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Novy Dvur Monastery

It’s as if John Pawson is trying to prove that monastic austerity is capable of brightening our spiritual needs—no surprise, considering that with the minimalist British architect, “Every architectural word tells.”

A reductive design process that questions the necessity of every element in the desire to eliminate what is superfluous. This discretion in design is vital for a group of robed Cistercian monks, originally from France, who deliberately seeks seclusion. The restored Our Lady of Novy Dvur monastery, in the Czech Republic is their entire world—based on bare necessities and self denial.

Mr. Pawson’s edgy poetry in the Our Lady of Novy Dvur monastery is evident. Everything is a shade of white. Spartan interiors with a dramatic stripped down elegance of modernism that reveals hidden sources of light. Concrete, plaster and wood; no stained glass; minimal comfort.

This extraordinary serenity is rare. And we are glad that Cistercian monks do these things, so we don’t have to. Well, sort of.

For those of Mr. Pawson’s fan club: The London Design Museum’s exhibition “John Pawson Plain Space,” will feature John Pawson’s work from September, 22 2010 to January, 30 2011.

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REK coffee table

I love the timeless design of the REK coffee table by Rotterdam-based designer Reinier de Jong, who works on both architectural and product design. The table is a brother of the acclaimed REK bookcase.

By easily sliding out the inner parts, you create extra table surface for guests or just to create some extra storage space.

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Foundation

London-based designer Benjamin Hubert created Foundation, a shelving system inspired by brutalist architecture. The brutalist architecture style flourished from 1950s until 1975 and spawned from the modernist architectural movement.

Just like the characteristic of this style, Foundation has striking repetitive angular geometries. You can also see the influence in the contrast between the industrial materials like the Valchromat shelves (organic coloured wood fibre panels derived from forest waste), the steel metal boxes, and the soft and smooth leather tabs on those boxes.

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S-House

The S-House – designed by architect Shizuo Yamamoto – is an ideal house for those who want to live the simple life.

Located in Hamamatsu City, Japan, the architectural wood frame construction of S-House is atypical to the accustomed use of exposed concrete seen in so many Japanese structures. Yamamoto’s focus on natural elements is almost as important as his approach to improve through subtraction. The architecture, in its detail and articulation, has been condensed to its absolute essentials.

I love the transparency of the interior. The opening in the upper-floor not only increases exposure of natural lighting, but also allows for a complete view of the lower level. The S-House is an exceptional example of harmony and balance.

Photography by Hiroshi Ueda.

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Germann House by Marte.Marte

“The best design explicitly acknowledges that you cannot disconnect the form from the material — the material informs the form.” explains Jonathan Ive, Senior Vice President of Design at Apple.

Mr Ive’s appetite for materials is essential in his obsession for simplification. The Germann House, in Feldkrich, Austria by Marte.Marte Architekten shows great sensitivity and emphasis on craft and disciplined detailing. Unsurprisingly, their eco-thinking has earned them a “New Materialists” title.

Austrian firm Marte.Marte, runs their architecture practice out of a farmhouse. “The power we have comes from our roots, … from our home.” Marte.Marte says. They must love wood. The softness and pure finish of the Germann House pale wood floors, walls and built-in furniture are a sensual interpretation of velvet.

A great experimentation of radical modernism and rural carpentry. Is the design experience full of contradictions?

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Circus

Inspired by “the playfulness of the big top” industrial designer Stephen Burks, founder of the New York studio Readymade Projects, created a hand-made shelving system. Burks – considered to be one of the most recognized American industrial designers of his generation – is with his studio responsible for creative direction and industrial design on projects ranging from retail interiors, events, packaging, consumer products and lighting.

The idea is simple; each unit includes up to eight steel, colorful, wired cages that can plugged in easily into the oak surfaces. This makes the shelving unit is easy to (dis-)assemble without any tools.

Circus, manufactured by Mattermade, is available in a 1, 2 or 3 shelves edition.

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Coat rack

Sticks and stone won’t break my bones – they’ll hold my coat.

This here is a coat rack, designed by Lithuanian product/furniture designer Vytautas Gecas. The foot is made out of concrete, the stick are plain wood.

I love that it’s just sticks in a pot: two honest and unadorned materials, which come together to form a coat rack. No screws, no hinges, just friction and gravity.

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BIT

As the proud father of a one-year-old daughter, I can really appreciate toys that are not only practical and colourful, but also beautiful. And those are hard to find, believe me… So imagine the joy when I found bicycle BIT!

BIT is designed by Marc Castelló, who runs design studio Glodos together with his partner Sergi Teixidó.

The plywood bike targets kids from 18 months to 3 years of age, and should help them develop their balance, coordination and psychomotor skills. And it helps their parents look cool ;-)

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Micado

“I like to emphasize spontaneity and simplicity. I let my ideas run wild in the beginning but then as they begin to take shape, I begin to minimize as much as possible.” Cecilie Manz – the designer of Micado – explains.

After her graduation in 1997 from the Danmarks Designskole in Copenhagen, with additional studies at the University of Art & Design in Helsinki, Finland, Manz founded her own studio in Copenhagen.

Micado, the well known game with wooden sticks, was the inspiration for the three-legged construction of the Micado table. A table top and three legs nothing fancy, but the result is great. Micado is available in ash, oak or cherry – and the tabletop is also available in black lacquered MDF.

Manz – young but already internationally renowned – won in 2004 the Danish Design Prize for this beautiful piece of furniture.

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AP Stool by Shin Azumi

London based Japanese designer Shin Azumi had to learn the concept of a chair. “I didn’t have a chair until I came to the UK,” he says. I think he has mastered the function of seating in an elegant, playful style.

The AP stool for Lapalma was initiated as an experiment, created from a single sheet of plywood. The stool was introduced at the Salone Internationale del Mobile 2010. The naturalness of the seat and body of the stool that merge from one to other is captivating.

A witty interpretation of an everyday activity, seating. This is more than just function — there is a Zen tranquility about it. Sometimes we fall for design because it is quietly good design.

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