The Stockholm Furniture Fair 2011 is in full swing, and the first news are coming in. Yesterday the world beheld the winner of the Forms+1 Award for the best product at this year’s exhibition. The award went to Thomas Bernstrand for his stackable storage system, called Ivy. This unusual piece, produced by the Swedish company Swedese, consists of five stackable components that can be arranged in three ways: straight-up, leaning to one side, or alternating. The last two choices allow to play with the object, creating fun and dynamic shelving. But even in a traditional, straight-up version it looks rather interesting. And because the Ivy system is stackable, you can customize it, divite it in two, or take it apart completely with ease.
This project has won the Interior Innovation Award during Imm Cologne 2011, which is not the least bit surprising. German designer Florian Gross has created a universally likable piece, called Konnex, that has all attributes we want to see in a bookcase. It is light, modular, stackable, easy to put together, fully customizable in any room, big or small. And because the bookcase can be taken apart and stored in a form of nested modules, it is easy to ship as well. The combinations and uses of the Konnex bookcase are endless, it can even be paired with other furniture pieces, put under your desk, for example. Sold in sets of 3, the slot-in units can be stacked, added to, arranged and rearranged to the extent of your budget and imagination.
There is no reason whatsoever for bringing a boring bookcase into your home. Especially when pieces like this one exist. Designed by Kittichai Reawsanguanwong, the Chinese Checkered Bookshelf was made to draw attention to itself. According to Yanko Design, the bookshelf joints are fitted with magnets to hold the chess pieces. Although not actually playable, the pieces can be rearranged to add visual interest and variety. They can also hold notes and small items. The bookcase was displayed during the ‘Imprints: Designing for Memories’ exhibition at the National Museum of Singapore.
Combining sitting and book storage is a popular game these days, and here is another impressive effort in this direction. The Ransa sofa, designed by Younes Duret studio, consists of a sit elevated above the book shelves. The piece not only has the obvious space-saving capabilities, but also provides a pleasing book display. Ransa is big enough for an average person to lie down, which makes it a proper couch, designed for an avid bookworm. The piece only exists as a concept, but when put into production, it will surely find many fans.
Twist is a stackable bookcase created by Giuseppe Bavuso for Alivar. The idea was to create a versatile and visually stimulating storage unit, suitable for any room. The final product fills the bill brilliantly, and then some. Twist can be used as a bookcase, a display unit, a night stand, even a pouf, if used with a cushion. Stackable components are made out of the Hi MACS acrylic stone. The units are divided by the glass shelves, which makes them even more light and airy. The illusion of irregular cubic shapes is a nice touch, it creates beautiful dynamic.
Shelving is as unavoidable as human need for collecting things. Ordinary shelving, however, is possible to avoid. Consider this piece from Opulent Items and see for yourself. Justly called Contemporary Flexi Shelving, this modular collection can fit any space. The units are sold separately and can be compiled into various configurations. The choice of two sizes allows for an exciting visual variety. Each circle comes with a level base, that stabilizes the items displayed. The piece can be used as a shelving unit, a room divider, or both.
These unusual bookshelves belong to an emerging French designer Adrien De Melo, who very deservingly called her creation Upside Down. Weightless, modular, transparent, suspended from the ceiling, these pieces truly give a new dimension to the idea of book storage. Each shelve consists of five simple components: translucent inflatable cushions, stainless frameworks, lifting straps, maintenance pins and fixing accessories. The units can be organized into different configurations. The Upside Down bookshelves are currently on display at Galerie BSL in Paris.
Update: Designer clarified that the shelves were ordered as a special command from Louis Vuitton Malletier to equip their cultural space, 7th floor of the Champs-Elysées building. The Upside Down shelving is exhibited at the Pavillon des Arts et du Design in Paris until April, 3rd. And if you are lucky enough to be in Milan for the Salone del Mobile’11 – do check out SPAZIO ROSSANA ORLANDI exposition. These shelves will be there!
Show me someone who owns enough book storage, and I will show you a liar (or a philistine). Unfortunately, traditional bookcases are heavy, permanent and expensive. You cannot easily get more of them to accomodate your latest literary shopping spree. Designer Dany Gilles came up with an unusual solution to this problem. He created DIY modular cardboard bookcases that are cheap and easily movable. The product arrives to you as a kit of parts, from which you assemble sturdy display boxes. The elements interlock to create a bookcase unit or stand alone as structurally independent pieces. Made entirely from recycled scraps of cardboard, the storage system is also eco friendly. It is not water friendly, however, but that is its only flaw.
Source: Dornob
Since we are on the subject of letters, here is another typographical treat for you, delivered all the way from Helsinki. This funky bookcase is called AAKKOSET, and is suitable for children of all ages. Created by the young Uganda born designer Lincoln Kayiwa, this piece not only makes a strong visual statement, it also provides a versatile storage for your books, CDs, magazines at cetra. Because the letter openings have different shapes, they make for an interesting and dynamic shelving. The letter-free space in the middle can be used as a bulletin board. Neat freaks, who dislike open storage, can even leave the bookcase empty and use it as a room divider. Made from durable fiberboard, AAKKOSET comes in a variety of colors.
Book storage and sitting space are the things we always need more of in any home, especially a shoeboxy one. Here is a design idea that gives us both. Trick by Sakura Adachi, designed for Campeggi, is a book case that turns into a table with two chairs. It is compact enough to easily assume the either function. Or the two functions can be combined to create a reading station – a true luxury in any space, big or small.
