Back to Basics @ Moscow Design Week

I recently spotted this innovative straw bench as part of the Organic Dwelling exhibition at the Moscow Museum of Architecture. Curated by Lidewij Edelkoort for Moscow Design Week, the exhibition explored how designers are influenced by primal instincts; "like animals, constructing architecture based on lifestyles, affected by geographic influences, and inspired by local materials and perfected skills."

Nice to see the concept of Mancaves acknowledged by the pillars of the design world then. As for the bench, it was surprisingly comfortable and easily convertible to a commercially viable domestic design.

Noma Bar - Big Dog in a Bigger World

Isralei artist Noma Bar is a big dog in graphic design. He has published 600 illustrations, two books, and over 60 magazine covers including designs for Time Out, The Economist and Wallpaper*. Noma's big dog status has been super-sized in his latest exhibition with an iconic dog shaped die cutting machine.

The signature dog design from the series is masterful in a variety of levels. Using negative space, the canine portrait consumes a cat, which in-turn consumes a mouse. A poignant reminder of the relativity in which we all exist: At face value our focus is on the big dog; but the cat gets it's mouse too; the big dogs of this world ceasing to exist without it.

The House of Montecristo

 

What would happen if I were to suddenly and inexplicably turn in to a cigar? It's a question that daunts many of us. Where would I live? How would I occupy the hours before my slow and smoky demise? Ever the public service, Design Trawler provides some reassurance that life as a cigar isn't all bad.

First and foremost you'd need to find a nice humidor to live in. The Viscount David Linley could help you out with burr walnut veneer boxes ranging from £1,450 through to £25,000 for the colonial Partagas edition for you and 99 of your friends. Pad acquired, British manufacturer Billiard Room Ltd will happily supply you with the minimalist 'curve' pool table (pictured at Decorex 2011). Throw in some 1920's props (literally), the knowledge that some cigars age for 80+ years, and it's Lagavulins all round.

Design Ninja @ London Design Week

With 280 events held in the space of a week, the London Design Festival turns the Capital in to a veritable candy store for fanciful design enthusiasts. In much the same way that candy stores seem to attract a fat kids with little more than pocket money, it wouldn’t be Design Week without Hoxton sorts wielding skinny jeans and NUS cards.

This year, a new breed of guest infiltrated the openings, launches and previews. Design Ninja arrives without a bright pattern shirt and without green jeans. Unsuspecting, in a sombre suit, Design Ninja bypasses the air-kisses, the canapés and complimentary drinks [well, in most cases]. Identifying and shooting the best of the show with a view to serious acquisition - before silently slipping out, unnoticed, fully informed and only moments after arriving.

Highlights of 2011 included the brass Jackson floor light (pictured) by Portuguese manufacturer Delightful, and SCP’s masculine Timberly Hall Rack by design studio Rich Brilliant Willing.

Coffee on a Podium - Democratising Design

The other week I hopped along to a TED style talk organised by Creative Morning. Billed as a 'monthly breakfast lecture series for creative types', the initiative currently runs free sessions in 15 international locations. On the podium was super-designer Chris Bangle, former Chief of Design for BMW and widely acknowledged as one of the most important auto designers around today.

Bangle made an impression with the observation that designers and the design world seem to exist on a podium; dictating design to the masses on the basis of their wise and worldly judgement. While our tribal instincts make being part of a respected group desirable, it's our wider contribution to society that drives our evolution from caves to man caves. Watch the full video here. Sketchnotes by Eva-Lotta Lamm.

Metroland Modernist - 97 Park Avenue Ruislip

Kicking off the London Design Festival this year, Open House London flung open the doors of over 700 of the capital's best buildings to the public. Many private homes, flagship offices and civic spaces welcomed journalists, nosey neighbours and Saab driving architects with goatees and/or elbow patches for guided tours.

Representing DesignTraweler's stomping ground and brave new world of Metroland was 97 Park Avenue in Ruislip. A modernist beauty built in 1936 complete with roof terraces and lashings of Bauhaus goodness. Just add hot tub and attractive young things for instant Man-Villa [Saab and/or elbow patches optional]

Design Trawler's Container Townhouse for the BBC

What happens when a 25 year old with no experience decides to design and build a luxury home using industrial shipping containers? The Isomodal Townhouse is the result of two years design and development for a low cost, ultra efficient, high specification home. Created in part for a new BBC television series which has since been put on hold.

The Isomodal Townhouse draws its influence from shipping containers loaded on to a freighter; its poured concrete ground floor representing a ship's hull with containers loaded on top. The rusty cedar side tower figurative of a container crane and wide circular skylight echoing nautical chimneys.

Container architecture isn't new, however the Isomodal Townhouse is unique in that it represents a high specification build that embraces the industrial forms of intermodal containerisation. Unlike other container projects, the design neither pokes fun at containers as a design gimmick, nor disguises the modular container DNA.

Featuring three full sized bedrooms, separate formal and informal living areas with double height ceiling, gym/cinema, office with concealed entry and 20ft roof terrace, the home has 225m of high specification living space.

Excluding land and design fees, the luxury container home is anticipated to cost £135,000 and take 16 weeks to build. This represents a 40-60% reduction in construction costs for conventional projects of a similar size.

Sartorial Sketches by Jeremy Hackett

How nice of Jeremy Hackett, the founder and Chairman of the iconic British outfitter to send his best wishes. Following DesignTrawler.com's Twitter debut this month, I found out from Mr Hackett's Mr Classic Blog, that 25 of his signed sketches would be generously gifted to anyone polite enough to ask. The drawing by Jeremy Hackett features three well turned out chaps and will be presented to a select number of his clients in Tokyo this September.

Harrods Pot Noodle - The Oligarch of All Snacks

Widely believed to be a spoof when announced in 2008, the Harrods Pot noodle was a limited edition charity design coloration purchased to support Action Against Hunger. The posh 'poulet et champignon' ramen noodles come in a kitsch flocked green and gold leaf cup - colours that are synonymous with the opulent Knightsbridge store.

While the opinion dividing snack was launched as part of the rather more serious Harrods Design Icons series, credit has to be given for the light hearted (yet peculiarly relevant) fun poking of the iconic edition of 100. No other photos exist of the product and it's unknown how many of the, um, 'artworks' have been eaten by drunk students collectors.

Narcissistic Cafetière Demands £5,000 Coffee

This is the Bistro Coffee pot by British designer Nick Munro. Made in the UK, it exudes continental charm and has a fantastic playful charisma - imagine a portly Belgian serving up a strong hot chocolate from a terrace cafe in winter. Its asymmetric ebony handle, quirky cafetière press and defined 18/10 stainless steel body made it an easy favourite.

When it came to photographing it however, its quirks and charms were quickly and mysteriously replaced with a modernist self-assertion bordering on the narcissistic. Short of commanding its own pedestal at the V&A, I felt strangely compelled to replace the Lavazza with some wild Kopi Luwak coffee at £5,000 a kilo... as not to offend it.

Design Trawler for the BBC

For the past 18 months, Design Trawler has been filming with the BBC for a brand new prime time television series. The eagle eyed amongst you will have noticed that Design Trawler isn't 18 months old - This website was a product of the journey toward the multi million pound series and the 3 year production schedule that accompanies it.

Stay tuned next month for further updates and insight into the main product of the Design Trawler journey.

£140m Penthouse - Comes with £16.50 Dachshund

I'll try not to be smug about this one, because I do admire Nick & Christian Candy. The design and development empire created by the two brothers is responsible for the world's most expensive penthouse (the £200m La Belle Epoque in Monaco), and more recently, London's most expensive pad, the £140m penthouse at One Hyde Park.

Flicking through the marketing materials from One Hyde Park, I noticed a cheeky yet familiar silver dachshund perched on a side table (pictured). Familiar because the same one lives on a bookshelf in the Mancave. Cheeky because 'Daki' isn't a solid silver Asprey prop, but a £16.50 thrill from Chelsea retailer India Jane. Busted.

Nendo Kotoli for Ruinart - It's all in the Box

Designed by Japanese design house Nendo, this gift box for champagne Ruinart is a secret trunk of design treasures. Kotoli means 'little birds' in Japanese and the two stemless crystal glasses are designed to perch on the telegraph-pole handles and chrome branch stopper that accompanies the bottle from champagne's oldest Maison.

Such is the conceptual excellence of the Kotoli gift box, that the highly prized paulownia wood drawers reflect the delicate nature of the Blanc de Blancs, and are designed to slide apart in the style of traditional Japanese screens. Masterfully assembled and remarkable value, the 'litte birds' are sure to 'fly off' the very few shelves that'll host them.

Blomus Copo Teapot - Design Failure

Unlike the original Blomus steel 'soap' at MoMa (pictured right), the Blomus Copo teapot fails dramatically in both form and function. Official photos present a well scaled, streamline design balancing clean ceramics and modern steel. In reality the Copo is poorly scaled and bulky; suffering from a footprint that is too large and too flat, poor visual balance of materials and a disastrous spout that sends sencha dribbling down the side after every serving. Fail.

Best of the Best - Masterpiece 2011

"From Bugatti to bronzes, Cartier to Cognac" - That's what the organisers of Masterpiece 2011 promised guests of the luxe collector's fair. DesignTrawler.com was invited to a special pre-preview this week before it opened to the public.

Here's what we found. After navigating through huddles of people air kissing, thier children playing hide and seek in between gleaming vintage Aston's and of course ninja waiters intent on keeping the Ruinart flowing as freely as the number of cheques being written... there were one or two gems.

Simon Khachadourian's Pullman Gallery was the clear knock-out featuring his vast collection of rare bar and smoking accessories, automobile bronzes, trophies, motorboat models and original 1920's transport posters. Pullman's new 6,000 square foot by appointment gallery space in Chelsea (pictured) has already been hailed by the international press as the ultimate Man Cave. Expect a full investigation from DesignTrawler very soon!