Japanese design studio Nendo has extended their Dancing Squares collection with these new additions. They explained that they 'assembled square planes to create a sense of motion in this series of objects. One part of the bookcase is frozen in a tumbling cascade, creating variety in the way books can be stacked...[likewise] lamps roll about but are stable [and] thanks to their planes, cast light in many directions.'

With the word vintage banded about so frequently these days, it's rather hard to get excited by the term. However, these latest designs by Canadian furniture designer Alex Jowett of Atelier 688 which use reclaimed materials for their various forms, seem to own the right to don the term vintage successfully. Made from old Manila rope, the lights above are definitely a new take on the traditional pendant, whilst other materials such as broken down kayaks, bike parts and animal skins form the basis of their other coveted objects.

Japanese design studio Nendo's recent Thin Black Lines collection of furniture is now on display as part of their solo exhibition at the Taiwanese government-sponsored National Taiwan Craft Research and Development Institute. The exhibition space aptly illustrates their objective of creating 'active black on white' with carefully sketched illustrations lining the floor in a psychedelic state. They explain:

The drawings on the floor flow like river water around the exhibition stands.
‘Dancing Squares’ is a collection based on the concept of ‘active white’,
so we wanted a space that expressed the idea of ‘still black on white’.
Our room-sized sketch, affixed to walls and floor, uses a fish-eye lens-like effect
as though viewers are seeing it through a tiny water drop.

For more information on this exhibition go here.

Industrial designer Giha Woo had found a way to discreetly incorporate a reading lamp into a slick chair design. Titled Hidden Light, the light sits unannounced at the top of the chair, and can be swiveled into place and turned on when needed. It's very rare to see two necessary design pieces incorporated successfully into one, it really is multi-purpose design operating at its best.

Budapest born designer and winner of this year's ICFF award, Gabriella Asztalos has designed the Hug chair. It's circular form provides a perfect hideaway designed for intimacy, with its two seats, which sit side by side, conducive to conversation. With a walnut-wood outer layer, and leather padded seats, it's the perfect balance between form and function.

Asztalos explains her design and choice of name for the chair:

A unique uni-body circular structure connects both seats together allowing two people to sit face-to-face and thus creating an immediate intimate interaction.Through this physical connection, you feel socially and emotionally connected with the person sitting on the opposite side. The upper “half-pipe” which bends above the heads creates a highway of thoughts and a chain of emotions. In this way you are interconnected within the same circle and the focus is always on the other person, exactly what a hug is about.

Out of New York comes another very impressive light from esteemed designer Lindsey Adelman. The Burst light, dynamic in form, would hang perfectly above a dining table, or would add the right amount of drama to any formal setting. Recently showcased at ICFF and equipped with blown-glass and spikes, what's not to love about this pendant and its nod to rock-n-roll glam.

We like that leading furniture manufacturers are drawing inspiration from their vast archives for their future collections. This piece, the Veliero bookcase, was originally designed by Franco Albini in 1939 and produced for the first time by Cassina earlier this year in Milan. The beauty of this shelf, is its suspension setting, made from two brass-tipped masts of tapering wood with the shelves, floating underneath under hangers from thin steel rods. Initially, this piece was used to act as a room divider between the dining and living areas of Albini's family apartment. But, unfortunately after 15 years, it sadly collapsed. Albini admitted it was his fault:

“I was listening to loud music – din, din, din – and the rhythmic sound started vibrating the glass. Like the San Francisco bridge it was moving more and more and then suddenly it went BAM! Without me touching it, it exploded into a million pieces.”

However, with Cassina now producing it, we're pretty sure this bookshelf is as sound mechanically, as it is aesthetically.

Cassina is available locally from here.

This collection of modular seating from Dedon has us dreaming of summer. Mu, designed by Toan Nguyen, is an imaginative and versatile system designed specifically for contemporary lifestyles. It can easily be adapted to a number of spaces, and is right on trend with its ability to sit inside or out. Its slender profile lends an elegant touch to the outdoor realm, whilst the soft cushioning ensures you're as comfortable outside as you are parked up on the sofa indoors. A nice alternative to other outdoor pieces in this market.

Dedon is available locally from here.

The Story of Eames Furniture: Marilyn Neuhart with John Neuhart - Interview from Gestalten on Vimeo.

If you're going to read about the history of furniture, it may as well be an account on Charles and Ray Eames. This design duo between them produced not only some, but a good majority of the most famous design furniture pieces in the world. Their pieces are so popular in fact, it's continually disappointing to see them replicated badly at every turn. The book, brimming with images and insightful text, is a benchmark reference on what is arguably the most influential and important furniture of our time. Released last year by publisher Gelstalten, the book outlines many of the processes the duo went through in order to achieve perfect production. You can watch an interview with the author above and order the book here.

Authentic Eames furniture can be found locally at Matisse.

Young New Zealand designer Tim Webber is full of promise. As part of our Design Folio Incubator exhibition last year, he has since gone on to host his own exhibition at BoConcept earlier this year, and produced subsequent great designs. His work is diverse but often with a playful element where he utilises a careful use of colour. We're particularly liking these new pieces he's just sent through.