Summer Yard Sale

As an aspiring designer, I find it heartening to see other creative-types emerging from their studios and actively creating opportunities to engage the wider public. In Krakow, they seem to be doing a great job of it. Similar to Targi Dizajnu, which I posted about a little while back, Yard Sale Cracow is organized 4 times a year by local artists to show and sell the fruits of their labor amidst a laid-back atmosphere complete with music, food and drinks.

This year's summer edition of Yard Sale Cracow was held in the outdoor courtyard of Betel Klub. Thanks to facebook, I did a better job identifying all the artists whose work is pictured, so you can check out their online stores too.

Some humorous decor by GarazShop

Wallets, pouches by Mybag and custom gear for your bike by Distanz Bikes

How cool (and patriotic) is this bike?

More waterproof accessories for your bike  /  Lego accessories for your self by Agabag

Pretty hand-painted cups by Magda Barcik, and coinpurses by Maua in the background

Colorful dolls and a whale-print tote by Miszko Maszko

Meanwhile, the bright colors and playfulness seemed to spill out onto the square (Plac Szczepański)...

Some hip rides

The obvious place to cool off

All images taken by me - Copyright 2012 CozyCity. Please cite if borrowed.

I wasn't able to identify all of the products shown in my photos. If you see your product, please let me know so I can tag you.

Design Crush : Nendo

Nendo is just the kind of design firm that I imagine must be loads of fun to work in. A combination of high productivity, creativity, simplicity, curiosity, and humor - all things that should be on any good designer's checklist.

Their mission statement speaks for itself:

     Giving people a small " ! " moment.
    There are so many small " ! " moments hidden in our everyday.

    But we don’t recognize them.
    and even when we do recognize them,we tend to unconsciously reset our
    minds and forget what we’ve seen.

    But we believe these small " ! " moments are what make our days so
    interesting, so rich.

    That’s why we want to reconstitute the everyday by collecting and
    reshaping them into something that’s easy to understand.

    We’d like the people who’ve encountered nendo’s designs to feel these
    small " ! " moments intuitively.

    That’s nendo’s job. 

And a well-done job it is turning out to be. Besides capturing those amusing " ! " moments, Nendo is also taking advantage of modern technologies and materials in interesting ways. Honestly, I had too much fun sifting through their various works, and it's hard to choose just a few favorites. Commencing hodgepodge of furniture, housewares, gadgets, interiors and exhibitions (really, there's quite a lot to choose from):

Clockwise from top left: maki lamp for Foscarini, press lamp for Lasvit, transparent lamp made with sight-protective film

dancing squares private exhibition

zabuton chair for Morosco, reinterpreting the form of a japanese futon mattress

notescape for Moleskine / dress-up vases / laquered paper 3D printed bowls

top-tea set with lid shaped to condense steam back into cup (lid toubles as spinning top)

oppopet wireless mouse for Elecom

data hook for Elecom / data clip for Elecom

hirata no boshi exhibition for work of milliner Hirata Akio

space design for Established&Sons @LDF exhibition, inspired by london fog

Interior design for Puma House Tokyo

Krakow's Indie Market

Two weekends ago I (along with some friends from out of town) serendipitously stumbled upon 'Targi Dizajnu vol. 3', a sort of artisans market for independent Krakow-based designers.  Apparently this is a seasonal event, where mostly 20 to 30-something artists gather to showcase their various handmade wares, apparel, and accessories. The level of craftsmanship was pretty impressive, especially for some of the stylish hand-sewn purses and clothing items. It seemed like a lot of the designers are available for custom orders, and many are reachable through facebook if they don't have independent websites. A list of links to designers is available here.

A few of my photos from the event:

Upcycled bags by Trashki

Right: Jackets hung in background by Bosque

  

Plush critters by Entala

All images taken by me - Copyright 2012 CozyCity. Please cite if borrowed.

I wasn't able to identify all of the products shown in my photos. If you see your product, please let me know so I can tag you.

Light Years

These lamps by Danish design company Light Years have been floating around in my mind for several days, and I'm trying to figure out why. What exactly makes them so memorable, aside from the beautiful styling and photography (by Yellows Photography, also Danish)? At first glance they're very plain and simple, no bells or whistles, nothing particularly striking or surprising.
But I'm thinking that's exactly the point. In the absence of distractions you get to see the 'soul', the essence of that lamp. The designer's intention and flawless execution are glaringly obvious, down to every detail. 

^ Ok, really, who can resist a mini version of something?

^ This one reminds me of falling asleep in class...

Oversized shiny black lamps make a pretty bold statement, but could fit gracefully into an industrial-style setting. I'd save the dreamy matte-finish cloche lamps for more homey decor. 

Ferrous Craft

Today I am admiring the beauty of Japanese cast iron wares from the Iwate Prefecture, where the traditional craft has been practiced since the 17th century. It is said that becoming a decent ironware maker takes at least 15 years, and becoming a master craftsman requires at least 40. It seems to me that the creators of these items are masterfully combining their understanding of the traditional craft with a rather modern appeal.

Nambu iron trivet and teapot by Roji Associates

Iron ornaments by Nobuho Miya for Kamasada : 1, 2 / 3

Yonabe Pot by Nobuho Miya for Kamasada

Made by the same casting methods since the 17th century, each piece can last more than a hundred years with proper care, and even if broken it can be recast. I think that 'good design' in today's world should aim for this kind of durability and functionality, while maintaining harmony with the environment in both the production and use of an object.

Bottle openers by : (clockwise from left) Nobuho Miya, Tadahiro Baba, and Tokyo-based Jurgen Lehl

  

In addition to being useful, these cast iron pieces also carry quite a bit of decorative value. They emit a sense of timelessness, and the feeling of being close to nature - especially when the iron is paired with other raw materials like wood, wicker, or stone.  You could think of these pieces as works of functional art, to be passed down through generations. 

Iron kettle (tetsubin) and trivet by Rikuchou Ogasawara

Images via Analogue Life and Emmo Home

Breakfast

A rustic country breakfast with Neëst:

Images : Neëst

Or a modern city breakfast with Analogue Life:

Images : Analogue Life

Both simple and cozy, each in their own way.