New Simplicity a design exhibition

Nature does not multiply things unnecessarily: that she makes use of the easiest and simplest means for producing her effects; that she does nothing in vain, and the like. — Galileo

New S 24 July 2

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Contents Introduction Alex Hulme David Sutton Industrial Facility Jasper Morrison Jochem Faudet Jon Harrison Luka Stepan Mathias Hahn Min-Kyu Choi Oscar Diaz Thomas Wagner Simple design now (Nuno Coelho) Biographies Acknowledgements Credits

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Simple Simple and and practical practical design design has a has long a long tra- tradition; dition; fromfrom a pencil, a pencil, smoke smoke alarm alarm or coat or coat stand stand to antoelegant an elegant lamplamp heldheld together together by by magnets, magnets, the work the work of a of new a new generation generation of of designers designers readdresses readdresses the ordinary the ordinary by proby producing ducing products products thatthat are simple, are simple, practical practical and and affordable affordable yet visually yet visually striking. striking.

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The digital age has offered new opportunities to designers, and this show highlights the advances brought by rapid manufacturing (RM), which allows designers to create functional objects that can be used on a regular basis; everyday items made from the minimum number of pieces as possible.  

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This exhibition features current examples of simple design, alongside some new products and prototypes. They include: Luka Stepan’s elegant single part ball pen; David Sutton’s minimal wallet formed in one piece, with no moving parts; Alex Hulme’s self-assembly torch, Jochem Faudet’s cable organiser and Min-Kyu Choi’s remarkable award winning folding plug. Industrial Facility are showing their new Lacie bubble bags and a new alarm watch called Analarm.

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Many of the designers in the exhibition respond to a current trend towards frugality and a return to basics in a climate of economic uncertainty. Where the one-off limited edition once prevailed, designers and consumers are now searching for simplicity with quality, a desire to create and own products that are enduring, functional and simple. 

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The exhibition was created on the basis of a gesamtkunstwerk (total artwork) or rather gesamtgestaltungwerk (total design work in its original Germanic root) from the way in which the objects are displayed to the interior design and communication treatment.

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The design concept for the exhibition is inspired by the way that we interact with the everyday stuff of life, and as utilitarian  complement to the products on show. Everything has its place, and conscious that we anthropomorphise objects (things ‘sit’ and ‘stand’ on floors and tables, and ‘rest’ against walls), the products are placed or delicately suspended against a series of datums, at the height at which we would expect to interact with them. 

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Similarly the exhibition graphics complement and enhance the exhibition concept. A book has been printed through an on-demand publishing site. This single piece has been trimmed to provide all captions, poster and wall signs for the show, while it also functions as a catalogue when in its original form.

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Alex Hulme

Self assembly torch

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Photo Credit: Jonathan Griggs

Rapid manufacturing Design by Alex Hulme

A one piece LED torch which can be assembled with an LED, batteries and a one pence piece. Such a complex moulding is only possible with rapid manufacture

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A copper penny makes the contact at the base of the torch

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Led pins are bent into contact with the batteries

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Turned on and off by a twist base or a live hinge button.

Pocket pencil

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Batch production Design by Alex Hulme

Lunchbox

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Prototype Design by Alex Hulme

Calculator visible memory function

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Prototype Design by Alex Hulme

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David Sutton

Table

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Prototype Design by David Sutton

Coat hanger

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Prototype Design by David Sutton

One piece wallet

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Rapid manufacturing Design by David Sutton

The natural flexibility of the cards work within the void like a snap fit to prevent the cards from falling out once placed inside.

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Cards are held in place using their natural flexibility.

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Cards are bent through aperture with forefinger.

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Cards are slid out of the wallet using thumb.

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Industrial Facility

Analarm vibration watch

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Manufactured by IDEA Japan Design by Industrial Facility

Twinstopper

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Manufactured by Droog Design by Industrial Facility

Branca chair

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Manufactured by Mattiazzi Design by Industrial Facility

Bubble bags

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Manufactured by Lacie France Design by Industrial Facility

Lacie 7 port hub

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Manufactured by Lacie France Design by Industrial Facility

Lite plug

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Manifactured by IDEA Japan Design by Industrial Facility

IF 400 knife rack

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Manufactured by Taylor’s Eye Design by Industrial Facility

IF 400 knife

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Manufactured by Taylor’s Eye Design by Industrial Facility

Chantry knife sharpener

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Manufactured by Taylor’s Eye Design by Industrial Facility

Bell clock

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Manufactured by IDEA Japan Design by Industrial Facility

Muji toilet brush

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Manufactured by Muji Design by Industrial Facility

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Jasper Morrison

Op-la table

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Jasper Morrison Ltd. - Photo Credit: Alessandro Milano

Manufactured by Alessi Design by Jasper Morrison

Basel chair

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Jasper Morrison Ltd. - Photo Credit: Marc Eggimann

Manufactured by Vitra Design by Jasper Morrison

Glowball light

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Jasper Morrison Ltd. - Photo Credit: André Huber

Manufactured by Flos Design by Jasper Morrison

Wine glass

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Jasper Morrison Ltd. - Photo Credit: Alessandro Milano

Manufactured by Alessi Design by Jasper Morrison

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Jochem Faudet

Magnet light

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Prototype Design by Jochem Faudet

Boxed Up dish rack

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Design by Jochem Faudet

iPod/iPhone cable spindle

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Rapid manufacturing Design by Jochem Faudet

This mould is split in four parts, exactly fitting into each other without any visible split lines on the front and back surface of the product. Rather than producing a practical object, the concern was to create a mould from which cheap products chould then be made. By creating inexpensive moulds using 3D-printing techonologies, designers can avoid the prohibitive prices of traditional moulds necessary for the mass production of many products.

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Jon Harrison

Kippford hook set brass

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Manufactured by Thorsten Van Elten Design by Jon Harrison

Kippford towel rail (long)

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Manufactured by Thorsten Van Elten Design by Jon Harrison

Kippford toilet roll holder

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Manufactured by Thorsten Van Elten Design by Jon Harrison

Mugs jugs and sugar bowls

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Design by Jon Harrison

U floor standing light

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Manufactured by Habitat Design by Jon Harrison

Clamp-able lamp

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Rapid manufacturing Design by Jon Harrison

Clamp-able lamp comprises four components, each is built a fraction of a millimetre away from the other. Once removed from the machine, they are converted into one moving, adjustable mechanism which doesn’t need to be assembled and cannot be dismantled.

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Luka Stepan

Folding stool

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Prototype Design by Luka Stepan

Folding table

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Prototype Design by Luka Stepan

One piece pen

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Rapid manufacturing Design by Luka Stepan

THIs pen’s only part includes all the functionality and the features of a classic pen enclosures made out of at least 3 different parts and materials.

Twisting the spiral in the opposite direction of the cuts opens them up in order to exchange the ink cartridges

Standard ball pen cartridge

Thinner spiral for softer flexible grip

Integrated spring

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Mathias Hahn

Lantern

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Manufactured by Ligne Roset Design by Mathias Hahn

Guest stools

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Manufactured by SZ Magazin Design edition Design by Mathias Hahn

Earl grey lamp

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Prototype Design by Mathias Hahn

Scantling floor lamp

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Manufactured by Marset Design by Mathias Hahn

Scantling table lamp

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Manufactured by Marset Design by Mathias Hahn

Pango Jumping jack horse

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Rapid manufacturing Design by Mathias Hahn

This X-ray image shows the movement of the horse, which is triggered by pulling the chain. The image also reveals how a toy — that is usually complicated to assemble — can be made in one go, as well as become 3D in shape by using the latest rapid manufacture technologies. Its function is none but make children smile.

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Min-Kyu Choi

Sundew flower trap

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Prototype Design by Min-Kyu Choi

Folding plug

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Product under development Design by Min-Kyu Choi

Ruler

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Prototype Design by Min-Kyu Choi

The polen

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Rapid manufacturing Design by Min-Kyu Choi

The idea behind this 3D exploration is to reproduce the extraordinary forms found in microscopic polens. This is achived by amplifying them to to a tangible object that can be seen, touched and felt. With rapid manufacturing technology and 3D data of the micro object it is possible to replicate the many varied and unusual natural forms of the polen. 3D printing is thus used not to produce a practical everyday product, but rather as a visual communication tool. It is about how we see, touch, feel and imagine objects, even if microscopic.

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Oscar Diaz

Fast track light system

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Prototype Design by Oscar Diaz

Tabs bookends

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Prototype Design by Oscar Diaz

While you sleep

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Rapid manufacturing Design by Oscar Diaz

Clip them together

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Scan your key at your nearest post office

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Choose your head type

2 Send data to manufacturer 3 Your key is sent to you overnight

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If lost reprint key from data Pay online or by msm Pick up key at Post office

Penpal Pen stand

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Prototype Design by Oscar Diaz

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Thomas Wagner

Neglected Products

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Prototype Design by Thomas Wagner

A4 shredder

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Prototype Design by Thomas Wagner

Climate station

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Prototype Design by Thomas Wagner

Fan

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Prototype Design by Thomas Wagner

Radiator

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Prototype Design by Thomas Wagner

Lamp Shade

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Rapid manufacturing Design by Thomas Wagner

Light travels through and reflects differently depending on what it hits.

The lamp is created in one single piece adding different thicknesses to the shade. The different thicknesses allow the user to direct the spotlight, altering not only the intensity of the light but also where it is directed to.

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Simple design now — Nuno Coelho

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From a pencil, smoke alarm or coat stand to an elegant lamp held together by the strength of magnets, the work of a new generation of designers readdresses the ordinary in our everyday lives by producing products that are simple, practical and affordable, yet visually appealing. Whether mass products or prototypes, the work of this new generation of designers stands comfortably next to more established designers such as Sam Hecht and Kim Colin of Industrial Facility, or Jasper Morrison. The unifying element is a shared belief in the pursuit of simplicity. The first and middle years of the Noughties saw the phenomenon of so-called design art – craft-based, one-off or expensive limited editions showcased in gallery settings. By contrast, the last years of the decade saw a move towards design concerned with making the ordinary, often neglected objects of our daily routines useful, affordable and beautiful. This was evident in a design exhibition curated in 2006 by designers Naoto Fukasawa and Jasper Morrison called Super Normal. The exhibition consisted of a collection of unobtrusive anonymous objects combined with design classics or objects created by contemporaneous designers. The aim was to show the beauty of functional, durable, simple, and well-made everyday objects. More recently an exhibition entitled Design Real opened at the Serpentine Gallery. Curated by German designer Konstantin Grcic, the exhibition is concerned with simple design objects that are the result of complex multidisciplinary processes. Its focus is not on stylistic form, or the signature design pieces by a celebrated designer, but rather on the industrial processes of the objects. The first decade of the 21st century as a whole was also characterised by a paradigm shift, one encompassing a technological revolution. The digital age brought new opportunities which radically changed all aspects of our life. Digital technology made reproducing, buying and sharing music, video and graphics much easier and widely available. Now the fast, digital reproduction of objects is becoming increasingly available with the fast developments of Computer Aided

Design (CAD) software and new 3D digital printing technologies. Stereo lithography, as this process is also called, produces objects by depositing layer upon layer of a specific material like molten plastic or ceramic. The objects are automatically 3D-printed using ‘additive manufacturing technology’. Known in the design industry as rapid prototyping (RP), a computer-generated design can go from being an initial idea to a manufactured item in six months or less. Rapid prototyping is fast giving way to rapid manufacturing (RM). This shift means that in the near future people will be able to 3D-print their own objects in a variety of materials and colours at their nearest digital print shop. Rather than needing a complex factory and industrial processes to machine-make an object – which are necessary at present for making even the simplest object – creating things with factory-like precision may become so much cheaper that millions of ordinary people will be doing it . † Molotoch, Where Stuff Comes from If objects are signifiers of our contemporary existence it seems relevant, if not pertinent, to bring to the attention of a wider audience – via this exhibition – design which combines the traditional notion of practical simple design with the future possibilities of 3D-printing. This type of design reflects our contemporary fast-changing world in which analogue technologies are used alongside digital technologies. In other words, we are living in a world initially shaped by digital migrants, that is people who were born before the digital revolution, for a new generation of digital natives who are forever radically changing the way we communicate, socialise, consume, design and produce artefacts. New Simplicity combines prototypes, recent design classics and recently manufactured products with new pieces produced using the latest technologies in 3D-printing. The participating designers will be showing designs made in the past alongside more recent ones to illustrate a design approach that, while based on continuity, does not neglect technological innovation. The new products produced using 3D-printing technology were designed to take advantage of its specific properties, whilst being

commercially viable. Luka Stepan’s elegant ballpoint pen, made in one single piece, dispenses with any springs or additional elements; instead the pen itself is designed as a spring, with a slit at the top that opens up to replace the cartridge. Or take David Sutton’s minimal wallet formed in one piece, with no moving parts. Another example is Alex Hulme’s self-assembly torch in which the small incisions in the concave element of the torch – into which LED pins are bent into contact with the batteries – could only be possible using rapidmanufacturing technologies. Then there’s Jon Harrison’s light which comprises four components, each is built a fraction of a millimetre away from the other. When objects are created using rapid-manufacturing, it means that, once removed from the machine, they are converted into one moving, adjustable mechanism which doesn’t need to be assembled and cannot be dismantled. This end result could not be achieved via any other manufacturing process other than rapid forming. The exhibition teams up emerging designers with their mentors to showcase simple design not as a style manifestation but as an evolving approach addressing the radical technological and social shifts occurring today. This is the key theme explored by the exhibition. At the core of each project is the need for simplicity – however, this installation also highlights that even the simplest of things are made using complex processes. As well as creating new products, this exhibition follows the conventional wisdom that design must fulfill a practical function. The everyday usability of each exhibit is therefore a central theme in this show. Simple and practical design has a long tradition and past, with a continuity of principles spanning almost 100 years. This approach emanates from the Modernist movement epitomised by the Bauhaus functionalism of the 1930s. Pursuing a radical left-wing Utopian ideal, the Modernist movement believed that simple, good design, that worked well, improved people’s lives. Underpinned by a rationalist philosophy, Modernist designers shared a belief in massproduction and technology as the best way to achieve good affordable

design for everybody. It mirrored the rise of scientific philosophy and functionalist sociology – such as those propounded by Rudolph Carnap and his notion of logical positivism - as the major forces in shaping Western modern thinking and, by implication, social policy and legislation. Dieter Rams’ notion of ‘good design’, for example, follows the Modernist view that form follows function. It is rooted in notions that good design is rational and functional. It is about keeping design to a minimum – as restrained as possible. This same approach is also evident in the work of the younger designers featured in this exhibition. Alex Hulme’s calculator or Thomas Wagner’s shredder are inheritors of a similar approach and philosophy. “Improving something as developmentally mature as a calculator is a real challenge; but a closer observation revealed that people often struggle to use and visualise the memory function. The memory in this calculator is visible on one of the buttons, thus improving its functionality. The user can see what is being held in the memory and use the number stored in it like any other button,” says Hulme. David Sutton’s approach shares the same pursuit for simplicity. His interest lies in how objects describe themselves, telling us how they might be used, made or work. His coatstand made from a flat sheet material is an exploration of the use of folded steel to create both structure and form. The repeated form efficiently utilises the flat material in such a way so as to reduce waste through the product manufacture, while creating a simple yet understandable form. The difference in today’s approach is not how designers condense the design to its most essential, either by simplifying the form or reducing the technical complexity to what is really needed, but on its wider social and technological context. For instance, with the introduction of the iPhone, and more recently the iPad, electronic appliances company Apple took advantage of miniaturization and developments in captive touch screen technology. The focus is not on its less is more aesthetic or in form follows function, but rather on the design of its interface accessed through

a flat touch screen. By creating a multi-functional gadget that takes advantage of current convergent digital technologies Apple challenges traditional functions associated with mobile electronic products. Rather than being just a mobile telephone, the iPhone allows several different functions that tap into the new social, communication and working habits of our digital world. Jonathan Ive is visibly inspired by Dieter Rams’ aphorism, Less but Better. By combining user-friendly and intuitive interfaces with a contemporary interpretation of modernism and its associations with so-called ‘good design’, Apple successfully distinguishes itself from its competitors. It positions itself as a premium brand target at a specific urban market niche. The commercial success of Apple however, relies on the perfect symbiosis and shared vision of its founder and president, Steve Jobs, and the head of its design team, Jonathan Ive. A concern with usability is also evident in the work of Industrial Facility. “Design has become image-based, and whilst images can be great to look at, they are not always so satisfying to use”, comments Sam Hecht. When commissioned to design a new watch, Industrial Facility studied watches and discovered that even though many of them, particularly digital watches, had alarms, they were difficult to set, and so were rarely used. This, according to Industrial Facility, is because these types of functions are ‘layered’ into a product and not brought forward. Their challenge was to design a watch with an alarm function that is as easy to set as one on an alarm clock. Industrial Facility wanted to add a vibration function because this could then act also as an alert watch for during the day. The result is a vibration alarm watch that is easy to use and aesthetically pleasing. Another example, also by Industrial Facility, concerned with how people use objects is a series of knives designed for British company Taylor’s Eye. Their IF400 knives series shaped in the old-fashioned simple tapered oval shapes challenges preconceived notions that optimum functionalism is only achieved through good ergonomics. According to Industrial Facility, the drawback of designing an ergonomic knife, which is shaped to fit the hand perfectly, is that

it limits the many different ways people actually hold and manipulate a knife. This traditional shape means that even with the eyes closed, people know which way the handle is facing, making it also ideal for short-sighted or blind people. As such, and perhaps coincidently, it could be described as an Inclusive design product, which ironically is a design approach deeply rooted in ergonomic studies. In our contemporary polarised, mainly urban societies which offer several alternative lifestyles and cultural identities to choose from, notions of good design cannot be narrowly defined by specific principles. As Harvey Molotch cleverly illustrates in his seminal book Where Stuff Comes From, “art and utility, frivolity and seriousness, form and function, do not conflict, but work together as part of any creative enterprise”. Only a couple of decades ago, design was rarefied and became an adjective for an aspirational lifestyle. Nowadays there are abundant examples of more humorous design, such as some of the work promoted by the Dutch design group Droog. The Cinderella Table by Jeroen Verhoeven, for instance, which boasts the curvaceous forms of an 18th-century French commode, transgresses any functionalism to become purely ornamental. His pieces become examples of selfexpression, affordable only to a small group of people. The reference to historical forms and production techniques brings it closer to decorative arts than design. Or the Neo-Baroque creations by Dutch designer Marcel Wanders, who has been, over the last few years, replacing Philip Stark as the designer of spectacle and illusion. It is design that fulfils a specific need, an emotional need for selfexpression both for the designer and buyer. It reflects a need to express a particular lifestyle, social aspiration or taste. Other designers, such as London-based design trio Troika have a more thoughtful approach to design. Like artists, designers can have conceptual aims; they have a desire to provoke thought as well as, or instead of, providing something useful. Their work often combines digital technology with references to analogue technology or other formal traditions. This tension, between the past and future

possibilities, is perhaps, where they situate themselves. Troika’s focus on digital technology and its impact in shaping not only our daily lives but also our intellectual development make it as relevant and useful as the more functional solutions designed by the proponents of Modernism. Ironically, frugality - manifested through the products we consume, buy and use – has become a fashion statement in itself. Beyond the financial cycles and fads, the attitudes and motivations of the designers in this exhibition, their search for simplicity, quality and desire to improve the ordinary perhaps represent a broader societal return to basics. Design has also been greatly stripped of its Utopian left-wing idealism. What has changed also is the dogmatic approach to so-called good design.

Acknowledgments

Biographies Alex Hulme: A graduate of the Royal College of Art, he has worked on numerous product, furniture and interior projects, with Tom Dixon, Nokia, Samsung and in London at Studio McDaniel. Recent projects include collaborations with Mothercare, Umbro and Hutchison Whampoa (3 Mobile). www.alexhulme.com David Sutton: born in 1977 in Australia where he trained, then at the RCA. He has previously worked for PearsonLloyd and BarberOsgerby on a wide range of furniture and product projects. He received the Conran Foundation Award in 2007 and is now developing his own studio with a focus on both furniture and product. www.davidsutton.co.uk Industrial Facility: formed in 2002 by Sam Hecht and Kim Colin to explore the junction between industrial design and the world around us. They have won international recognition with numerous awards, exhibitions and publications. www.industrialfacility.co.uk, www.retailfacility.co.uk Jasper Morrison: internationally acclaimed designer who set up an Office for Design in London in 1986. Recent projects include a line of kitchen appliances for Rowenta, the Pots & Pans for Alessi, a range of sanitary ware for Ideal Standard, the r5.5 chronograph for Rado,  the Basel chair range for Vitra and the Trattoria and the Pipe seating range for Magis. In 2006 he founded Super Normal and in 2009 the opening of the Jasper Morrison Limited Shop London. His Office for Design is currently based in London, Paris and Tokyo. www.jaspermorrison.com Jochem Faudet: born in 1980 in France and brought up and trained in the Netherlands, he worked on lighting concepts for Philips Lighting among others before completing his MA at the RCA. He now runs his own practice focusing on lighting products. www.jochemfaudet.com Jon Harrison: UK designer who studied furniture and product design on the Design Products course, tutored by Michael Marriot and Luke Pearson, at the RCA. He has worked with a number of renowned designers and received several awards such as the Blueprint magazine Graduate Designer of the Year, Liberty’s Design Bursary and the British Council Top 10. www.jon-harrison.com 

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Luka Stepan: born in 1980 in Slovenia, he studied in Ljubljana and at the RCA, and he is now based in London. He founded his own practice, working on projects ranging from products and furniture design to exhibition and interior based work. Some of the projects he has been involved in have won awards, such as Red Dot, 2007 and Designpreis, 2008. www.lukastepan.com Mathias Hahn: a London based product designer, he was born in 1977 in Germany, and studied at Essen University and the RCA. He has worked for Tom Dixon and was one of the founding members of OKAY studio in 2006. With a background in industrial design, his recent works take a twisted angle at familiar object categories. www.mathiashahn.com Min-Kyu Choi: born in 1980 in South Korea, he is a new graduate of the RCA Design Product MA course, with a background in graphic design, illustration and interactive design. www.minkyu.co.uk Oscar Diaz: a product designer based in London, having trained in Spain, France and at the RCA in London. He works with ideas applied to objects, furniture and spaces, often tweaking everyday objects or situations. www.oscar-diaz.net Thomas Wagner: born in Denmark in 1977, he studied mechanical engineering and later industrial design before training at the RCA. He has worked for product designer Sebastian Bergne and is setting up his own studio. www.thomas-wagner.dk

We would like the following people for all their help and support in realising this exhibition: Ana Reis Anna Stewart Alison Wright Bruno Sousa Colin Blain David Sutton Dominic Lutyens Frederic Plasse João Duarte Ferreira Jody Leach Jonathan Griggs Mark Morley-Smith Pedro Castelo Rebbeca Reid Toby Bull Torsten Neeland

The exhibition is generously supported by 3D Systems Corporation, a leading provider of 3D Printing, Direct Rapid Prototyping and Direct Rapid Manufacturing solutions, South Kensington Estates as part of the Brompton Design District cultural programme, TalkiWalki and Farrow & Ball suppliers of traditional papers and paint. www.newsimplicity.info Curator: Nuno Coelho Graphic Design: Julia / julia.uk.com Exhibition Design: Velorose / velorose.com

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