Some exhibitions are like a wonderland - with a specialized bias. I Saloni WorldWide Moscow is perhaps one of them. The international furniture exhibition, which took place in Moscow for the 10th anniversary time, occupied pavilion 2 of the Crocus-Expo exhibition center: here various interior items were exhibited from 15 to 18 October. Almost 40.5 thousand people, including professionals and journalists, came to see the samples of products of 526 participants (454 companies from Italy and 72 companies from other countries of the world).
Italian architects Marco Romanelli, Riccardo Blumer and Mario Cucinella conducted master classes within the framework of the exhibition. They were organized jointly with the Trade Exchange Development Department of the Italian Embassy.
The exposition, located on two floors, was accordingly divided into two thematic parts: modern design (1st level) and classic design (2nd level).
In the lobby of the first floor, the works of the SaloneSattelite WorldWide contestants are located: here young designers from Russia, the Baltic States and the CIS countries presented their projects - a total of 44 participants. Three finalists won the right to exhibit their work at the Milan iSaloni in 2015.
The best works were named:
1st place - a laconic stainless steel bicycle rack Ribbon Park (Santa Celitane, Latvia);
2nd place - a chair made of birch bark Sibirjak (Anastasia Koscheeva, Russia);
3rd place - clothes hanger made from recycled Trempel cardboard tube (Victor Puzur, Ukraine).
This large exposition also included a futuristic taxi with lemon seats for one person (a life-size model rode the hallway), all kinds of lamps and chairs, completely unimaginable pieces of furniture that are difficult to attribute to the usual type. All this looked very impressive, especially when the author was next to him, with whom he could discuss his invention.
The creator of the "Cocoon" system Anna Panteeva from Riga has developed an environmental object consisting of two types of interconnecting modules. They simultaneously perform the function of a bench and environmentally friendly lamps, which are saturated with solar energy during the day, and "give" it at night, glowing.
This simple and beautiful system is located around trees, and their trunks can be of any diameter. "Cocoon" is made of a translucent composite material and adapts to any environment due to a variety of layout solutions.
This year's graduate of the Moscow Stroganov School Tatiana Repina presented her thesis: a system of funny modules for the office Lolo and more. This furniture on twig legs is something like a shelf, into which drawers, cabinets or simply shelves are inserted to accommodate a cooler, water purifier, coffee machine, microwave; storage space for dry food is also provided. The modules have a perforated back wall: holes that set a beautiful rhythm are intended for wires, which can then be wound around the very same twig legs. Thanks to a special mounting system, the number of shelves, drawers and cabinets can vary, as well as the height of the entire product as a whole. If necessary, the office module can be turned into a children's closet: for this, the designer suggests fixing it to the wall (for greater stability). The furniture is made of 4mm plywood glued in six layers. Outside, the modules have a colored, as if rubberized surface (primer, enamel, varnish), and inside they are covered with ecological Osmo varnish. This furniture is very pleasant to the touch and is completely different from ordinary office equipment: these cheerful bird faces have a clear tendency to vertical, while horizontal planes prevail in office spaces.
The main exposition was built according to a very simple principle: in the exhibition pavilions, assembled from a standard construction kit with white filling, each exhibitor did what he wanted. The filling was very diverse, and this concerned not only furniture, but also the approach to the organization of the stand space and its purpose. Someone invited guests for a cup of tea or coffee, someone turned their stand into a ceremonial hall with a fireplace, someone filled their "module" with lamps and their reflections on the walls. And some companies, for example the ARCHISTUDIA Representative Office, brought to Russia immediately
several famous Italian factories.
At the exhibition, one could find many non-trivial ideas. And although the idea that office furniture does not have to be boring and made of chipboard or plastic is not at all new, it still amazes when you see its material embodiment.
Wonderful lamps and chairs, which in the 20th century have turned into almost every designer's program work, still remain a field for experiment. As well as
doors with secret "secret" hinges that drive all designers crazy, and even with famous door handles.
Fancy cabinets, mirrors and tables - in general, all objects that 3D-Max users are used to dealing with in the form of models were available to touch, sit on and just get to know better. Of course, live they made a much greater impression than on a blue screen, and any item could be bought.
Not all iSaloni WorldWide objects were radically innovative (although, of course, experimental forms prevailed): lovers of luxurious chandeliers with a thousand candles and gilded columns also had something to see. Spectacular pavilions on the second floor offered many options in order to feel like the owner of a rocaille mansion or an Art Deco villa, which means - the owner of fanciful yet ultra-comfortable household items.
Crocus-Expo presented not only material objects, but also products from the media sphere: magazines and websites offered all interested parties a variety of information - from sources of inspiration to specific sites where you can buy furniture.
On two floors of Crocus-Expo all creative credo found a place - both laconic pieces of furniture, continuing the line of "classic" modernism, and magnificently decorated objects.
The iSaloni exhibition is one of the loudest and most visible events in the world of design. In spring iSaloni in Milan opens the season of international design exhibitions, and in autumn in Moscow it completes this cycle. Design products are born in different ways and often as a result of long and hard work. A designer needs an audience to test his ideas, and a public needs a designer to bring a little aesthetic pleasure into everyday life, and iSaloni WorldWide Moscow has successfully helped both of them find what they want for the 10th time.
The factories Garofoli and Valli & Valli in Russia are represented by the TRIUMPHAL MARKA company
The factories FIAM, MISSONI HOME, CACCARO, ALIVAR, ALTRENOTTI, EGO 024, GIUSTI PORTOS in Russia are represented by ARCHISTUDIA.
