized
consumer modern.

     

 




Perhaps most significant for me was the discovery of a
brilliant innovative design by students from Woodbury
    University School of Architecture. It is a universal joint
    system that offers incredible flexibility. It is not a replica
    of Buckminster Fuller's geodesic dome system; it goes
    beyond that by making it possible to create shapes of
    infinite variety.
 


    From left to right: Jesse Cabildo, Andre Gharakhanian, and
    Charles Ghiotto. Knowing of his interest in innovative design,
    I contacted Rolf Fehlbaum, head of VITRA furniture in Basel,
    Switzerland, hoping that he might have an interest in this
    innovative concept.






    As the owner of five "Artimede" lamps and four "Luceplan" lamps,
    I am partial to modern Italian lamps.  The "Koncept" LED lamps,
    made in Hong Kong, were a discovery. Selling in the range of
    $250, they are a great design at a great price.



     


    As a footnote, eleven year-old Kenneth Parel-Sewell's prize
    winning Lego house design was sheer delight, as was he.

1 comment:

  1. Really liking all these innovative and modern designs. Went for a official get together for all employees organized by our boss. One of the best convention center was booked and all the preparations done were impressive any ways. Had a great time with all.

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