ARCHITECTURE

BRANDSPACE

CONSULTING

NEWSLETTER I/11

Ladies and Gentlemen,

here you have Issue I/11 of our Newsletter, informing you on current projects, interesting publications, awards, lectures and exhibitions on and by Franken Architekten. You can also see our Newsletter here.

ARCHITECTURE

GLOBAL:LOCAL

VORONOI CHAIR

Franken Architekten presented Voronoi Chair at imm cologne 2011

Franken Architekten designed the Voronoi Chair as part of the global:local project under the aegis of DDC and Asahikawa Furniture Industry. The project was initiated and curated by Wolf Udo Wagner (designer, DDC international board member) and Minoru Naghara (designer, chairman).

The chair is made of timber, a sustainable raw material, using computer-based production methods in combination with Japanese craftsmanship. What is known as the Voronoi cell structure is based on the cellular form of timber. The Voronoi Chair is constructed using a cluster of modules that behave ain the same way as the Voronoi cell structure. The chair's overall form represents a section from a Voronoi cell, whose structure gets projected onto each segment of the cell again, in each case on a smaller scale. The fractal self-reference with regard to shape and pattern suggests that the next smaller level of timber, invisible to the user's eye, is also cellular in nature. Even though the form is not commensurate with the traditional axially symmetric design paradigm of a chair, the cellular references establish a sense of harmonious proportions, evoking parallels to the aspect of the absence of symmetry in classical Japanese art. Dealing with the concept of the "void" is another feature in Japanese art and manifested in the cellular "voids" of the chair segments. Some of these "voids" are filled with cushions adapted to the ergonomics of a seated person, generating a second soft shape that envelops the rigid cellular structure.

Voronoi Chair blends the Japanese tradition of imitating nature with the contemporary western approach of generating form within a simulation process that is based on a natural algorithm. This inspires the unique amalgamate of eastern and western traditions of design and production.

www.project-globallocal.de

Interview with Prof. Franken and Wolf Udo Wagner

 

BRANDSPACE

MACHALKE

BUILDING DIARIES

18. - 23.01.2011 Machalke at IMM - International Furniture Fair Cologne

As in 2010 Franken Architekten once again teamed up with the 19:13 agency to realize Machalke Polsterwerkstätten's trade fair presence at this year's IMM.

Franken Architekten picked up on the diary-like theme of Machalke's current campaign, which highlights snapshots from throughout the year, by selecting "Building Diaries" as its narrative key metaphor. Throughout the presentation, corners of varying size served as design elements that permeate situations and worlds of living and create the basic structure for the brand presence. Projecting the items of furniture on to the rear panels created alcoves used as highlighted presentation surfaces on which to stage the sections leather, finish/ seams and design. The trade fair presence was structured into three sections: Machalke, Living by Machalke (its younger sub label), and the Bar.

ADC GIPFEL 11

HALLE 5 MESSE FRANKFURT

04. - 08.05.2011 Fair Frankfurt

Franken Architekten plans in cooperation with Voss & Fischer the summit ADC in 2011 once more.

LECTURES

17.03.2011 - Frankfurt/Main

At ISH 2011 in Frankfurt/Main, Prof. Bernhard Franken gave a lecture on behalf of Kaldewei "Shaping the future means inventing it - new hotel perspectives - More than Design".
www.kaldewei.de

23.02.2011 - Kronberg

At an event organized by the Frankfurt law firm Freudenreich & Partner, which specializes in tenancy and real estate law, Prof. Bernhard Franken gave a lecture entitled "From urban planning to refurbishing existing structures - real estate strategies for emerging and saturated markets".
www.kanzlei-freudenreich.de

09.02.2011 - Frankfurt/Main

On February 9, 2011 Prof. Bernhard Franken held his inaugural lecture "Digital architecture" at Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences.
www.fh-frankfurt.de

02.02.2011 - Frankfurt/Main

The ULI provides a multi-disciplinary forum for executives and experts in the real estate industry. Several "Leader Circles" are intended to enable in-depth dialog on specific topics and provide new impulses. Prof. Bernhard Franken hosted the "hotel" leader circle he co-founded.
www.germany.uli.org

27.01.2011 - Wiesbaden

Prof. Bernhard Franken participated in a podium discussion on "Planning tasks of the future" held as part of Netzwerk Architekturexport's event "International planning and building - strategies and best practice from Hessen".
www.architekturexport.de

PUBLICATIONS

ZEITSCHRIFTEN

WUS Rundbrief Nr. 66

Prof. Bernhard Franken wrote the editorial entitled "The urban millennium" for the circular published by the World University Service (WUS).

www.wusgermany.de

Kién trúc

Five current projects by Franken\Nguyen\Consulting were presented in the 12/10 issue of the Vietnamese architectural journal.

BOOKS

Inszenierung und Vertrauen

Prof. Bernhard Franken wrote an article entitled "Spatial Narratives als Inszenierung des Vertrauens" for the book "Inszenierung und Vertrauen" , which deals with the topic of borderlines in scenography. Edited by Ralf Bohn and Heiner Wilharm.

www.transcript-verlag.de

Grand Stand Vol.3

The multi-award winning project "MINI-What a Birthday" is featured in Grand Stand 3 - Design for Trade Fair Stands, published by Frame.

Messedesign Jahrbuch 2010/2011

With its "Mini-What a Birthday" trade fair presence, Franken Architekten was also again selected for the 2010/2011 Trade Fair Design Annual. Published by avedition.

Designpreis der Bundesrepublik Deutschland 2011

With its nominated "New Blue" project, Franken Architekten features in the Design Award of the Federal Republic of Germany 2011 book, edited by the German Design Council and published by Birkhäuser Verlag.

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