The project under the complicated name “12 Architects. Project "Offices". Part One: Masters of Russian Architecture”was launched in December. NAYADA invited renowned architects to design furniture sets for executive offices. Six architects from five workshops worked on the future of domestic industrial design: Sergei Choban and Sergei Kuznetsov, Boris Levyant, Vladimir Kuzmin, Evgeny Polyantsev and Totan Kuzembaev.
The press conference, at which the journalists were told about this project, took place more than two months ago, on March 23rd. Then NAYADA President Dmitry Cherepkov said: “The architects were offered to create pieces of furniture for managers in their characteristic style and aesthetics. The essence of cooperation is simple: they create, and we produce and promote under our domestic brand with the self-explanatory name Lepota (LEPOTA)."
The authors also shared their expectations. Sergei Tchoban complained that it is very difficult for us to implement high-quality architectural objects and “the fastest way to declare about Russian architecture on the international market is the implementation of design objects, including furniture”. Moreover, according to Evgeny Polyantsev, the whole world expects from us new, fresh ideas, something extraordinary …
In the meantime, the project participants have played such an innovative role for NAYADA itself. The general director of the LEPOTA factory Regina Cherepkova thanked the architects: “Many thanks to the authors for raising the bar so high. We were taught a lot and gave an incredible impetus to the development of the experience of working closely with the authors, what materials they chose, how they worked with form, with proportions. Russia now lacks such co-creation of authors and producers. And it is necessary - only then will we be able to make high-quality, interesting things that will compete with designer products in Europe”.
But then (March 23), journalists were not shown not only photographs or 3D pictures, but also drawings. Even an outline. Than kindled curiosity. They only hinted that the materials used to create the samples could be very unusual - which even more intrigued. What will it be: gold, crocodile skin, corian … plywood ?!
It turned out that the offices are planned to be sold in the middle price segment, for example, for heads of IT companies. Therefore, not luxurious materials will be used, but those that can perfectly convey the idea and organically embody the shape of the product. The list includes: wood, stainless steel, carbon (aka carbon fiber) and some complex material invented by Totan Kuzembaev.
Needless to say, everyone was looking forward to the presentation of prototypes at ARCH-Moscow.
"Profile" is the name of the project of Vladimir Kuzmin.
This is a laconic shape in the form of a stylized I-beam. It is so simple that it becomes a symbol. "I-beam" serves as a table, and if you stack it, you get an elegant rack.
All pieces of furniture created by Totan Kuzembaev have a symbol in the form of the letter V - in the table supports, in the zigzag shape of the rack racks.
Maybe that's why the name "Victoria" was chosen for the collection.
The prototype is made of wooden lamellas and plexiglass. The table can be equipped with lighting integrated into its design.
Sergey Choban and Sergey Kuznetsov created the Speech project.
They used an expressive technique of contrast: color and graphic.
Volumetric elements of furniture (cupboards, cabinets, drawers) are made light and have clear rectangular shapes.
And the countertops and vertical surfaces are made in the form of a wide black tape, which smoothly covers, braids the frame, rounding its corners.
The title of Evgenia Polyantsev's work "0-24" is based on the fact that a modern leader is forced to be on duty 24 hours a day, day and night.
The opposition of white and black, straight and broken lines - all this symbolically conveys the meaning of the image.
The crosshairs of horizontal, vertical and inclined surfaces form many convenient multi-format shelves and niches that will help to optimally organize the workplace.
The inspiration for Boris Levyant and Irina Prisedskaya (ABD'Vise) was snowboarding. The shallow arc characteristic of its shape is "readable" in the processing of the edges of the table, its supports and in the sidewalls of the shelves.
The edges of the furniture are not only curved, but also beveled, cut off almost to nothing. This saw cut reveals the beautiful structure of the material, which consists of alternating layers of light and dark wood.
The shape of the table top allows you to make several functional compositions - a table, a table with an attachment, a double table, a meeting table.
Every day during the exhibition, lectures and master classes were held by project participants - architects and representatives of NAYADA, at which they told how the work on the project was carried out, why such a concept was chosen. Boris Levyant spoke about new trends in the development of office space and their impact on the design of office furniture. Irina Prisedskaya highlighted the work on the project in detail and answered numerous questions from the audience.
Vladimir Kuzmin showed how large architectural ideas can be embodied in the interior.
Sergei Choban and Sergei Kuznetsov talked about the fact that the smallest details play an important role in the formation of space. And they cannot be neglected.
Totan Kuzembaev introduced him to the “cuisine” of his work.
The topic of Evgeny Polyantsev's speech was a global issue - “Realities of life and abstractions of creativity”.
And Regina Cherepkova told how the work on each prototype was carried out, in what material the industrial design will be executed, and how this project will develop further. It turned out that two or two and a half years can pass from the creation of a design project to its industrial execution.
The objects made according to the projects of architects at the LEPOTA factory, the company plans to show in 2013 at the International Furniture Salon in Milan and at other European and Russian exhibitions. This interesting and challenging work is just beginning; new architects, both domestic and foreign, will take part in it.
