Wonderglass: Collaborative Modern Chandeliers By Zaha Hadid, Jaime Hayon, Nendo and Nao Tamura.

Wonderglass is a new international company with headquarters in London and in Venice, dedicated to the production of glass chandeliers, created by the best-known designers on the international scene.



Using glass and light, Wonderglass transcends the boundaries of tradition to experiment with exclusive, avant-garde working techniques resulting in the creation of bespoke items and macro-installations. The hallmarks of the company are innovation, artisanship, the magic of design and colour, versatility and originality meshed with unparalleled Italian craftsmanship. Wonderglass is a network that blends renowned Italian artisan traditions with the vision of famed designers of our times, such as Zaha Hadid and Jaime Hayon.

Wonderglass embraces the traditional technique of glass-blowing, using its special recipe to transform it into a sensual, innovative product: though focusing firmly on contract and project it has not forgotten the world of limited editions.



For the official launch of the brand, Wonderglass in Milan drew upon the time-honoured experience of Venetian master glass-blowers and the contemporary touch offered by artists and designers of international renown, capable of interpreting the beauty of glass in a spectacular, innovative manner paired with the most advanced technological research on lighting.

The Wonderglass products showcased at the 2013 “Salone del Mobile” trace an imaginary journey through Venice, reflections of light are multiplied on the waters of the lagoon, while unexpected shapes amaze with their intricate creativity. Jaime Hayon stages a contemporary carnival with traditional masks, Nao Tamura encounters a multitude of buoys floating on the horizon while Nendo (Collaboration Bisazza–Wonderglass) uses light to describe the appearance of shadows lurking behind the hidden corners of Venetian “calle”, whereas Zaha Hadid (Collaboration Established & Sons–Wonderglass) creates a flock of crystals. Wonderglass chandeliers transport us into a fantastic, enchanted world of marvels.



Thanks to the work of an audacious creative network of artists and designers combined to the longstanding expertise, Wonderglass is able to satisfy all your dreams by bespoke pieces and outstanding creations.

Wonderglass is a unique and necessary actor for a bespoke business in particular where both the glass as a material and the project itself require high level of technical skills.

Flow[T] by Nao Tamura





The reflections of the Venetian cityscape glistening on the evening water hints at an imaginary city below the moving surface. There is a border between the world under and the land above. In the city of Venice, where the real world and fantasy coexists, this chandelier is the embodiment of the beauty of dual worlds.

‘Flow[T]‘ is a contemporary chandelier inspired by the colours of the Venetian lagoon and customised to the desires of each owner. Each piece enjoys its own shape, and in multiples, they create a sculptural display of lighting.

Designer Nao Tamura:


Product Specifications:
Light Emission - Direct
Dimensions:
S1: Ø257mm, H240mm
S2: Ø110mm, H153mm
S3: Ø98mm, H454mm
S4: Ø210mm, H448mm
Materials: Blown Glass
Colours: White, Blue/Green

Black Bat by Oki Sato of Nendo, a Collaboration between Bisazza and Wonderglass




A chandelier reminiscent of a colony of bats hanging upside-down from a tree branch or the ceiling of a cave. Evenly-spaced glass shades blown by Murano glass artisans enclose LEDs, and cast their light downwards. Bases can be connected to create a large colony, or removed to make a smaller one.

Designer Oki Sato:


Product Specifications:
Light Emission - Direct
Dimensions:
S1: 6 Lights Ø600mm
S2: 10 Lights Ø900mm
S3: 14 Lights Ø1100mm
S4: 18 Lights Ø1400mm

Materials: Blown Glass and Stainless Steel
Color: Black
Bespoke dimensions and colour variations can be specified.

Masquerade by Jaime Hayon




Subdued yet playful. A collection of characters inspired by the masquerade ball, the new chandelier from Jaime Hayon nods to Venetian heritage, the epicenter of glass artistry. The colour palette is understated, setting up a contrast to the lively menagerie, while subtle variations create visual interest and depth.

Designer Jaime Hayon:


Product Specifications:
Light Emission - Direct
Materials: Blown Glass
Colours: Amber

Swarm Chandelier by Zaha Hadid, a Collaboration between Established & Sons and Wonderglass





The Swarm Chandelier is a composition of black crystal volumes suspended in dynamic forms. The intricately layered spatial composition of the chandelier presents itself as a unified whole; it does not presuppose any proportional system, nor does it privilege symmetry.

Designer /architect Zaha Hadid:


Product Specifications:
Light Emission - Projected
Dimensions:
L: 2500 x 2400mm, Maximum Height: 4000mm
Materials: 16000 Crystals
Colours: Black
Bespoke dimensions and colour variations can be specified.



Wonderglass

Lake Washington Shores Pavilion House Blends Cement, Steel and Woods To Create A Showcase For Art.

This 6,800 sq. ft home is a collaborative effort between by architect Jim Olson of Olson Kundig Architects, and interior designer/ furniture designer Garret Cord Werner. The home goes by a couple of names depending on with whom you speak. Olson Kundig refer to it as The Pavilion House, while Garret Cord Werner calls it The Lake Washington Shores Art House. Regardless of the name, the breathtaking structure merges the exterior & interior spaces to provide a seamless environment with the northwest landscape.





Outside spaces mimic the interior in function: living area with fireplace, kitchen, dining area, expansive lawn, long terrace.





The Lake Washington Shores home was designed for entertaining and especially displaying the client's extensive northwest art collection. Reclaimed Mahogany woods, nickel plated steel sections and cement were used throughout the whole house to create a unified atmosphere with an elegant yet comfortable finish.

The house showcases art from various Pacific Northwest artists such as Cris Bruch,  Kenneth Callahan, Rob Snyder , Dennis Evans,  Nancy Mee, Lino Tagliapietra, and Catherine Eaton Skinner to name a few.





Olson considers those who worked on the home also to be artists: interior designer Garret Cord Werner, lighting designer Brian Hood and landscape architect Charles Anderson.

"I lived near the water a long time, but I never felt it until here," says the homeowner of this Bellevue home designed by Jim Olson of Olson Kundig Architects. "It's all about floating and dreaming," says Olson.





The dramatic center pavilion is the focus of the architecture displaying a grand thirty-five foot long dining table by Garret Werner that floats on two pedestals. The table, which can seat 40 people, was engineered and constructed out of reclaimed mahogany wood and nickel plated steel sections and may be disassembled to provide a flexible party space.






Flanking the center pavilion is a floating living room over a reflecting pond and a media room family area at the opposite end with kitchen and bar. All the cabinets were designed by Garret Werner for the home. In the center console in the entertainment room, a projector comes up from inside to project across into the media room.



Custom furniture designer by Werner fills the comfortable living areas.





Working in collaboration with Jim Olson, the master bathroom floor plan was redesigned from initial floor plans and was transformed into an inside-out experience.




A custom designed sunken Japanese bath is the focus of the master bathroom and a Julie Speidel sculpture acts as a focal point.



Blurring the lines of the interior to the exterior is an element Werner believes is important for all architectural projects.





The nickel & fused glass powder rooms and custom lighting in the project are also by Garret Werner.



Relevant links:
Garret Cord Werner
Olson Kundig Architects
Brian Hood Lighting Design
Charles Anderson Landscape Design
photo credit: Benjamin Benschneider

Additional information from the Seattle Times

Chillin' In Denim. SMEG's FAB28 Jeans Refrigerator In A Limited Edition of 500.

Smeg, which has developed home appliances for 60 years, and Italia Independent, a brand of creativity and style, have combined two icons: the FAB28 fridge and Jeans.



Using traditional objects combined with new ideas has inspired the two Italian brands to produce the first refrigerator covered entirely by jeans.




The FAB28 with its range of colors and soft curved lines is a functional but also decorative icon. Jeans have long been a part of our culture that communicates freshness and comfort, rebellion and style.





The fabric itself combines tradition and innovation. It is treated with PLASMA, a nanotechnology that protects the surface of the refrigerator against splashing water, oil, milk and fruit juice.



Specs:
The FAB28 Jeans stand alone refrigerator with freezing compartment by SMEG is now available in this Limited Edition with Denim Jeans design. This refrigerator features right hinged doors as well as left hinged doors.

Energy efficiency rating A++

Refrigerator:
• automatic defrosting
• interior lighting
• ventilator for dynamic cooling
• 1 bottle grid, 3 safety glass shelves
• 1 fruit & vegetable box
• 1 small cheese & cold cuts box
Inner door equipment:
• 2 small butter & cheese boxes
• 2 containers with stainless steel rail, height adjustable
• 1 egg container, removable
• 1 bottle & can container

The FAB28 Jeans, a limited edition of 500 pieces, made its world debut at the Salone del Mobile in Milan. In addition, this extraordinary example of fashionable technology can be admired in the Corso Monforte Smeg showroom in Milan.

Price is $2498.75

Purchase the Smeg FAB28 Jeans here

Love Hurts: A First Aid Kit For The Broken Heart

Who among us hasn't spent a tearful evening eating chocolate followed by a vodka chaser while taking a candlelit bubble bath and listening to heart-wrenching songs in an effort to forget that asshole or bitch? You haven't? Well, maybe you ought to - it works surprisingly well. Which is why the Love Hurts concept kit by Melanie Chernock, created for an activity book assignment, is spot on.




The recent Graphic Designer/Animator graduate thought it would be more interesting to make a sort of activity kit instead of an activity book. So she came up with the concept of Love Hurts: A first aid kit for a broken heart. Melanie wanted to approach the product with a sense of humor and she did - creating a fun kit that contains the necessary items needed to get through a rough breakup: dark chocolate, vodka, bubble bath soap, a candle with matches, candy hearts, a mix CD, and, if all else fails, tissues.







All of the products come neatly and attractively packaged in a compact kit designed by Melanie. Now, if only it were available for purchase.




The promo video below was also made to show the products in use:


Photos by Luke Nilsson

Melanie Chernock

a special thanks to Maria Victrix for bringing this to my attention