Vases that grow like mushrooms and other Ukrainian design projects
Kyiv Design Week is taking place in Zurich for the first time under the title "Kyiv: City of Change". On show are eleven projects by Ukrainian designers who are currently working in various European cities due to the war in Ukraine.
On 13 September, the first edition of the Kyiv Design Week opened as part of the Design Weeks in Zurich. In addition to talks, documentary film screenings and performances, the exhibition "Crossroads of Time" can be seen in the Thomas Kurer Gallery. It will be showing eleven different projects from the fields of art, fashion, graphic, watch and product design until 19 September. The organisation behind the selection for the exhibition is Design4Ukraine. The association has been planning the exhibition for some time, but was unable to realise it as planned, first due to the pandemic and then because of the war in Ukraine. Now the wait is over. "Despite the war, Kyiv continues to inspire us to dream, create and change, even in difficult times like these," say the co-founders of Aid Kyiv Design Week, Anastasia Biletska and Yaroslav Belinskiy.
Participants include the textile studio Solomia Studio, the furniture brand Donna and the Sana Moreau Gallery, which presents objects that literally grow like mushrooms.
Three highlights from the "Crossroads of Time" exhibition
Fungi as a material have been sprouting up everywhere in the design world for some time now. This exhibition is no exception. The Ukrainian gallery Sana Moreau is presenting a small collection with a vase and a decorative bowl made from an organic material that is composed of hemp and mushroom braid, among other things. It was developed by S.Lab and Natura Ceramica. The highlight: the objects grow in 3D printing trays under special temperature conditions with a substrate. After two weeks, the growth process is stopped so that they retain their shape.
The result is extremely light and yet durable. Although the objects have grown in the dark, they are light in colour. The colour nuances range from ivory to beige to brown tones and depend on how long the material remained in the shell after the object was grown. The process makes each piece unique. Although the shape can be repeated, the colour and the delicate, mushroom-like texture cannot.
Source: Pia Seidel
Like a puzzle: the "Konky" set
The manufacturer Studio Donna designs furnishings and collaborates with Ukrainian designers. Its aim is to design furniture for the future. Natalia Filonenko's design shows what this looks like. "Konky" is a chair, table, computer stand and what you make of it.
The module can be extended as required to create a sofa or, as in this video, a bench. It fits in the living room, office or hotel lobby and is available from the manufacturer in various colours and fabrics. Because the stool weighs just seven kilograms, even a child can lift it up and move it from A to B. This flyweight and its multifunctionality make it the perfect match for anyone who likes to regularly reorganise their home and is looking for a designer piece that moves with the times.
Source: Pia Seidel
Virtual reality technologies meet traditional craftsmanship: the "MetaProstir" tapestry**
The Solomia Studio wants to preserve a heritage and yet go one step further. How does it achieve this? By realising AI-generated motifs by hand using a tried-and-tested weaving technique. The tapestry that the Ukrainian textile company is presenting in Zurich was created entirely in the spirit of the craftsmanship typical of the Reshetylivka region.
Source: Pia Seidel
The abstract graphic was developed by students of the UFEG fashion institute. It is inspired by the Metaverse and, true to the title "Crossroads of Time", is intended to illustrate how this edition of Kyiv Design Week builds a bridge between Switzerland and Ukraine.
Source: Pia Seidel
The Kyiv Design Week is an important part of the largest Swiss design festival "Zurich Design Weeks", where studios and shops open their doors and established brands and newcomers exhibit their work. While the majority of the programme takes place in Zurich, some public events are also held in Kiev itself. More information on the varied programme, guided tours and workshops can be found on the website.
Cover photo: Pia Seidel
Like a cheerleader, I love celebrating good design and bringing you closer to everything furniture- and interior design- related. I regularly curate simple yet sophisticated interior ideas, report on trends and interview creative minds about their work.