TOP 5 DESIGN COLLECTIVE #3

TMC have picked the design astute minds of some of our favourite design aficionados, and asked them to come up with their top 5 most inspiring pieces gathered from all corners of their world.

Our latest contributor is Kym Murray from Corporate Culture, the lustworthy purveyor of iconic furniture and industrial design. Corporate Culture has a steadfast commitment to real original design and is at the forefront of new releases. If it is a piece that reflects all that is seminal and original in design excellence with a coveted aesthetic created with the epitome of quality and durability in mind, then Corporate Culture stocks it. In spades.

Corporate Culture, 925 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, Australia  www.corporateculture.com.au

Kym's Top 5 in her own words:

ONE.

CONVERSE ALLSTARS

They have been a constant in my wardrobe since I was 14. The design is simple and comfortable and goes with everything. Colours, patterns, leather and canvas – I have owned them all. I may purchase other sneakers but I always come back to my Cons.

TWO.

NAVY CHAIR BY EMECO

I love telling the story of the Navy chair, with such an engaging story, I know many who have an emotional attachment to this modern classic. With a 150 year warranty, it is made from recycled aluminium and built to survive a torpedo attack. This level of craftsmanship is refreshing in today's disposable culture and fashion driven society. Stockist:  www.corporateculture.com.au

THREE.

GHD (GOOD HAIR DAY)

Nearly every female I know owns one. Oh how different my teenage years would have been, had GHD's been around then. Thanks to two heated ceramic strips I no longer look like a back up dancer from an 80's film clip.

FOUR.

MARALUNGA BY VICO MAGISTRETTI FOR CASSINA

Many would giggle at its 1970s aesthetic, but one sit in its warm embrace is all it takes to convert the hardest customer. The unique design of its backrest caters to your every emotional need, be it with a block of chocolate and your favourite movie or a few glasses of wine with your closest friends. The Maralunga gives you a little cuddle every time you need it. For stockists, contact Corporate Culture.  www.corporateculture.com.au

FIVE.

MINI CLUBMAN 1978

My first big purchase, the Clubman got me hooked on the taste of freedom and I had so much fun. As soon as your hands touch the wheel you are inducted into the secret Mini society. With its secret little hand waves and nods of the head to fellow drivers, the Mini has a true sense of character and style. They still catch my eye when one zooms past me on the road. I loved that car – no matter how many times I had to push it.

Kym has inspired us to explore the celebration of the Mini brought to us by Dutch design duo, Scholten & Baijings, who set about deconstructing the Mini One for an installation entitled Color One for Mini for Salone del Mobile 2012 in Milan.

Scholten & Baijings examined the composition of the Mini down to its smallest details, and in so doing re-examined and questioned the rules of automotive design as we know it. Through colour and material, the duo deconstructed an entire Mini One and all the hallmark Mini attributes it embodies, and presented a Mini that tackles fundamental design issues concerning Mini design.

The car was peeled apart like an onion, layer by layer, and analysed piece by piece. This process spawned the concept of 'Art Parts' – car parts whose design and function are rethought and reinterpreted. Our favourite is the sun visor which doubles as a clutch bag. Who would have thought?

COLOUR ONE FOR MINI BY SHOLTEN & BAIJINGS

COLOURS AND SWATCHES FOR COLOUR ONE FOR MINI BY SHOLTEN & BAIJINGS

SKETCHBOOK WORKINGS

LAMEGADINA BULBS BY TEMPERATURE

Oh glorious.

We just adore these floor lamps by Temperature Design.

Just when outdoor lighting seemed to be stuck in its one-dimensional genre of standard garden variety illumination, serious security lighting, or the more inconspicuous permanent architectural ambient light fittings that mostly pride themselves on being sight unseen, Temperature has blown away our preconceived ideas about outdoor lighting. LaMegaDina Bulbs are portable, lightweight, waterproof oversized bulbs cast in polyethylene topped with a selection of six screw top colours.

Their playful stylings and ease of functionality make them at home inside or out, be it as garden illumination, dotted around an outdoor party, or shedding ambient light indoors.

We love it when the worlds of functionality and aesthetics collide so beautifully, and in such a spirited, playful way. The joy.

LaMegaDina and the smaller pendant lamp version named LaDina Bulbs are available at Temperature Design:

LaMegaDina retails for AUD$750.

Temperature Design  www.temperaturedesign.com.au

LAMEGADINA BULBS BY TEMPERATURE

TOP 5 DESIGN COLLECTIVE #2

TMC have picked the design astute minds of some of our favourite design aficionados, and asked them to come up with their top 5 most inspiring pieces gathered from all corners of their world.

Our second contributor is Kym Elphinstone, founder of [art]iculate, a consultancy specialising in contemporary culture with a focus on visual arts. www.articulatepr.com.au

Kym has overseen PR for the Biennale of Sydney, Museum of Contemporary Art, and leading galleries and arts festivals in Australia. Abroad, Kym has sunk her teeth into New York’s New Museum and worked with M&C Saatchi’s specialist arts division, amongst a burgeoning list of other fine company.

Despite her busy schedule bringing the work of artists, designers and creatives to the public arena, Kym takes time out to talk to TMC.

Kym's Top 5 in her own words:

ONE.

THE BIOEFFECT GREENHOUSE, ICELAND

I recently traveled to Iceland and was struck by the raw and often savage beauty of the landscape. This glass greenhouse is positioned in the middle of a volcanic lava field just outside Reykjavik. The structure has an ethereal glow to it, thanks to the rows of golden lights inside that are designed to encourage the growth of barley grass. The striking building is the source of Iceland's renowned BIOEFFECT anti-ageing skincare range. Based on Nobel Prize winning science, BIOEFFECT includes only nine ingredients but is also incredibly potent - much like its home country of Iceland.  www.bioeffect.com.au

TWO.

COMME DES GARCONS WALLETS

This wallet is a daily staple that is both simple and beautiful. Soft black leather with gold embossed writing and gold zip detail. Works just as well with jeans and t-shirts as it does with a black tie dress. It's the perfect size to slip some keys, cards and the slim iPhone 5.

THREE.

CARRIAGEWORKS, EVELEIGH

Our offices are based at Carriageworks, which is housed in a former railyard located in Sydney's Eveleigh. The cavernous, industrial warehouse space is now home to one of the most exciting contemporary arts institutions in the country, Carriageworks. I love how the raw aesthetic provides an ideal backdrop and contrast to present a diverse array of visual and performing art works, as well as major festivals such as the Biennale of Sydney and, from next April, Fashion Week.

FOUR.

VERTICAL GARDEN WALLS BY PATRICK BLANC

I've always loved gardens and it was love at first site the first time I encountered one of Patrick Blanc's vertical garden designs on the exterior of Paris' Musee du quai Branly. These gardens have now popped up all over the world including inside the Qantas lounge and Sydney's new 1 Bligh Street hi-rise building. I was also lucky enough to install a vertical garden in my old apartment in Elizabeth Bay. Contemporary garden genius and the ideal solution to recreate a lush garden sanctuary in an urban environment.

FIVE.

BLACK MINI COOPER S

My ultimate city runabout, the black Mini Cooper S is both sexy and functional. The fact that the basic Mini design has remained a classic for more than three decades is testament to this car's enduring appeal.

BAGGY LAMP

Thank goodness the suburban obsession with a house full of down lights is coming to an end. The masses are getting braver and lighting is no longer being forgotten as an extremely important design feature.

Here is an example that we love as it doesn't take itself too seriously but is so appealing to the eye and would suit many different environments and tastes. Baggy Lamp is designed by Studio BAAG and recently featured at Milan Design Week 2012.

Suspended in space, these pendant lamps form complex 3-dimensional light, fashioned from coloured metal mesh and fiberglass. The lamps personality transforms with the presence of light, dematerialising when turned off and coming to life when switched on.

  www.studiobaag.com

BAGGY LAMP BY STUDIO BAAG

PAPER VESSEL

We love London-based designer, Pia Wustenberg's 'Paper Vessel'. It is a glass cylinder enveloped in paper 'bangles' to make up a modular vase of adaptable, interchangeable, swappable rings.

Layered sheets of paper are morphed into turned 'beads' unveiling haphazard ripples of ink colours in a beautifully accidental way.

Anyone for recycling?

  www.piadesign.eu

  www.utopiaandutility.eu

PAPER VESSEL BY PIA WUSTENBERG

TOP 5 DESIGN COLLECTIVE #1

TMC have picked the design astute minds of some of our favourite design aficionados, and asked them to come up with their top 5 most inspiring pieces gathered from all corners of their world.

Our first contributor is Steve Minon, co-owner of dumpling bar, Harajuku Gyoza and ex-ad creative.

Harajuku Gyoza, 394 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, Australia  www.harajukugyoza.com

Steve's Top 5 in his own words:

ONE.

FARNSWORTH HOUSE

Mies Van Der Rohe's modernist masterpiece in Plano, Illinois inspired me to live as a minimalist...or Minonimalist. A clean, white box with glass walls hovering over the forest floor. Not much inside except some warm timber cabinetry. This house is my benchmark for living and I try not to gather too many possessions in case one day I get to live there (or in a similar house).

TWO.

DIETER RAMS' UNIVERSAL SHELVING SYSTEM FOR VITSOE

It's like Lego for grownups. I love everything about this design. Its functionality is not hidden, it's celebrated in the design and that's what I love about it. The shelving slots in. You can move elements around. The points of attachment are there to be seen and it's still elegant. Dieter Rams did this as a sanctioned side project while he was creating the Braun products that so influenced Jonathon Ive when he designed the iPod.

THREE.

1ST GENERATION iPOD

Jonathan Ive's 1st Generation iPod is still my favourite of the iPods. It changed the way I work because it allowed me to carry my entire music collection with me and I always work with music on. Since my first iPod, I have always been drawn to pocket sized solutions and the simple circular controls he designed on its face to this day remind me that there's no need to overcomplicate things. I don't like the new ones with the colour screen. Unnecessary distraction.

FOUR.

THE T-SHIRT

In particular, the white Bonds crew neck raglan t shirt is my favourite clothing design. It's comfortable, functional and minimal. I also wear the navy one which is a bit more difficult to find. It's a staple in my wardrobe and I'd like to be buried in one. I wear them because they inspire me to keep it simple and comfortable. I don't like to over accessorise.  www.bonds.com.au

FIVE.

CHOPSTICKS

They have influenced me my whole life. My father taught me how to use them and I use them every day. They remind me of how simple and elegant functional things should be. I prefer the wooden ones and the Japanese version is the most elegant.

SPOONPLUS INTEGRATED CHOPSTICKS, SPOON AND BOWL

Thanks to Steve, we are now obsessed with chopsticks. The seamless blend of functionality, simplicity and beauty that make up the chopsticks pictured above called 'Spoonplus' by Aissa Logerot is seriously lustworthy chopstick design. Not only is it a set of chopsticks and bowl, but also converts to a spoon. Clever.  www.aissalogerot.com

SOFT WOOD

Paris-based designer Veronika Wildgruber describes her work as "simple and surprising". Her range of limited edition 'Soft Wood' chairs is no exception.

This is a series of chairs that appear at first to be made in fabric with the soft appearance of pillows. But in reality they are sculpted in solid wood. The chairs create the optical illusion of the softness associated with upholstery, which contrasts heavily with the solidity of the timber from which they are made. In essence, Soft Wood toys with reality and visual perception, while still retaining the comfort of an upholstered chair. We want one.

Soft Wood was recently shown at Paris Design Week 2012, and is available at:

UK: MINT  www.mintshop.co.uk

USA: 360SEE GALLERY www.360seegallery.com

BRASIL: FIRMA CASA  www.firmacasa.com.br

AUSTRIA: SONG  www.song.at

DESIGN*SPONGE

www.designsponge.com

Design*Sponge blogged about The March Collective this week.. To say we are excited would be a ridiculous understatement.

WIN THIS ARNE JACOBSEN PIECE!

Buy an artwork from The March Collective between now and the end of November to automatically enter the draw to win this AJ Jug valued at $310, from Corporate Culture.

AJ JUG WITH ICE LIP

When Arne Jacobsen drew his iconic Cylinda-line, he included a 2-litre water jug with ice-stopper. However, it was never put into production. Today water is a permanent element on the dining table. Therefore this jug has been introduced to take its rightful place in the Cylinda-line range. The AJ Jug is destined to become a design classic.

Design extraordinaire, Arne Jacobsen (1902-1971) has brought us not only outstanding architectural works, but a series of chairs which are now considered milestones in the development of modern furniture. Who doesn't know and love 'The Ant', 'The Egg' and 'The Swann'? He didn't stop there. Arne set about designing an innovative tableware series, his 'Cylinda-line' in stainless steel. And to think he originally trained as a bricklayer!

Cylinda-line was awarded the ID-prize 1967 by The Danish Society of Industrial Design and The International Design Award 1968 by The American Institute of Interior Designers.

Thank you Arne.

And thank you Corporate Culture.

www.corporateculture.com.au

THE PANTONE HOTEL

www.pantonehotel.com

Red and yellow and pink and green, purple and orange and blue...

Talk about packing a colour punch. As promised by its namesake, The Pantone Hotel located in central Brussels, is one vivid place to stay. Designed by Michel Penneman and Oliver Hannaert, the Pantone Hotel dedicates each floor to the exploration of one particular colour. A white canvas provides a pure backdrop to strong pops of different hues, each vying for attention but sitting comfortably together in a clean, crisp space. As expected from the global authority on colour that is the Pantone company, the Pantone Hotel definitely sings our rainbow.

Place Loix, 1060 Brussels, Belgium

HANGING RULES

VIEW THE STYLE FILES

Last month we brought you the first of our series of Hanging Rules.. tips to help guide you on how best to position your art.

We have now moved our Hanging Rules to a brandspanking new page on our website called the Style Files. Check in with the Style Files regularly as we add more and more tips on how and where to hang your art, and other ideas on interior styling.

HANGING RULE #1

So you've bought an artwork you love, but you don't know where to hang it? Here at The March Collective we are often asked where best to place artworks on the wall. For this reason, we have devised a set of Hanging Rules... Tips to help guide you on how to hang your art. This is Hanging Rule #1.

LIKE PAPER

www.aust-amelung.com

At first glance, these light fittings appear to be made of folded paper, but are actually made out of slewed concrete, rotationally moulded and manipulated until the final pieces take shape.

Miriam Aust and Sebastian Amelung, together comprise pioneering design duo, Aust&Amelung, an outfit based in Kassel, Germany. It is here that they conceived their lighting concept, aptly named 'Like Paper'.

The duo are known to experiment with the design process, with a penchant for manipulating materials to create an unexpected outcome. The result - Each Like Paper piece is a work of art and is as individual as it is beautiful.

Like Paper is available through DUA www.dua-collection.de

Photography by Minu Lee www.minulee.com

LIKE PAPER

THE TACTILE PROCESS OF CREATING LIKE PAPER

MIRIAM AND SEBASTIAN

TMC

The March Collective designs a collection of wall art curated to stay abreast of the latest colour and design directions.

Our design philosophy is the collective view that the beauty of any interior space should be complemented, enriched and transformed by the perfect piece of art.

We believe beautiful art should not be limited to a few but appreciated by all. For this reason, The March Collective creates wall art printed on canvas and paper, with a number of framing options, to suit any interior space and budget.

The March Collective is the collaboration of design duo Brooke Marsh and Anoushka Schollay, two friends sharing not only a background in Graphic Design and Advertising, but an appreciation of art and exceptional design, and an obsession with beautiful interior styling.

This blog is to share with you where we get our inspiration from and things we visually love across interiors, fashion and travel. If you’d like to leave us feedback please do on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/themarchcollective

EST MAGAZINE

www.estemag.com

We have been obsessing over Est Magazine since the day of it’s launch. It showcases the most fabulous mix of the world’s best interiors and has an amazing eye for design. It’s picked up a great following, thousands of interior coolio’s world wide can’t be wrong!

So that being said... you can imagine how hard we air punched when they asked to do a feature on us in their latest issue! We had the greatest day shooting Brooke’s beautiful home with Est Art Director Lynda Evans and cutting edge interiors photographer Toby Scott. See the finished product in their latest issue below. Subscribe while you’re at it, you’ll be delighted with what you’ll see from them next…

Est Magazine Issue #6: The Fashion Issue

The March Collective: Anoushka (left) and Brooke (right)

Edelweiss featuring The March Collective artwork: Sundsvall Handgun (left)

Edelweiss featuring The March Collective artwork: Zebra Circles in Black (top)

ANNA-WILI HIGHFIELD

www.annawilihighfield.com

Sydney-based artist, Anna-Wili Highfield, continues to astound us with her gloriously whimsical paper sculptures. Each is a delicate masterpiece of archival cotton paper, painted with inks and watercolours then sewn together. These precious little numbers are masterpieces in craftsmanship. They are absolute showstoppers and heirlooms in the making. So much so that Anna-Wili has been commissioned by Hermes, Anthropologie, Carla Zampatti and Bianca Spender to make one-off pieces. Just look at these horse busts created exclusively for Hermes... Sigh.

HORSE MASKS FOR HERMES

BROWN WARBLER AND BLACK ANGUS

WHITE BELLIED SEA EAGLE

PAPIER MACHE

www.papier-mache.com.au

This too is an E Mag however you can also order print copies. Based in Sydney this is a feast for the eyes of gorgeousness. Even if you’re not dressing little ones or decorating their rooms, this publication provides excellent inspiration for design and colour.

Papier Mache Décor Magazine