Right now we are preparing the exhibition called Retrospective of the Light at Designblok in Prague. Our selection of lights from 1953 - 1989 by late czech designer Antonín Hepnar will be completed at the beginning of the next week. But visual style for the exhibition is ready now. Inspired by some of Hepnar`s lightning creations, we redesigned our logo into the simplified shape of a table lamp.
The seaplanes represent the specific branch of industrial and airplanes design. Models of the airplanes represent specific branch of airplanes design, too, as well as RC industry. These two disciplines meet each other in model of one of the best seaplanes ever designed, Macchi M33 by best Japanese RC label Kyosho.
Kyosho is a company producing all in RC scene including cars, airplanes, boats, robots and many others. Its airplanes are precise models of original vintage or contemporary machines. On the other hand, Macchi is a legend of flying of the first half of the last century. Famous for its speed records and victories in cult Schneider Trophy competitions, Macchi airplanes are the theme for not only this article.
Monoplane Macchi M33 was released in 1925 and at Schneider Trophy in Baltimore, USA had won the 3rd place. Nostalgic era of the seaplanes contests is reborn again in the Kyosho model from 2009.
Schneider Trophy is so interesting event that we prepare special articles and projects about it. Check it later...
In context of our exhibition Retrospective of the Light at Designblok 2010 next week, we have visited Hepnar`s studio many times. Designer, artist and woodworker lives in Čakovičky close to Prague in old remodeled barn. In the calm environment of his garden and studio he works on many difficult woodworking projects. Today he is most interested in sculpted bowls, which he steams to various abstract forms.
In his workshop, which you can see in one of our preceding post, too, is a really artistic atmosphere. Machines next to many prepared pieces of wood and vintage posters and drawings of Hepnar`s work make together a compact working space, which today still represents designer`s non defatigable mind and working enthusiasm.
Hepnar is working in wood since his graduation in 1953 at AAAD in Prague. For many years he was working in studio in Kaprová street next to the AAAD school, where he created most of his unique craft based designs in the field of home accessories, lightning or specially commissioned works for interiors and architecture. But after the big flood in Prague in 2001 he has relocated his own workshop to Čakovičky. Today he works there with the same creative assignment.
Photos by Jaroslav Moravec
The good fishing experiences wouldn`t be without the best stuff for it. Just now we discovered great products by traditional fishing company Rapala. The label was established in 1936 by Lauri Rapala in Finland. Since this time, the company became famous for the best lures. (about nice crafted lures later on the blog) Now we show here special fishing tools from contemporary production line of the company.
Carbide cutter insert easily cuts braided line, leaders, and hooks. The Rapala Fishing Forceps feature built-in scissors, oversized thumb holes and hand lanyard to keep it secure and handy. Super Line scissors were designed with special features that grip and hold braided line for easy, non-slip cutting. Mini Side cutter has the perfect size to keep handy, whether in a pocket, tackle box or your boat’s dashboard storage. Sharp cutting blades make this mini the perfect tool to cut wire leaders and freshwater hooks. Equipped with co-molded handles and spring loaded for ease of use.
All this Rapala tools make without any problems...
OKOLO launches at Designblok 2010 in Prague, Czech republic own collection of products called The Things including designs by Antonín Hepnar, Tomáš Král and Camille Blin, Martin Prokeš, Studio Činčera and Martin Žampach next week
I am very pleased that I can introduce our first collaboration with Tomáš Král and Camille Blin now.
The extremely aesthetical, highly elegant, and functionally professional design of the designers from the ECAL in Lausanne won our hearts right away. For this reason, we decided to start a cooperation with two designers whose names are inseparably linked with Lausanne. Tomáš Král and Camille Blin represent the current virtuoso design, combined with a light conceptual approach and poetic interpretation of the given object. The Monster collection made for OKOLO, which is the result of their first joint project, contains a special case for four pencils Pen Monster, wooden block for storing writing utensils Stuff Monster and minimalist leather bag Peper Monster. We have equipped the first case with four different Koh-i-noor pencils, and thus created an ideal set for all drawing enthusiasts.
text from Tomáš Král and Camille Blin:
This collection was named Monster after our chance encounter with avertical shaper in the woodworking shop of Joseph Miele. After many weeks of mutual observation, communication was finally established. Each one of our objects is sculpted by each of its jaws. We have rendered the shape of its teeth to enclose some pencils. We have rendered the strength of its teeth with a black screw to lock in some pencils. We have rendered its skin to make a bag.
photos by Federico Berardi
We love all the great functional cameras that are intransigent workers for the hardest activities in the terrain.
But now we present here the selection of the cameras that are maybe more art than workers. "Haute coutere" of photography industry and design presents the best of craft and technology experiences in the photo field. The special functions of the Seitz or Alpa cameras demand the special design too, as well as extremely skilled craft constructions. Seitz is a special panoramic camera and Swiss made Alpa, created by design studio Estragon, operates as a 6×9 roll-film or 60 MP digital camera. Square design includes an elegant rosewood handle, too.
Two Leicas and one Hasselblad are on the other hand the photo jewels that were created as a special limited editions or as a collaborations and anniversary projects. Fro example spectacular Hasselblad 503 CW 60 Years Cooperation Zeiss - Hasselblad Edition is the only 60 pieces numbered collection celebrating the collaboration of Zeis and Hasselblad between 1948 and 2008. In these cameras, the exact industry and design meet luxury, originality and uniqueness of the highly artistic creative attitude.
Henning Koppel (1918 - 1981) was a danish designer, painter and master silver smith, whose work was specializing in jewelry and silver tableware especially. So it`s great that we have discovered total different design than his classics like sculptural bowls, flatware or pitchers. This Bubi lamp is a re-edition of his original design from 1972 for Louis Poulsen company. Today lamp is produced by Pandul and with low-energy fluorescent light was upgraded for this century. But the timeless minimal shape, which can be used as a hanging or table light is still ready for the contemporary design market without any improvements.
In the context of The Pedal Project tomorrow exhibition opening about the culture of fixed gear riding in 66 Gallery in Prague, we prepared our second Active Style Guide. Today we look to the street of autumn New York and set up the best outfit for the fixed gear session in the Big Apple.
With the Bianchi Super Pista frameset and the Hed. 3 front wheel you have an ultimate hardwear set. At the other hand with the Penfield Gibson jacket with wax surface and special Swatch New York watch on your hand and legendary Oakley Eyeshades, which this year has company re-edited in collaboration with Staple, on your eyes and many more our products, you will be everywhere much faster then you mind. New York is in this month our best vote.
Translations is the name of the new exhibition project of our collaborator Oscar Diaz from London. We love the Diaz`s thinking about design so much, so we asked him to curate one part of our upcoming magazine.
Now, Diaz have launched next curatorial project called Federal Office. First show is The Translation held in west London during London Design Festival this week. The exhibition will include some designs by the youngest generation of London designers, who work in poetic and conceptual, as well as pretty functional way. One design from the show is also Obi pencil sharpener by Simon Donald (above), who was inspired by pencil in an ashtray. The exhibition will include some pairs of design and inspiration next to it. The quite similar presentation by Diaz you can see in our upcoming magazine.
Translations, 22-26 September 2010, 1-5 Exhibition Road, London SW2 2EH
Participating designers: Roger Arquer, Oscar Diaz, Simon Donald, Postler/Ferguson, Yota Kakuda, Alon Meron, Tomek Rygalik, Thomas Wagner, Anne Xiradakis, Zaven