Future Furniture Design Talent at IMM Cologne 2016 

What is created when the rules are broken and traditional crafts reinvented? What happens when a humble chair meets the world of sculpture via latex and string? What if you wanted to pack up and take your bathtub with you when you move house? These and other questions are tackled by up and coming talent at Cologne’s 2016 international furniture exhibition IMM. Homedit brings you the best of the designs shortlisted for this year’s Pure Talents award.

Random / Not Random patterns create intrigue in Ruben Beckers work
Random / Not Random patterns create intrigue in Ruben Beckers work

Ruben Beckers plays with order, chaos, structure, and the nature of randomness. His veneered cupboard ‘Random – Non Random’ playfully breaks with conventions and seems to unite opposites.

Ruben Beckers has a new take on the traditional veneer process.
Ruben Beckers has a new take on the traditional veneer process.
A high level of craftsmanship go to make this cabinet with an accidental on purpose feel
A high level of craftsmanship go to make this cabinet with an accidental on purpose feel

The randomized outer walnut veneer structure contrast with the rectilinear form and the organised internal handling of the furniture. Beckers is studying at the School of Art and Design Kassel.

Inside is planned as a contrast to the exterior
Inside is planned as a contrast to the exterior
Upcycled cardboard stools
Upcycled cardboard stools
Laminated carboard reveals colourful patterns
Laminated carboard reveals colourful patterns

Stylish upcycling turns lowly cardboard into high quality seating, containing patterns reminiscent of traditional African furniture. Berlin born Designer Luisa Kahlfedt commented “As cardboard is one of the most recycled materials around, I wanted to find a more exiting way of giving it a second life“. The London Central St Martins graduate laminated and rolled cardboard to create her unique seating.

These Viiva lights would look great as a flash of brightness in a monochrome kitchen
These Viiva lights would look great as a flash of brightness in a monochrome kitchen

Delicate wire framed ‘Viiva’ lights have an other worldly feel and earned their Brasilian creator Nathalia Mussi a nomination thanks to their elegant form and quality manufacture. During her studies at Aalto University, Mussi created the colour pop shapes and produced prototypes in cooperation with Airam Electric.

The bare copper model would complement raw metallic fittings.
The bare copper model would complement raw metallic fittings.
Fantastical foam forms this magnificent sofa
Fantastical foam forms this magnificent sofa

Here’s a sofa at the cutting edge, from Royal College of Art student Martijn Rigters. Hot wires were used to cut foam to forms suited to the human body, using an intensive handcrafting process, man in cooperation with machine. Every intuitive movement of the user is directly translated into shape. Which means each new iteration of the sofa has the possibility to acquire unique characteristics.

Rigters technique offers the opportunity to explore and make a human impact on technological process. By providing the machine, a range of silhouettes and a rectangular block of EPS, the maker is able to compose the blueprint for their own bespoke bench.

Each iteration of the sofa will contain unique details
Each iteration of the sofa will contain unique details

Every intuitive movement of the user is directly translated into shape. Each new cut having the possibility to result in unique characteristics. This is machine production but without the boredom that results from mass production and sameness.

Curved Puple Chair
Curved Puple Chair

Nina Cho‘s curved chair already looks like a future classic. A swathe of purple felt is folded delicately like a petal or leaf resting lightly on sleek triangular base elements. Cho is USA born Korean and due to graduate with a Masters from Cranbrook Academy of Art.

Marcus Marschall's 'Bender' barstool
Marcus Marschall’s ‘Bender’ barstool
The lightweight but sturdy 'Bender' barstool base
The lightweight but sturdy ‘Bender’ barstool base

Marcus Marschall’s ‘Bender’ barstool is designed with resource sparing and easy production in mind, giving it a total weight of only 8kg but also impressive stability. The industrial style seating would complement an edgy Berlin bar or minimal modern Munich hangout equally well. Let’s hope the nomination spurs production of the Stuttgart Academy of Art student’s elegant seat.

Interface Table by Louie Rigano
Interface Table by Louie Rigano
The corrugated wooden tray is easily removed
The corrugated wooden tray is easily removed

Interface Table takes corrugated fiberglass, and uses it in an unusually delicate manner to emphasize the lightness, translucency, and surprising robustness of this common sheet material. A corresponding carved wooden tray sits on top to provides a transportable surface for cups and teapots, the adjacent corrugated surface provides an ideal space for books, keys and phones. US Craftsman Louie Rigano apprenticed with a Japanese potter and is now based in London at the Royal College of Art.

Minimal clean lines on the Work Shift table
Minimal clean lines on the Work Shift table
Work Shift by Lena Plaschke
Work Shift by Lena Plaschke
A stand up workspace
A stand up workspace

Work Shift by Lena Plaschke creates a minimal clean space for stand up working. The upright writing table features an integral lamp on adjustable criss crossing clear perspex legs for even illumination. Plaschke is working for her Bachelor at Münster University of Applied Sciences.

A circle and a square, simple but effective
A circle and a square, simple but effective
Two by Oliver-Selim Boualam
Two by Oliver-Selim Boualam
The table comes in mix and match colours
The table comes in mix and match colours

Oliver-Selim Boualam established Karlsruhe / Marrakesh based studio Butternutten AG with Lukas Marstaller. TWO is Boualam’s neat side table. Made from simply a Circle and square, bent in a 90° angle across their symmetry axes and positioned on top of each other. The arrangement seems as old as time but somehow so fresh. Units in several colors allow for modular variation and combining to make a flat circular tabletop.

Dancers by Aurelie Hoegy
Dancers by Aurelie Hoegy
Is it a chair or a sculpture?
Is it a chair or a sculpture?

Free sculptural forms meet furniture in Aurelie Hoegy’s ‘Dancers’. The artist / designer works with string and latex wrapped around metal frames to free chairs from their usual boundaries.

Detail of the latex string compound
Detail of the latex string compound
Aurelie Hoegy's furniture look like frozen waves of energy
Aurelie Hoegy’s furniture look like frozen waves of energy

The beautiful flowing shapes are like dark frozen waves, and the interaction between different pieces in the collection is especially moving. Hoegy works on commission and can modify the designs to create more or less comfortable places to sit.

This bathtub packs up and is ready to go in minutes
This bathtub packs up and is ready to go in minutes

Why install a bath when you might have to move again in six months? With Carina Deuschl’s portable bathtub, now you don’t have to. The bath’s Carbon fibre structure weighs only 7kg and a soft padded, machine washable fabric inlay provides a unique bathing and bath cleaning experience.

Fabric inside the tub gives a whole new feel to your regular soak
Fabric inside the tub gives a whole new feel to your regular soak
Portable bath tub by Carina Deusch
Portable bath tub by Carina Deusch
The carbon fibre structure of the tub by Carina Deusch
The carbon fibre structure of the tub by Carina Deusch

A series of tiles touched by natural processes such as wave movements and water evaporation by Berlin based Anna Badur. Marks from the process suggest minimal landscape forms. Digitally processed, the patterns are put together as repeating tiles. Each series works as a border consisting of two repeating tiles.

Tiles by Anna Badur
Tiles by Anna Badur
Stylish tiles design
Stylish tiles design
A series of tile borders created by natural processes such as wave movements and water evaporation
A series of tile borders created by natural processes such as wave movements and water evaporation

Experimenting with traditional basket making techniques on ash and pine veneer, Juan Cappa’s feather light lamps use weaving to create a visual repetitive pattern. The lamp functions flexibly as a table, floor or ceiling lamp.

Juan Cappa's lamps
Juan Cappa’s lamps
This lamp can sit on the floor
This lamp can sit on the floor
Or hang thanks to lightweight materials
Or hang thanks to lightweight materials

There was more talent on show at IMM Cologne than it’s possible to mention, but Homedit will certainly be keeping a look out for new creations and collaborations that arise from this wonderful selection of future furniture design talent.