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      Webb Yates creates structural stone frame for Royal Academy summer exhibition

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      A post-tensioned stone frame by engineering firm Webb Yates is among the exhibits in the architecture rooms of this year’s Royal Academy of Arts summer exhibition, curated by London studio Assemble.

      Webb Yates worked with The Stonemasonry Company to create a frame made from cored cylinders of waste limestone joined together with tensioned steel rods, aiming to showcase stone as a modern, low-carbon structural material.
      It is one of the many pieces displayed at the annual Royal Academy of Arts summer exhibition, which is open until 18 August, and is part of the architecture section curated by Assemble around the theme “spaces for making”.
      A post-tensioned stone frame is on display at the Royal Academy summer exhibition”Webb Yates and The Stonemasonry Company have been advocating a return to stone structure to reduce carbon and pollution,” Webb Yates cofounder Steve Webb told Dezeen.
      “Many people construe this as a suggestion to return to the massive stone structures of the past but we want to reimagine how stone can be used by modern engineers and stone masons.”

      “The pylon demonstrates how post-tensioning slim stone elements can achieve strength and rigidity at a fraction of the carbon cost,” he continued.
      Webb Yates Engineers used steel rods to connect cored limestone cylindersDisplayed in the octagonal central hall at The Royal Academy of Arts, the stone structure is imagined as an alternative to building with steel, Webb explained.
      “Imagine crane masts, bridges or space frames like the Eden Centre and Stadium Australia being formed with stone elements instead of steel,” he said.
      “With a world-saving 75 per cent carbon reduction, inherent durability and fire resistance, we can put waste stone to use and make some really pretty structures.”
      Assemble curated two rooms at the exhibitionThe stone structure is displayed alongside architectural models, material samples, drawings and photographs in the architecture rooms – a regular feature at the annual summer exhibition, which also showcases various mediums of art.
      Other stone pieces in the show included a model of Artefact’s Brick from Stone installation and a column segment designed by Palestinian architects AAU Anastas, which is made up of a bulging piece of stone sandwiched between two stone fragments taken from a demolished building in Bethlehem.
      One gallery is designed as an industrial storage spaceAssemble, which was elected a member of the Royal Academy of Arts in 2022, arranged the architecture exhibit across two rooms.
      Aiming to reflect the profession’s working processes, the central hall is curated as a studio-like display of works and the adjacent gallery is designed to appear like an architectural storage space, with exhibition pieces displayed on industrial shelving.

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      “We wanted to approach the two rooms slightly differently and show architecture in the space that it’s usually made,” Assemble’s Kaye Song told Dezeen.
      “We’re used to seeing architecture models and drawings presented in such a pristine way but that’s not usually the context you view finished architecture works,” Song added.
      “One gallery we’ve turned into an industrial storage-like space using off-the-shelf products like palette racking and wall-mounted brackets, and the other room has taken an artist’s studio approach.”
      Exhibits are displayed on industrial shelvingHanging from a skylight in the central hall are sheets made of biomaterials by artists Jessie French and Shanelle Ueyama. Surrounding them are mosaic panels by volunteers at the Hackney Mosaic Project and a glass sculpture by designer Yinka Ilori.
      In the adjacent room on the industrial shelving, which will be reused elsewhere after the exhibition closes, is a set of tools by sculptor James Capper, architecture models and casts by architecture studio Stanton Williams and rammed-earth stools by ceramic artist Lyson Marchessault.
      AAU Anastas also contributed stone exhibits to the exhibitionAssemble founding member Maria Lisogorskaya explained that a wide range of designs from different types of makers, not just architects, were chosen to create an engaging exhibition.
      “We wanted to showcase the breadth of the profession with models, tools, material samples and community projects, not just individual projects,” said Lisogorskaya.
      Tools by James Capper are among the other exhibits”There’s a range of people; there’s architects, product designers, structural engineers, fashion designers, musicians, scientists, community organisations,” Lisogorskaya continued.
      “We wanted to have a really broad net of people together under one roof to make for a more dynamic show.”
      Also taking place is the London Festival of Architecture, for which an eclectic range of benches has been installed on the Royal Docks and Unknown Works has constructed The Armadillo pavilion from eucalyptus wood.
      The photography is by Kaye Song.
      The Royal Academy of Arts summer exhibition takes place from 18 June to 18 August 2024 at Burlington House in London. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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      Objective Studies drops first equitable design collection with A Calm Place exhibition

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      A tranquil exhibition during 3 Days of Design showcased the launch collection for Objective Studies, a digital platform that shares its profits with designers and makers.

      A Calm Place featured furniture and homeware from 10 designers and studios, all now being marketed and sold directly from Objective Studies.
      Objective Studies launched with an exhibition at RefugioThe objects were presented in a scenography inspired by Korshagehus, a thatched, modernist summerhouse in Odsherred, Denmark, built by architect Erik Korshagen in 1960.
      The exhibition was staged at Refugio, a co-working studio in Copenhagen’s Østerbro neighbourhood.
      The inaugural collection includes furniture pieces by Mario Martinez and Ted SynnottDesigner Matteo Fogale and e-commerce expert Lijana Norkaityte co-founded Objective Studies with a vision to bring greater equity to the design industry.

      “We are building a business model where we will share equal profits with designers and makers,” they told Dezeen.
      “We joined the industry with the belief that we can put designers and makers at the forefront, and shed light on the quality and hours needed to create unique objects that will stand the test of time.”
      Exhibition curators Sébastien El Idrissi and Sara De Campos also contributed piecesObjective Studies will launch products in limited editions, with product drops rather than seasonal collections.
      “Drops will appear when we have something valuable to show, not simply for the sake of launching or to keep adding items to an infinite collection,” said the founders.

      NoDe exhibition presents 28 emerging designers from the Nordics

      “We want to discourage unnecessary production, keeping quantities limited and made-to-order to encourage conscious consumption.”
      The first drop of 20 objects includes the pine-wood Korshage bench by Spanish designer Sina Sohrab, the Unité daybed by CPRV and the characterful Salas chair by Copenhagen-based Mario Martinez.
      Juhl & Lange designed the woven baskets, while the Korshage bench is by Sina SohrabAmong the lighting works is Arète, a vertical pendant made from sailcloth designed by Asca Studio, while pieces by New Zealand-based Ted Synnott include the aluminium Terra stool.
      Accessories also feature, with woven baskets and dustpan and brush sets by Danish studio Juhl & Lange.
      Sébastien El Idrissi designed the Stack plantersThe exhibition was curated by designers Sara De Campos and Sébastien El Idrissi with the aim of promoting slow living, inspired by Danish culture and in line with the ethos behind Objective Studies.
      The curators also have works in the collection; designs by De Campos include a hand-woven wool rug and an aluminium tray, while El Idrissi’s pieces include the Claro salt and pepper grinders.
      Juhl & Lange’s works also include dustpan and brush setsFogale and Norkaityte hope the launch of Objective Studies will bring greater transparency to the process and costs involved in designing and producing furniture, and how profit is distributed.
      “We want to challenge how design and craft products are marketed, and how designers are compensated for their work,” the pair said.
      “We want people to know why certain items cost what they do,” they continued.
      The scenography took cues from modernist summerhouse Korshagehus”We are well aware that not everyone can purchase a piece of furniture for over €1,000 but we hope we can expose the value that comes with each design object, from the materials chosen to the hours that it took to make them.”
      “We live with these objects, we use them every day and if we choose well, we can pass them on to generations to come.”
      A Calm Place was on show at Refugio in Copenhagen from 12 to 14 June as part of 3 Days of Design. See Dezeen Events Guide for more architecture and design events around the world.
      The photography is by the curators.

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      Signe Hytte designs home of a poet for Enter the Salon show

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      Danish designer Signe Hytte had Oscar Wilde in mind when designing this home for a fictional poet, presented during 3 Days of Design in Copenhagen.

      Enter the Salon was an exhibition of furniture and homeware products from seven different brands, styled to feel more like a lived-in interior than a show space.
      Enter the Salon took cues from the salons of the 19th centuryThe project was initiated by The Conary, a private members’ club for senior executives with C-suite roles. The club gave Hytte free rein to transform its rooms during the design festival.
      Hytte, who was previously head of design for &Tradition, decided to create a modern reinterpretation of the 19th-century salon, a place where artists, musicians, writers and thinkers would come together to share ideas.
      Rooms featured furniture and objects from seven different brands”I wanted to create a narrative,” Hytte told Dezeen during the tour.

      She said she aimed to create an interior that didn’t feel branded, so guests could imagine real-life scenes unfolding. This led her to think about the house being home to a poet.
      “My vision was to do away with the classic fair stand and tell a story instead, one where every guest can explore multiple layers and find their own to be inspired by,” she said.
      Rooms include a study designed for a writerThe exhibition spread across two floors, with furniture by Japanese brand Karimoku Case, lighting by Japanese company Ambientec and beds from Sweden-based Carpe Diem Beds.
      Portuguese homeware brand Origin Made, American design office Ladies & Gentlemen Studio, Danish textile company Silkeborg Uldspinderi and Danish box-making company August Sandgren completed the line-up.
      Wall tapestries from Ladies & Gentlemen Studio hung in various roomsThe most striking space is the study, where shelves filled with assorted objects provide a backdrop to a bureau.
      This desk was also laden with objects, including piles of paper, a leather pencil pot and bound letters, while a large paper pendant lamp hung overhead.
      “I wanted to push the brands out of their comfort zone,” said Hytte. “You can imagine this as the study of a writer.”
      A bag sits next to a sofa in the ground-floor reception roomUpon arriving, the first room visitors encountered was a large reception space that flowed into a dining area.
      The mood here was defined by a Japanese-style skylight, which created a soft-lit atmosphere.

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      Upstairs, the study formed part of a private suite including a small living room and a bedroom.
      The upper floor also included a double-height atrium that Hytte styled as a courtyard patio.
      A Japanese-style skylight offered a soft atmosphere in the dining roomThe colour and material palette was highly muted, with most objects and surfaces displaying shades of cream, brown, taupe and soft green, but each room had a distinct mood.
      Traces of life could be found throughout but were very subtle. A pair of glasses appeared to have been left in the first-floor sitting room, while a handbag sat next to one of the sofas in the ground-floor lounge.

      In the bedroom, details included a wall tapestry by Ladies & Gentlemen Studio resembling a hanging kimono.
      To enhance the salon feel, a soundtrack created a sense of someone playing the piano elsewhere in the house, while Oscar Wilde quotes can be found on some of the walls.
      Danish brand Kvadrat supplied textiles for curtains, bringing an element of softness. The effect is most pronounced in the atrium, where white curtains surround the entire space.
      An atrium became a courtyard patio for eventsThis space served as a venue for events throughout 3 Days of Design, including a drinks reception co-hosted by Dezeen and a panel discussion chaired by editorial director Max Fraser.
      Other installations at 3 Days of Design include an exhibition by furniture brand Federicia that shows adaptations of iconic mid-century furniture classics and sculptural wood furniture created by Faye Toogood in Danish design studio Frama.
      Enter the Salon took place from 12 to 14 June as part of 3 Days of Design. See Dezeen Events Guide for more architecture and design events around the world.
      The photography is by Sofie Staunsager and Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen.

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      Jens Quistgaard Around The Table celebrates legacy of “world-famous unknown Dane”

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      An exhibition during 3 Days of Design showcased the vast archive of Jens Quistgaard, who is one of Denmark’s most successful designers, despite being relatively unknown.

      Quistgaard, who passed away in 2008, was responsible for bringing Scandinavian design to homes across America.
      As chief designer for US-based homeware manufacturer and retailer Dansk Designs for three decades, he designed more than 4,000 objects, many distributed to hundreds of stores nationwide.
      Jens Quistgaard Around The Table showcased furniture and tableware by the late Danish designerQuistgaard’s name is nowhere near as well known as the products he designed, so his contribution to Danish design history is largely unrecognised.
      With Jens Quistgaard Around The Table, archive consultancy Form Portfolios hoped to promote a wider appreciation of this “world-famous unknown Dane”.

      The exhibition was on show at Form Portfolios’ Copenhagen office for 3 Days of Design.
      A dining table showcased many of the products Quistgaard developed for Dansk Designs”With his 30-year collaboration with Dansk, Quistgaard was the design genius behind the scenes of that seminal brand,” said Mark Masiello, CEO and founder of Form Portfolios.
      “He was more committed to bringing Scandinavian modern design into American homes than building his own design legacy,” he told Dezeen.
      Quistgaard’s series of sculptural peppermills was displayed on the wallQuistgaard was recruited in 1954 by Dansk Designs founders Martha and Ted Nierenberg, who were impressed by a cutlery set that the designer had previously developed.
      Many of the designs that Quistgaard produced for the brand were tableware and kitchenware, which is why Form Portfolios made a dining table the focal point of its exhibition.
      The designer developed more than 4,000 objects in his 30 years at Dansk DesignsThe table provided display space for dozens and dozens of Quistgaard-designed objects, including plates, cutlery, candleholders, glasses, cooking pots, jugs and more.
      Behind the table, rows of shelves accommodated a series of sculptural peppermills.

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      As the designs for which Quistgaard is most likely to be remembered, these turned-wood peppermills recall the shapes of familiar objects, from chess pieces to pieces of fruit.
      “The peppermill designs clearly show the love of sculpture that flows through Quistgaard’s work,” said Masiello.
      The exhibition was on show for 3 Days of Design”His daughter, Henriette Quistgaard, said he hoped the peppermills on their own could be the beginnings of great dinner conversations,” he stated.
      The exhibition also featured larger objects, including a handful of furniture designs. Masiello pointed to the Stokke Armchair (1965) and the Sculptors Chair (2004) as being particularly noteworthy.
      The Sculptors Chair was among the furniture works on display”I find his creative range so inspiring,” Masiello said. “Working with different materials and object types, he was always pushing his design practice to new frontiers.”
      “He is more well known for the kitchen objects, but he was always exploring other designs too, including chairs, stools and tables,” he continued.
      Many of the objects were sourced from Quistgaard’s former homeThe show was curated in collaboration with Stig Guldberg, author of the monograph Jens Quistgaard: The Sculpting Designer, which was published by Phaidon in 2023.
      Many of the exhibits were sourced from the home where the designer spent his final years, a farmhouse on the outskirts of Copenhagen where Henriette Quistgaard still lives today.
      Original sketches featured alongside the objects”My father was a visionary of design, bridging the old world of craftsmanship into the new world of manufacturing,” Henriette said.
      “It is thrilling to see the full body of his life’s work being shown.”
      Jens Quistgaard Around the Table was on show from 12 to 14 June as part of 3 Days of Design. See Dezeen Events Guide for more architecture and design events around the world.
      The photography is by Sofie Hvitved.

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      NoDe exhibition presents 28 emerging designers from the Nordics

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      Swirling metal lamps, stools made from old kitchen cabinets and a fur-covered desk were among objects on show at House of Nordic Design’s exhibition during 3 Days of Design in Copenhagen.

      Titled NoDe, short for Nordic Design, the exhibition featured furniture, homeware and sculpture created by 28 up-and-coming designers and makers from Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland.
      Sissel Warringa’s Peel Lamp rests atop Anton Mikkonen’s Silhouette tableThese works were dotted around the rooms of a century-old artist’s atelier, located in a loft apartment on Store Strandstræde that could only be accessed via a small old-fashioned lift.
      The show was curated by Natalia Sánchez, who founded House of Nordic Design in 2023 to provide both a sales platform and a business support network for designers at the start of their careers.
      At the entrance, a textile by Plain Weavers hangs over Lisa Darland’s Mylla rug”When you’re on your own in a studio, it’s very hard to do everything that’s needed to get out there, be part of the market and get attention in the magazines,” she explained.

      Some objects were positioned as you might expect to find them in a home, while others had more surprising settings.
      Upon entry, visitors were greeted by a ceiling-hung textile by Plain Weavers, which created an unusual juxtaposition with Lisa Darland’s textural rugs underneath.
      Works by Moa Markgren, Atelier Marée and Netta Kandelin on display in the kitchenIn the adjacent kitchen, bulging wooden vases by Moa Markgren and ceramics by Atelier Marée are among objects that can be found on the work surfaces.
      A bright green stool by Better Weather provided a focal point here. It was playfully displayed atop a fridge freezer in a nod to its materiality – the product is made from recycled cabinet doors.
      Better Weather’s Transformer stool stands atop the fridge freezerThe living room featured Studio Kasa Kasa’s fur-covered desk, plus another by Anton Mikkonen with sculpted metal trestles and a glass top.
      Other works in this room included Sissel Warringa’s swirling Peel Lamp, Carlberg Design’s bent wire chairs, marbled panelling by Snedker Studio and a granite table by Reeta Laine.
      Studio Kasa Kasa’s furry desk stands with Carlberg’s Design’s Skir chairThe final room was a bedroom where a wall of shelves provided display space for many more curiosities. The room also featured a daybed embellished with a patterned textile by A Seat in Siena, as well as Tobias Berg’s bent aluminium chair.
      The list of contributors was completed by Anne Nowak, Bellamoli Studio, Dain Kang, Gabi Humnicki, Kajsa Willner, Linda Weimann, Live Berg, MMH Objects, Netta Kandelin, Shunsuke Koya, Stine Mikkelsen, Studio My Comét, Studio Wes, Tale Berger Hølmebakk and Tessa Lulu Kaner.

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      Sánchez made the selection after receiving 140 responses to her open call. Many of the designers will continue to work with House of Nordic Design, as it is set to launch an online shop later this year.
      “NoDe is an exploration of what’s to come,” said Sánchez.
      Artworks by Linda Weimann hang above Reeta Laine’s Torner Side Table”It’s about giving a platform to young designers who are not only pushing the boundaries of design but are also deeply committed to exploring and experimenting with their chosen material,” she continued.
      “These designers are the voices of the future, and their work reflects the innovative spirit that is at the heart of Nordic design.”
      Bellamoli Studio’s Ratio tables sit beside A Seat in Siena’s Verona daybedNoDe is the second exhibition that House of Nordic Design has staged, after launching with a smaller show at last year’s 3 Days of Design.
      The project forms a continuation of Sánchez’s long-running support of emerging designers. She was previously the curator of DAWN, a regular 3 Days of Design show dedicated to young Danish designers.
      Visitors to this year’s 3 Days of Design could also explore reiusses of a number of classic chairs and a colourful collaboration between designer Faye Toogood and Danish brand Frama.
      NoDe was part of 3 Days of Design, which took place at venues across Copenhagen from 12 to 14 June. See Dezeen Events Guide for more architecture and design events around the world.

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      Works by Fernando Laposse and others showcased in beachside Mexican pavilion

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      Works by Mexican designers Fernando Laposse and Claudina Flores were among those shown in a remote seaside house near Puerto Escondido, Mexico, during Mexico Design Fair.

      Dozens of works were placed throughout the house, called Casa Naila, which was designed by Mexican architect Alfonso Quiñones – who used techniques gleaned from his work with Japanese architect Tadao Ando on the nearby Casa Wabi arts centre.
      Mexico Design Fair took place in a seaside home made up of pavilions. Photo by Jaime NavarroCasa Naila’s concrete foundations, wooden structure and thatched walls and ceilings were at risk because of the erosion, so their was turned into a pavilion and used for years as a location for the invite-only fair.
      According to the fair, the purpose of the exhibition was to execute a “long-term vision that foresees better conditions for the design disciplines in the country through critical dialogue, production and quality exhibition contents”.
      Furniture was displayed throughout the house’s multiple structuresArranged throughout the different pavilions of Casa Naila were furniture and decor objects.

      As visitors entered the structure there was an arrangement of colourful stools by Oaxaca City-based designer Jaime Levin, with sculptural legs, woven nylon tops and multiple seats on some of the stools.
      Directly across, in the kitchen area, was an arrangement of glassware by Mexican company Xauixe – noted for its use of recycled glass in its products and recycled cooking oil used to heat its ovens.
      Glassware from Xauixe was featuredThe other furniture installations filled the ground and second levels of the other two pavilions.
      These included works by Mexico City and London-based designer Laposse, who uses materials like agave fibres to create material with applications for rural communities. His works included the small, white and “hairy” Pup bench and wall panels with marquetry made from corn husks.
      Laposse was named Designer of the Year award from the fair.

      The programming included a pyrotechnic installationArranged in tandem with Laposse’s pieces were intricately constructed cabinets by Guadalajara-based designer Claudina Flores, who recently featured in our round-up of design studios in Guadalajara.
      The show also included a colourful set of outdoor metal furniture by César Ponce and Carlos Torre Hütt, wooden chairs draped with plush leather cushions by Brooklyn studio Prime Project, as well as floor rugs by Indian firm Odabashian with designs by American designer Little Wing Lee and Argentinian Pilar Zeta.

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      On the beach was a spindly structure by artist and producer David Sánchez, which became a pyrotechnic installation at the end of the one-day showcase.
      Many of the guests and designers were housed in Hotel Escondido, an hour’s drive north from the fair’s location.
      Mexican designer Fernando Laposse showed his material experimentations and was awarded the Designer of the Year honour. Photo by Jaime NavarroSelect programming took place in the architecturally significant homes around Hotel Escondido – including the temple-like Casa Monte by Carlos Matos.
      At Casa Malandra, a beachside home designed by Taller Alberto Calleja, visitors were treated to traditional tamales made in a massive basalt oven designed by artist Julio Martinez Barnetche.
      A massive basalt oven was shown as part of the satellite programmingWhile the fair showcased a wide array of designers, some of the participants commented on the remoteness of the venues, and the invite-only status of the guests meant that the participants were limited but that the visitors did become tight-knit as the programming went on.
      Other small-format design fairs in Latin America included a showcase in a monument in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic organised by Galerie Philia last year.
      Photography by Gerardo Maldonado unless otherwise stated. 
      Mexico Design Fair took place from 24 to 26 May in Puerto Escondido. For more fairs, exhibitions and talks in architecture and design visit the Dezeen Events Guide.

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      Crafting the Present reveals manufacturing techniques behind mid-century furniture classics

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      The 3 Days of Design exhibition from Danish furniture brand Fredericia reveals how iconic designs by Hans J Wegner and Børge Mogensen have been subtly adapted in line with today’s standards.

      On show at the Fredericia headquarters in Copenhagen, Crafting the Present showcases the craft processes, tools and makers behind the brand’s furniture.
      Crafting the Present is on show for 3 Days of DesignCurated by designer Maria Bruun, the exhibition shows how designs including Wegner’s Ox Chair and Mogensen’s Spanish Chair have been carefully reworked in line with modern manufacturing technologies and environmental standards.
      Rasmus Graversen, CEO of Fredericia, believes it is important for design classics to move with the times.
      The exhibition reveals the processes behind designs including Hans J Wegner’s Ox Chair”We sometimes need to challenge the way we do things; something that was good 50 years ago isn’t necessarily good now,” he explained during a tour of the show.

      “If you don’t have a culture of craft in your company, you might think the way that something was done in the past is the only right way.”
      Leather upholstery techniques are showcased in the exhibitionGraversen, who is also the grandson of brand founder Andreas Graversen, wanted the exhibition to highlight how this culture of craft is at the heart of Fredericia’s approach.
      The company has a specialist upholstery workshop in Svendborg, south Denmark, a facility that was established by Erik Jørgensen in 1954 and acquired by Fredericia in 2020.
      The show includes live demonstrations from makersThe exhibition includes live demonstrations from both the workshop production team and from artisans at leather manufacturer Tärnsjö Garveri.
      Crafting the Present also showcases the tools used in these production processes, alongside models that reveal how the furniture pieces are assembled.
      “We wanted to showcase the talented craftsmen and women whose hands touch every piece of furniture,” Bruun said.
      “Here, craft is not a marketing gimmick. It is not a layer added onto the furniture afterwards. It is the heritage of this company and has an influence on everything.”
      Tools are presented alongside models”All of the tools you see are used for real,” added Graversen. “Nothing was picked just because it’s pretty.”
      “These are all used in the actual production; it’s an extraordinary experience to see what happens.”
      Rasmus Graversen, CEO of Fredericia, wanted to celebrate the brand’s culture of craftTextile curtains suspended from the ceiling provide a scenography that divides the space into different sections.
      Metal trolleys create multi-level displays, while larger models are raised up on trestles.
      The Maria Bruun-designed Pioneer stool provides seatingThe Pioneer, a design developed by Bruun for Fredericia in 2023, is also featured.
      Dotted through, the stool provides seating so that visitors can spend time watching the artisans at work.
      Crafting the Present is on show for of 3 Days of Design, which takes place in Copenhagen from 12 to 14 June. For more events, exhibitions and talks in architecture and design visit Dezeen Events Guide.

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      Inga Sempé celebrates the joyful mess of everyday life in The Imperfect Home

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      A full-size home interior installed inside the Triennale Milano showcases furniture and homeware by French designer Inga Sempé alongside dirty dishes, hanging laundry and personal trinkets.

      The Imperfect Home is a retrospective exhibition showcasing over 100 objects developed by Sempé since she founded her Paris-based studio back in 2001.
      The Imperfect Home features over 100 objects designed by Inga SempéDesigned with interiors office Studio A/C, the installation is a 1:1 scale home with seven fully furnished rooms and spaces. But, as the title suggests, this is no show home.
      According to curator Marco Sammicheli, the aim was to create the sense that the house was “lived in right up until moments before the exhibition opened”.
      The pleated PO/202 floor lamp, launched in 2002, features in the living roomAs a result, spaces are filled with traces of domestic life. Bedsheets are crumpled, candles are half-burned. There is even a clump of hair left on the bathroom sink.

      “I wanted to build a house because I don’t like exhibitions where objects and furniture are put on high bases, like those for sculpture, demanding to be looked at as priceless masterpieces,” Sempé told the Triennale Milano magazine.
      “I find that quite boring, and I don’t need to be looked at as if I were an artist; being an industrial designer is enough for me,” she said.
      The Pinorama pinboard, launched by Hay, showcases personal objectsThe living room of the Imperfect Home features one of Sempé’s earliest designs, the pleated fabric PO/202 floor lamp with Cappellini, alongside newer works like the Colorado rug launched by Nanimarquina earlier this year.
      The kitchen features the Column cabinet fronts for Reform, along with smaller objects like the Collo Alto cutlery from Alessi, the characterful Filigraani plates from Iittala and the playful Guichet clock from Moustache.
      Other details designed by Sempé include tiles, door handles, lighting, mirrors and bathroom fittings – her outdoor shower for Tectona is one of the standout additions.
      Toothbrushes and a clump of hair give a lived-in feel to the bathroomThe exhibition reveals the extensive scope of the designer’s output over the past 23 years. There are only a few pieces not designed by Sempé, most notably a 195os toilet by Gio Ponti and a 1970s basin by Achille Castiglione.
      Other focal points include pieces by artists Mette Ivers and Saul Steinberg.
      Personal objects are dotted throughout to give a sense of the house’s owner. For instance, the Pinorama pinboard from Hay displays jars of coins, postcards, and small models of a bird and robot.
      Another example is the study, where a map, ink and rolls of tapes are scattered over the desk.
      Sempé’s outdoor shower for Tectona also features in this room”I want it to look lively, as if the owner has just left to go and buy some bread, and has had a stroke or got hit by a car,” said Sempé.
      “The visitors should be like the police visiting the house to find his ID. So there should be crumbs, a couple of remote controls on the sofa, some invoices on the desk, leftovers in the fridge. But the owner does not necessarily need to be dead. He might just have a broken ankle. So we might find some socks.”
      The Imperfect Home is on show at Triennale Milano from 15 April to 15 September 2024. See Dezeen Events Guide for more architecture and design events around the world.

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