By Jeanne Tan /asdf 22-01-2009

American design producer Artecnica will launch new products by Tord Boontje and Studio Glithero during the first Maison et Objet of the year, held from 23-27 January 2009 in Paris.

Boontje's three new light objects for Artecnica begin their lives as flat sheets. Future Flora and Bright Times bring to mind intricate folded paper cuttings that unfold to become three-dimensional forms. Here an interplay is created between light and the elaborate shadows created from the cutouts. Bright Times are candle holders that pop-out from patterned flat metal discs, stackable to create an installation. Pacakaged flat, Future Flora is a pendant light fitting assembled from precision-etched metal sheets that transform into bloom-shaped forms. The three styles in matt finish include Laure, Nadine and Rugiada. "Although I started by looking very closely at flowers, it became a project from memory, to imagine shapes which are like flowers but not exactly, a new kind of species – a flower and light hybrid", says Boontje. On the opposite end from nature, Candle Clamp explores industrial techniques. Components laser cut from steel sheets are interlocked together without screws or glue. The clamp comes in three styles holding 1, 2 or 4 candles. "The idea for the Candle Clamp was to create a very solid and utilitarian piece that through its robustness and functionality has a long lasting quality, like a good tool", Boontje says. A new addition to the tranSglass collection designed by Boontje and Emma Woffenden will be the Champagne Dish.

Crystal Ice furniture will be the other major collaboration for Tord Boontje, the first ever furniture range created for Swarovski Crystal Palace. Following the success of his intricate ‘Ice Branch’, and using a similar technique of densely wrapped crystals, the three designs in a bench, Table and stool, give an illusion of floating icicles encased in a minimal structure.

Launching a product for the first time with Artecnica is the young Dutch English design duo Studio Glithero consisting of Sarah van Gameren and Tim Simpson. An exploration into the age-old process of candle production, their Piqué/Double Piqué candles are hand-dipped candles that stand independently on their curving frames. Due to the artisanal production techniques, every candle turns out different.

Also at Maison et Objet, Royal Tichelaar Makkum will be releasing four new colours of their popular B-Set crockery by Hella Jongerius: blue, green, brown and pink, and BLOOM have come out with their BLOOM Portable light.

Main image: Tord Boontje, Future Flora, Artecnica
Image: Tord Boontje, Bright Times, Artecnica
Image: Tord Boontje and Emma Woffenden,tranSglass Champagne Dish, Artecnica
Image: Studio Glithero, Piqué/Double Piqué, Artecnica
Image: Hella Jongerius, B-Set, Royal Tichelaar Makkum
Image: Bloom Portable

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