All winners and nominees of the Pure Talents Contest 2019 at the imm cologne

What do you think is your product’s application?

The conceived of area of application is our living spaces.

When developing this product, what was your main starting point? The material, the shape or the function?

The focus was on function during development.

What is the story behind your product? Was there a task?

The individual design of the light atmosphere in our living spaces was the initial idea. My approach was to design a lamp that can be divided up into several lamps, in order to position the light sources individually and in new ways in the room.

What makes the Pure Talents Contest so interesting to you?

The Pure Talents Contest offers me the wonderful opportunity to present my project to a broad public and to find out how my idea and its realisation are being received.

Which ‘directions for use’ would you supply with your product?

The Bench Gang are for sitting, or however else you like.

What do you think is your product’s context?

Un-intimidating, friendly, and social pieces of furniture.

When developing this product, was your main starting point the material, the shape or the function?

The material.

What is the story behind your product? Was there a reason?

Ironically, during my research into fun & playful design, I was diagnosed with severe depression. Understanding that I have a mental illness and wanting to get through it was the reasoning behind this project.

Reflecting on the imperfections and acceptance that exists within crafts, there is a crossover we can connect with ourselves. Understanding that things can be imperfect and incomplete gives us a never-ending scope to improve and enjoy.

What do you think are the current trends in design and interior design?

I think there is a move away from minimalism, towards a renaissance of craft and colour, which is very exciting.

Why were you interested in the Pure Talents Contest?

I am curious and excited to exhibit internationally among other great designers.

Which ‘directions for use’ would you supply with your product?

Just unpack and enjoy. Intuition doesn't need instructions.

What do you think is your product’s field?

Kindergarten, playroom (to promote creativity)

Office, living room (as a distraction)

When developing this product, was your main starting point the material, the shape or the function?

The emphasis is clearly on the reduced abstract shape of the animals. Also, the material and function were very relevant right from the beginning. The feel and versatility of wood is especially well-suited for toys. By using magnets, I was able to achieve the desired function. The product can take many forms, is intuitive and easy to develop further.

What is the story behind your product? Was there a reason?

Initially, I developed the product in order to give children and their grandparents a medium for playing together. Playing connects people, it is an opportunity to learn from and get to know each other and have fun at the same time. It can make an exciting zoo experience for children more vivid and adults can reminisce about their childhood. The pieces promote creativity, coordination and imagination in old and young alike.

What do you think are the current trends in design and interior design?

Smart design and digitalisation are definitely a current trend in design and everyday life. I believe this trend is a further reason to create a toy made of wood in order to channel activity and sensory development into an analogue medium.

Why were you interested in the Pure Talents Contest?

It allows me to present and discuss my work and the ideas behind it. Many visitors are from the design and furniture industry. I am looking forward to feedback, international exchange and especially to the work of the other participants.

What do you think is your product’s field?

Everyday life, habitual places.

What did you start with during development: more of the material, the form or the function?

My designs no longer focus on materiality, production or ergonomics. I wanted to highlight everyday products that promote overconsumption by changing archetypal forms in subtle ways. The aim of these minor inconveniences in everyday routines is to promote more conscious interaction with the products.

What is the story behind your product? Was there a desire?

The project is aimed at addressing overconsumption and taking a critical look at existing habits in relation to products. I was interested in the consumption of water, electricity and clothing so I analysed the product periphery of these areas, including the factors that promote overconsumption. I wanted to create that which forms the connection between people and the medium and is tangible in everyday life.

What is the interesting about the Pure Talents Contest?

The opportunity to receive constructive criticism on an international level and in front of a large audience.

Which ‘directions for use’ would you supply with your product?

For use, pop your head inside. Or just for a decoration purpose.

What do you think is your product’s field?

POP can be applied to workplaces, commercial properties, public spaces.

When developing this product, was your main starting point the material, the shape or the function?

The conception of POP originated from its function: private space in public areas. Acknowledgedly speaking, products that offer this function are not uncommon. Considering the current forms of this kind of products, I have paired function with a spice of amusement or delight into the use of POP.

What is the story behind your product? Was there an inspiration?

The inspiration of POP comes from a deeper thinking and redefining of ‘privacy’: what does the secure feelings means? It came to me that, psychologically speaking, it only relates to two dominating senses: sight and sound. My solution to getting rid of the unnecessary, and hence the formation of POP, a product that is hanged up form a ceiling and only covers heads and shoulders.

What do you think are the current trends in design and interior design?

I believe that design trends correlate to the market needs. Recently, three key words are trending in the design industry in China: fun, personality and color. Chinese designers have started to build personalities into products. At the same time, market are more willing to pay for unique and fun designs as a way to show their individuality and attitudes towards life.

Why were you interested in the Pure Talents Contest?

We have seen the works of previous participants and found them to be interesting, convention-breaking, and critical, and we believe this contest values creativity, innovation and critical thinking. Our designs acquire the above qualities and due to this strong compatibility, this contest would be a great opportunity for us to display our works.

Which ‘directions for use’ would you supply with your product?

Dining table.

What do you think is your product’s context?

Eco design, furniture design.

When developing this product, was your main starting point the material, the shape or the function?

Main starting point for this product was material. Key points for designing Leppänen - dining table was to utilise wasted material and respect the natural failures of rotten timber.

What is the story behind your product? Was there an inspiration?

There is a spot quite unknown to the rest of the world. A small village of about 4000 inhabitants that lies the middle of Finland and goes by the name Karstula. In August 2018, I spent a month there in an art residency called ArtRanta. During my stay, I met Markku Leppänen who runs a small sawmill close to the village.

On a visit to the sawmill, Markku showed me a pile of rotten birch that had previously been used in transportation as support beams and asked me whether I could design something out of it. Since the end of the 20th century, the furniture building industry in Finland has diminished and its demand for furniture wood has decreased. But as the country has a strong inclination toward forestry, huge piles of timber still accumulate, waiting to get used. Normally such material does not qualify for the furniture industry, which to me felt like a waste since there was something fascinating about the wood. When timber is left outside for years, the climate and humidity enable the wood to rot, creating a pattern in the wood. Each beam rots differently making each wood unique and interesting. I wanted to create something beautiful that celebrated this uniqueness. By designing a dining table, I was able to respect the material and showcase the captivating patterns of the wood end grains.

The Leppänen dining table utilises scrap material while embracing the natural imperfections of rotten timber. Each table varies depending on the patterns it displays. Assembling the body happens easily by sliding the legs into the frame and tightening a few bolts. When disassembled the table packs flat for efficient transportation.

What do you think are the current trends in design and interior design?

I hope to see some new functional inventions. Not only new colour selections. I have always been more interested in functionality. If there is a story behind the product, it is always easier to understand the purpose of the product.

Why were you interested in the Pure Talents Contest?

It is a good opportunity for young designers to show their works and discuss of the ideas and philosophy behind it. Also getting feedback from the industry as well as visitors is important.

Which ‘directions for use’ would you supply with your product?

Sit down and enjoy.

What do you think is your product’s field?

"mahu" is an elegant chair that accents any room.

When developing this product, was your main starting point the material, the shape or the function?

The form originated from the idea. The development process of the prototype on the CNC machine played an important role.

What is the story behind your product? Was there an inspiration?

I was inspired by nature and the dream of designing a good chair.

What do you think are the current trends in design and interior design?

Geometric shapes, sustainable materials and more colours.

Why were you interested in the Pure Talents Contest?

As a young designer, the Pure Talents Contest gives me the opportunity to position myself in the market and present my design to the visitors.

Which ‘directions for use’ would you supply with your product?

Energy is precious, use it wisely!

What do you think is your product’s application?

SALT is a mobile luminaire, therefore it is very versatile.

When developing this product, was your main starting point the material, the shape or the function?

Mainly from the function and material. With regard to the latter, it should be as eco-friendly to dispose of as possible or recyclable.

What is the story behind your product? Was there a reason?

Batteries allow our technical devices to be extremely mobile. However, this freedom has a price. Due to the harmful acids and rare earth metals contained in them as well as their limited lifespan, they are essentially small environmental catastrophes. This prompted me to look for alternatives.

What do you think are the current trends in design and interior design?

We live in a time where it seems like "everything" is available. At the same time, we are confronted with enormous environmental and social issues for which there do not seem to be any clear satisfactory solutions. It is therefore good to see many young designers embracing these topics and trying to show new ways.

Why were you interested in the Pure Talents Contest?

It is very interesting for me to experience the exchange with other exhibitors and visitors on an international level. Presenting and discussing your own work is also a fan.

Which ‘directions for use’ would you supply with your product?

Look at your personal pieces of jewellery through rose-coloured glasses.

What do you think is your product’s application?

Unique handling of special display pieces.

When developing this product, was your main starting point the material, the shape or the function?

I wanted my approach to be as emotional and philosophical as possible. Of course, the material, form, function and handling support this approach. From the beginning, it was clear to me that I wanted to use a lot of glass.

What is the story behind your product? Was there a task?

My motivation was to give a new interpretation to the classic display case. Most of all, I wanted to design a space for very different, personal pieces of jewellery. The idea is for the display case to give the products to be exhibited an aura of exclusivity. People who don’t have an emotional connection should be able to view the pieces through the rose-coloured glasses.

Why were you interested in the Pure Talents Contest?

The opportunity to present myself as a designer and meet well-known manufacturers and designers within a short period of time.

Which ‘directions for use’ would you supply with your product?

The material is 2.50 m long and 1.50 m wide. The two ends of the material are tied together by a simple knot and drawn over the frame, thereby creating the surface of the seat.

What do you think is your product’s application?

The chair can be used in the contract sector or in a private home.

When developing this product, was your main starting point the material, the shape or the function?

Taking the history of Bauhaus as a starting point, we designed a chair that establishes a connection between function, material and form. The basic idea is to create transparency through the elegant lines of the frame, but that is then set in contrast with the soft material.

What is the story behind your product? Was there a desire?

The chair was developed as part of my final Bachelor thesis. My objective was to establish a connection to the theme “100 years of Bauhaus”.

What do you think are the current trends in design and interior design?

There is a trend towards digitalisation. However, analogue things are gaining a special status as a result.

Why were you interested in the Pure Talents Contest?

The Pure Talents Contest provides an amazing platform for designers because it is an opportunity to present nominated works at the Interior Business Event in Cologne.

What do you think is your product’s application?

Environments that need to improve acoustics (cafe', restaurants, offices, etc)

When developing this product, was your main starting point the material, the shape or the function?

The material; I first dived into the paper waste and its recycling management then I looked at paper waste as material and searched for new applications.

What is the story behind your product? Was there a reason?

By mixing paper with other materials - such as glues or resins - to make it stronger, I started questioning the sustainability of these composite materials I was making. Therefore, I changed mindset and thought to use paper in a different way by combining it with porcelain so that I could act and improve the lightness of porcelain through the use of paper.

Which ‘directions for use’ would you supply with your product?

A lounge chair, that provides comfort.

What do you think is your product’s application?

The chair encourages the celebration and understanding of construction.

When developing this product, was your main starting point the material, the shape or the function?

I shaped the design of the chair around the components and used them to influence the overall aesthetic. This resulted in the chair having a chunky, heavy form. Unifying different materials was made possible by involving the bolts which went on to result in the chairs overall composition.

What is the story behind your product? Was there an inspiration?

Inspired initially by the construction of trains and bridges in the North of England, the use of bolts was inevitable. I followed a brief that instructed the use of components as a method of magnifying how the chair was assembled.

What do you think are the current trends in design and interior design?

Big and chunky.

Why were you interested in the Pure Talents Contest?

Its a great opportunity to expose my work to a wider audience and meet creative like minded people.

Which ‘directions for use’ would you supply with your product?

Cléo is meant to be seen as intuitive flexible furniture.

What do you think is your product’s context?

Creative educational settings and schools.

When developing this product, was your main starting point the material, the shape or the function?

All three ingredients are incorporated into the design in equal measure. A key focus however is the material and its tactile quality.

What is the story behind your product? Was there a desire?

The theoretical exploration of Friedrich Heubach's book Das bedingte Leben. Theorie der psycho-logischen Gegenständlichkeit der Dinge (The Conditional Life), visits to schools, interviews, research on school furniture and visits to manufacturers form the basis of my design. With Cléo, I want to ask questions about the current trend.

What do you think are the current trends in design and interior design?

A new understanding of sustainability and local production.

Why were you interested in the Pure Talents Contest?

The contact with manufacturers / exchange, critical assessment and feedback regarding my own position on design / presenting my product to a large audience.

Which ‘directions for use’ would you supply with your product?

Hang it on the wall, connect the power plug, wait a bit, enjoy cleaner air!

What do you think is your product’s field?

I imagine Onda hanging at home, as a showpiece in the living room.

When developing this product, was your main starting point the material, the shape or the function?

The materials, and the interaction it enables! The nanocoating offers a way to make a different kind of air purifier. The textile is a good surface for this coating, not just in a technical sense, but also as a way to embed technology in a more subtle way in our homes.

What is the story behind your product? Was there a reason?

There is a lot of innovation in cleaning the air in public space. At the same time, people spend more than 80% of their time indoors. However, air purifiers still look like white functional boxes. I found out about a nano-coating researched at my university and saw an opportunity to combine it with textile to create a more subtle and beautiful way to clean the air. If an air purifier doesn't need to be a white boxy machine, can it be a painting?

What do you think are the current trends in design and interior design?

It is interesting to see that designers of electronic devices learn from interior design in terms of materials. I find it nice to see the important role of textile in devices like smart speakers. And the other way around, calm technology is finding its way into interior design. It's cool that different fields in design are inspiring each other.

Why were you interested in the Pure Talents Contest?

The Pure Talents Contest is a great platform to show the project to an international audience, and take the idea to a next level. And next to that, these kind of events are great fun and inspiring to me. I am looking forward to talking with the other designers, exhibitors, and visitors and see what they are dreaming of.

Which ‘directions for use’ would you supply with your product?

None, the interaction with the product should evoke surprise in the user.

What do you think is your product’s application?

Its simple design makes it suitable for different rooms.

What is the story behind your product? Was there a reason?

While looking for materials for an end table, I also thought about mirrors. The disadvantage that one often sees the not so attractive underside of the tabletop opened up completely new possibilities and became the key feature of the product.

Why were you interested in the Pure Talents Contest?

The variety of different products and of course the opportunity to exhibit at imm and make new contacts.

Which ‘directions for use’ would you supply with your product?

None. I believe that the "Axis" explains itself beautifully.

What do you think is your product’s field?

It can be placed at the entrance to the house or on your desktop, and many other.

When developing this product, was your main starting point the material, the shape or the function?

Function.

What is the story behind your product? Was there a desire?

The Axis is a desktop lamp that enables it's user to change the light's incidence angle in different degrees thanks to it's round base and the concaved bowls of the storage unit in which it stands. This lovely twist allows the combination of two daily life objects in a playful way.

What do you think are the current trends in design and interior design?

I believe that clean lines and aesthetic, which base on usability are the current trends in design and I do not think they will leave us so quickly.

Why were you interested in the Pure Talents Contest?

I hope to reach as many people as possible, and maybe to find a manufacturing house for my sweet 'Axis' lamp.

Which ‘directions for use’ would you supply with your product?

’Physical Sketchbook’ is a research project based on my curiosity in seating.

What do you think is your product’s application?

‘House Stool’ is for indoor public space events as the workshops in university.

When developing this product, was your main starting point the material, the shape or the function?

For the ‘House Stool’ I started with an idea by sitting on different kinds of things to find a different sitting experience. By chance I found a leftover wood piece that already had a peaked shape, I tried it was quite comfortable considering how it looked. I then merely took two thin pine planks to make a simple structure for it to become a small sitting aid.

What is the story behind your product? Was there an inspiration?

The story of ‘Physical Sketchbook’ begins with a spontaneous piece I made. I found a good chunk of pine and some other materials in the workshop and just interacted with it, and felt how it should grow. Sometimes, it is a relief to put aside the design constraints and simply obverse the way it should be. So I took the opportunity of my diploma to conduct exploration in seating with a curiosity to question the typology of chair and stool.

What do you think are the current trends in design and interior design?

I am not sure about the current trends because of everybody design quite differently. However, I have to say there seems a mainstream to design objects very graphically with kinds of Scandinavian appearance.

Why were you interested in the Pure Talents Contest?

Pure Talents Contest is currently one the highest international recognition in our generation for young designers. Moreover, it is an honour to be selected as one of the candidate and exhibit during the show.

Which ‘directions for use’ would you supply with your product?

Should be placed with back against wall. Doors open by sliding handles sideways.

What do you think is your product’s application?

Residential, Hospitality

When developing this product, was your main starting point the material, the shape or the function?

The purpose of creating the Credenza was focused on developing a process to translate a craft technique not traditionally used in furniture-making into a piece of furniture. By combining the techniques of dyeing Ikat fabrics and building tambour doors, we aimed to create a new relationship between different fields. We started by experimenting with dyeing wood, varying both the species and types of dyes used to create an Ikat-like appearance.

What is the story behind your product? Was there an inspiration?

We wanted to create a piece of furniture that was both new in terms of process, yet paid homage to its classic form. The form is inspired by the quintessential mid-century modern tambour credenza, not seen as often in the contemporary world yet instantly recognized. We also looked at the process of dyeing Ikat fabrics and how the end fabric, with all its accumulated distortions, serves to show the skill of the craftsperson who made it.

What do you think are the current trends in design and interior design?

We’ve seen a lot of young designers breaking out of the mold of following specific design movements and start experimenting with objects that speak more to their own personalities and how they view the world. Interior designers are also doing something similar, looking at the chemistry of mixed objects in a space to create the desired effect.

Why were you interested in the Pure Talents Contest?

For us, the ability to show our work in Cologne and be exposed to the European market is a new opportunity. Gathering feedback from the European market will help us understand the subtle differences in design sensibilities across continents and help us design our product so it reaches audiences across the globe.

Which ‘directions for use’ would you supply with your product?

Put it on the wall and display your favourite magazines and spreads.

What do you think is your product’s context?

An everyday mood board for a living space or company.

When developing this product, was your main starting point the material, the shape or the function?

The main starting point was a combination between the material and the function.

What is the story behind your product? Was there a task?

Wire was developed during a second semester project at the school of Industrial Design in Lund. The task was to create a wall-hung steel wire storage, through efficient use of material with the stored object in focus. I chose to store magazines because I wanted to find a way to store them in an inspiring way.

What do you think are the current trends in design and interior design?

Conscious interior design with minimalist shapes and focus on material and colour.

Why were you interested in the Pure Talents Contest?

I saw this as an opportunity to show my design.

What do you think is your product’s application?

Furniture - Modular seating designed for children's clinic waiting rooms.

When developing this product, was your main starting point the material, the shape or the function?

Function.

What is the story behind your product? Was there a reason?

The idea for my product evolved around my 6 year old nephew, who has been having chronic ear problems for the last 3 years. While accompanying him to the doctor, I was exposed first hand to the experience of waiting in several children's clinics. I felt that this space can offer something better for both parents and kids.