ILLUSTRATOR: MARTIN NICOLAUSSON WRITER: ALICE MORBY‘AISSU’ CHAIR
by Ginger Zalaba
Ginger Zalaba has design in her blood.
The granddaughter of celebrated Swiss
architect and designer Otto Kolb, the
so-called ‘master of the New Bauhaus’, she
has been surrounded by his avant-garde
works her entire life. Having studied interior
design at IED in Milan, she founded her
practice, Zalaba Design, in Zurich in 2012.
This chair from her new Aissu collection
pays tribute to Kolb, reinterpreting a chair
he designed in 1950, an upholstered version
of which was produced by Walter Knoll in- The design features flattened, winged
arms, perfect for supporting a laptop or
penning handwritten notes. Wrapped in
simple leather, the chair echoes a classic
design but its unusual silhouette appears
full of contemporary edge.
‘Aissu’ chair, €1,200, by Ginger Zalaba,
for Walter Knoll, walterknoll.de
‘TOTEM’ BOOKSHELF
by Bjarke Ingels Group
Firmly a household name when it comes
to his building projects, Danish architect
Bjarke Ingels has recently completed a
furniture design for Italian manufacturer
Driade – a bookshelf that’s stacked with
visual trickery thanks to some clever
construction details. The piece is made
up of eight volumes, each supported by
an X-shaped frame that creates the overall
structure. At first glance, it’s hard to tell
where the shelves end and start, as each
has been fused together in the middle
at a 45-degree angle. As arresting a sight
as its namesake, the freestanding ‘Totem’
is available in a choice of oak – lightly
varnished to highlight its texture –
aluminium and several steel variations,
including a blackened version.
‘Totem’ bookshelf, price on request,
by Bjarke Ingels Group, for Driade, driade.it‘TOUCH DOWN UNIT’
by Studio Klass
Although furniture company UniFor
celebrated its 50th anniversary earlier this
year, it appears to be very much looking
towards the future of the workplace.
Responding to the ongoing trend for fluid
office spaces and remote working, the
Italian brand has teamed up with industrial
design agency Studio Klass to create the
‘Touch Down Unit’. Designed for the
‘nomadic worker’, the workstation can be
adjusted for either standing or sitting, while
swivel castors allow it to be moved around
with ease. Its rectangular work surface sits
atop a cupboard concealing power points,
shelves and lockable storage space. At night,
the unit is returned to its specially designed
charging station in order to recuperate
for the next working day.
‘Touch Down Unit’, £2,500, by Studio Klass,
for UniFor‘MR COLLINS’ STOOL
by Stefan Diez
This stool has been conceived with dynamic
working in mind. Its ergonomic design
ensures comfort for both perching and longer
seated periods. Typical of E15, the form
remains minimal, but personalisation can
be achieved through some 15 finishes.
‘Mr Collins’ stool, €520, by Stefan Diez,
for E15, e15.com‘PARROT’ PORTABLE LAMP
by Timon & Melchior Grau
Long gone are the days when wires and plugs
ruled the room. Part of a cordless future,
Tobias Grau’s portable ‘Parrot’ LED lamp
comes with an integrated battery that lasts
for ten hours, or longer at dimmer settings.
The design is available in black, white,
orange, and blue.
‘Parrot’ portable lamp, from €629,
by Timon & Melchior Grau, for Tobias Grau106 ∑
The W* House Study