Furniture designers great and small recently made their annual pilgrimage to IMM Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany. The annual furniture fair has been touted as a leading forum for international design ideas and trends, and this year showcased original living solutions and tried-and-tested interiors from more than 1,300 companies. For the second year running, an interior innovation award honoured 18 outstanding achievements in the furnishings sector. Of these, a select five went on to win 'best of the best' recognition.
The only Asian design to receive this accolade was the Accupunto system from Indonesian company Accupunto International (
www.accupunto.com), which won Best Detail. Offering a high comfort factor and the benefits of acupressure, as well as being practical and aesthetically pleasing, its chairs have a special support structure rather than a cushion, which easily adapts to the user's contours.
Another type of seating to receive a congratulatory nod was the Conseta, for Best Classic Innovation. Designed in the 1960s by Fredrich Wilhelm Moller, it has been dusted down and given a 21st-century makeover by Cor (
www.cor.de). The individual elements of this flexible system, whose name stems from the Latin con sedere (sitting together) and consetus (put together), can be connected, expanded and deconstructed thanks to a loop-and-wedge structure. Although updates have come in the form of new elements and combinations, removable covers and a variety of cushion fillings, it demonstrates that classics of the past have a place in the future.
The award for Best Materials Innovation went to the eco-friendly Luna Stacking Chair (pictured) from Italian manufacturer Plank (
www.plank.it), for its clever and sparing use of plywood to create a comfortable, ergonomic seat, as well as offering sufficient structural support.
Also given the thumbs up from the judges was the sculpture-like Lili (Best Item), a wall-mounted 'wardrobe' made of four pieces of bent wood (far left; manufactured by Mox;
www.mox.ch), and the Spanoto table (Best System) from Nils Holger Moormann (
www.moormann.de), which is super-light but nevertheless offers a high level of stability, thanks to detachable legs.
Trends seen at Koelnmesse 2004
Individualism and the growth of a more personal style
Multicultural influences owing to increasing globalisation
Innovations in home technology that mean men are no longer leaving the homeware-buying decisions to women
Large formats in tables and upholstered furniture
Simple, plain forms
Clear patterns
Revival of 'forgotten' classic designs
A mixture of modern and retro styling
An increase in 'homing'
(the need for warmth, comfort and security in the home)
