Blog:Proleno

Dutch designer Frederic Roijé presents his new project, an architectural hen house in which to breed and retreat. It is manufactured in wood finished with a durable coating. The concept behind the design is “respecting nature”.

I think that the image speaks loudly. I say “lucky hens!”.

Merlyn Industries has unveiled the latest addition to their stable. The new Series 8 in-fold door, an ingenious door which is set to be a best seller.

The clever in-fold functionality offers increased options for bathroom planning. Ideal for small or tight spaces, the door is ingeniously designed so that the door folds back into the shower area – making it the perfect space-saving choice for recesses or the more compact bathroom.

The new in-fold is very highly specified too with Mershield protected 8mm toughened glass, a contemporary chrome handle, concealed flush fixings and a very robust door roller mechanism. The generous height of 1950mm makes it perfect for lower level tray installations.

Each door is rigorously tested, opened and closed over 20,000 times – and because of the in-fold mechanism the Series 8 model is tested over 24,000 times! In this disposable age it’s great to know that a Merlyn enclosure is built to last.

Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, partners in the architectural firm, SANAA, have been chosen as the 2010 Laureates of the Pritzker Architecture Prize.

The purpose of the Pritzker Architecture Prize is to honour annually a living architect whose built work demonstrates a combination of those qualities of talent, vision and commitment, which has produced consistent and significant contributions to humanity and the built environment through the art of architecture.

Pritzker Prize jury chairman, Lord Palumbo, quoted from the jury citation to focus on this year’s selection:

“For architecture that is simultaneously delicate and powerful, precise and fluid, ingenious but not overly or overtly clever; for the creation of buildings that successfully interact with their contexts and the activities they contain, creating a sense of fullness and experiential richness; for a singular architectural language that springs from a collaborative process that is both unique and inspirational; for their notable completed buildings and the promise of new projects together, Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa are the recipients of the 2010 Pritzker Architecture Prize.”

While most of their work is in Japan, Sejima and Nishizawa have designed projects in Germany, England, Spain, France, the Netherlands and the United States, under their combined name SANAA.

Enjoy intimate chats or tete-a-tetes on the beautifully curved Banana Bench from Kingshall Furniture.

This solid grade A teak Love Bench will add a touch of glamour and class to any outdoor setting. Immensely tactile, it seems impossible to pass the Love Bench without touching its luscious curves! The bench boasts further curves along the backrest of the seat, giving it that extra special luxury and comfort. With its graceful sweeping curved top rail, level seat and raked back for comfort, the contemporary structure provides the perfect focal point or design solution for gardens and architectural landscape settings. While conveying an unmistakable sense of presence and longevity it is equally at home in both contemporary and traditional settings.

Latis is a bathroom creation from Australian company Omvivo. It is inspired by the fundamentals of tradition and quality. Simple forms combined with elegant materials, such as natural stone, to create a sculptural range of bathroom products that will compliment both modern and traditional spaces.

The designer is Thomas Coward, principal designer at Omvivo. Coward moved to Australia in 2004 from the UK. In 2005 Coward was recognised as one of Australia’s top 50 emerging designers, and his Parli-me chair was selected as one of only 16 exhibitors for the City of Milan’s young foreign designers showcase.

With lighter nights and warmer weather on the horizon add an extra dimension to evening garden parties this summer with Edge Company’s new powder coated Strip Lanterns.

Available in a choice of hot pink or a rather debonair plum, these lanterns offer a fresh avant-garde feel to the garden and with the addition of a simple tealight, are guaranteed to bring the wow-factor. No matter how compact (or concrete) your outdoor space you can rely on the Strip Lanterns to bring pazzazz to the patio.

Their purse friendly price-point makes them the ideal gift for any design-conscious friend or relative. Hand crafted from stainless steel, the lanterns are coated in a bright powder and nickel plating. Pop a little tealight inside and watch them glow!

More details can be found at www.edgecompany.co.uk or you can call them on 01273 491391

Intriguing to look at. Practical in use? Well, time will tell I guess. We hear that Magis will be launching Spun, a rotating outdoor stool designed by British architect and designer Thomas Heatherwick, at the next Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan, 14-19 April 2010.

The chair is in rotational moulded polyethylene and is, allegedly, suitable for outdoor use. For me, the jury is still out and I wonder if this is design for the sake of design with little or no consideration for its practical use. I hope I am wrong, however, and that it proves to be a huge success.

Traditional styles pay homage to a bygone era of glamour and opulence, whilst adding grandeur to the bathroom – but can be hard to incorporate into a contemporary design. Now you can contemporise a timeless classic and add a personal touch to the bathroom with the new colour collection of baths from the BC Sanitan Colour collection.

With the new BC Sanitan Stamford, Bexley and Greenwich Colour collection baths, you can choose from white, ivory and blue finishes or take it a step further with a selection of over 139 colour options to create your own classic contemporary design. Choose a shade to match the paint, wallpaper, tiles or slippers for a dramatic and unique bathroom that transcends time.

More details from the UK stockist at www.jacuzzi.co.uk or call 01782 717175

Easter is almost upon us, and what better way to celebrate than with a three foot tall rabbit, sparkly egg decorations and marzipan treats? HomeSense is the ideal place to pick up everything you need to help celebrate Easter in style, and all at up to 60% off the RRP.

Hop to it! Why not add that Easter feel to your house (and garden) with their colourful collection of ceramic polka dot bunny figurines that come in all shapes and sizes, or how about some of their sparkly Easter eggs and rabbit decorations? For that stand out piece, there’s always the 3 foot tall magenta rabbit!

Whether they’re for the little ‘uns or the big ‘uns, everyone loves a good Easter egg. HomeSense has a whole range of mouth watering Easter goodies on offer, from Easter themed marzipan treats and cupcakes to delicious chocolate mini eggs in Easter baskets, right through to ‘the big one’, those sought after famous brand luxury Belgian chocolate eggs.

And if you’re bunn-ied out, they also have a selection of decorations and ornaments on offer from egg wreaths to snow globes and wooden Easter themed decorations.

Visit www.homesense.com to locate your nearest store.

Min-Kyu Choi has been awarded the Brit Insurance Design Award 2010 at London’s Design Museum.

The ‘Folding Plug’ has won the product design category of the Brit Insurance Designs Awards, the Oscars of the design world, which showcase the most innovative and forward thinking designs from around the world.

The UK Folding Plug transforms from a bulky three-pin plug into a portable, hassle-free plug ideal for people on the go. When not in use, the UK Folding Plug transforms into a 10 mm-thick flat object.

A product range built around this design will be launched in 2010.