DWR Presents: Brad Ascalon.

Made of solid Carrara marble, our new Ascalon Menorah designed exclusively for DWR by designer Brad Ascalon is visually modern and inexplicably classic. "I wanted to create something that kind of sat in the background to elevate the importance of the candles, but yet I still wanted it to be a striking form in itself," says Ascalon, "the eight facets correspond to the eight days of Chanukah, and the left and right diagonals create an 18 degree angle. In Judaism, 18 is a very important number symbolizing chai, or life."

Recently, we stopped by Ascalon's New York studio to learn more about the menorah and his design process -- we had no idea that he'd turn out be a skilled ukulelist, too. Watch the video to learn more about Ascalon, his menorah and how he's carrying on a family tradition as a designer. 

 

Words to live by.

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” -STEVE JOBS

Georgetown Studio Event: A Night of Knoll at DWR.

Tonight, DWR Georgetown Studio hosts an evening that's entirely Knoll. Learn about Knoll's iconic designers, including Harry Bertoia, Warren Platner and Florence Knoll Bassett, then test your knowledge in our Knoll Triva Challenge -- yes, there will be prizes. Guests will be treated to a photo shoot in their favorite Knoll chair, and champagne and casual hors d'oeuvres will be served.

We hope you can make it!

A Night of Knoll at DWR | Thursday, September 22, 6–9pm
DWR Georgetown Studio
3306 M Street N.W.
Washington, DC 20007
Phone: 202.339.9480 

For directions visit the DWR Georgetown Studio Page. 

Meet Kasper Salto and Thomas Sigsgaard, Winners of the UN Council Chamber Contest.

Trusteeship UN Council Chamber, 1952. Visit the UN Photo Gallery for more photos.

Designed by Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier and Brazilian architect Oscar Neimeyer, the UN headquarters was completed in 1952 and remained mostly untouched until four years ago. That’s when it was announced that the complex would be fully renovated by 2014. The changes include improvements to safety and functionality, as well as energy-saving measures to make the decades-old world headquarters LEED-certified. The renovation includes a significant facelift to the Trusteeship UN Council Chamber, originally designed by Danish architect Finn Juhl. At the age of 38, Juhl experimented with furniture, color schemes, carpeting and wall coverings to create a “total interior plan” for the Chamber, where the whole space and its details work and play together.

Preserving what Juhl created was paramount to the Danish Arts Foundation, so in December 2010 it held a design competition, inviting five of Denmark’s leading furniture designers to create new chairs and tables for the Chamber, all of which had to be in keeping with Danish tradition and the legacy of Finn Juhl yet mindful of modern materials. The Danish Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Culture, in cooperation with Danish Realdania Foundation, provided the necessary funding for the UN Council Chamber renovations.

Dieter Rams: 10 principles for good design.

Good design is innovative.
Good design makes a product useful.
Good design is aesthetic.
Good design makes a product understandable.
Good design is unobtrusive.
Good design is honest.
Good design is long-lasting.
Good design is thorough, down to the last detail.
Good design is environmentally friendly.
Good design is as little design as possible.

Learn more about Dieter Rams and check out the SF MoMA exhibition Less is More.

Wer ist Mr. Braun?

"Widely regarded as one of the most influential industrial designers of our time, Dieter Rams produced iconic works and innovative ideas (in particular his advocacy for less but better design) that have proved seminal for our contemporary design culture." This is the opening sentence to Less and More, currently at SF MoMA. In addition to the 200+ models and objects by Dieter Rams on display, there is a daily showing of "Who is Mr. Braun?" by Susanne Mayer-Hagmann. Check it out and let us know what you think. Shown: Braun Hairdryer, 1970, designed by Dieter Rams. Photo by Koichi Okuwaki.

“The design of furniture, unlike architecture, is quick nourishment.” –Frank Gehry

Frank O. Gehry has made us rethink museums, music halls and even chairs. A Pritzker Prize winner – and arguably one of the greatest living architects and designers – Gehry is continually giving us things to analyze, admire and enjoy. His love of Picasso and of cubism is expressed in the shapes he creates, both of which can be seen in his simple Left Twist Cube (2004). Available in bright cheery colors (as well as in black, white and grey) this Cube can be used anywhere, from patio to playroom to bathroom or den.

The story of Stölzl.

Originally created on paper at the Bauhaus in the 1920s, this floor covering (or wall hanging) is the work of Gunta Stölzl. Known worldwide for her textiles, Stölzl was one of the few women to teach at the Bauhaus, and the only woman to hold a senior role on the faculty. During her 12 years on campus, she made the Weaving Workshop her own, explored ways to reinvent weaving, and in the process, evolved it from craft to industrial design.

DWR Presents: The Stacked Shelving System.

Three sizes, five shapes, two finishes, and clips; there's a lot to consider when building JDS Architects' Stacked Shelving System. In fact, we recently spent an entire day arranging and rearranging these virtual building blocks ourselves – and yes, the cameras were rolling . . . 

DWR Presents: The Stacked Shelving System from Design Within Reach on Vimeo.

Eva Zeisel debuts new lamp collection, featured in the Wall Street Journal.

Congratulations to our friend Eva Zeisel on the debut of her new lamps for Leucos, as reported by the Wall Street Journal. At 104, Zeisel is still designing her "things" as she calls them. A true game-changer, learn more about Zeisel in our Designer section.

Can you name this designer?

We had a special visitor at DWR headquarters yesterday. Can you name the gentleman in the pink and white striped shirt? How about the man on the far left (wearing the same shirt as John Edelman, center).

Jean Prouvé exhibit at Vitra.

“My father loved to balance on the back legs of his chair,” recalls Catherine Prouvé of her father, Jean. “That’s the position he took to ponder over new inventions and design solutions. He was the only one who managed to stay perfectly still on just two legs.” If you love Jean Prouvé as much as we do (and you'll be near the Vitra Campus in Germany) then be sure to catch this exhibit at the Fire Station by Zaha Hadid.

DWR Exclusives: Finalists for the Dwell Modern World Awards.

From left: Coatrack Dots, designed by Tveit & Tornøe for Muuto; Kelvin LED Table Lamp, designed by Antonio Citterio and Toan Nguyen for Flos.

We were excited to see that DWR is home to several finalists in the inaugural Dwell Modern World Awards,which highlight products, furniture, and innovations that engage and enthrall the editors at Dwell magazine in the categories of Live, Work, Create, and Play.

In addition to the Suita Sofa (finalist in the Create category), LC2 Petit Modele Armchair (finalist in the Live category), and 111 Navy Chair® (finalist in the Work category) -- all of which are available at Design Within Reach -- two DWR Exclusives also made the final cut: Kelvin LED Table Lamp (a finalist in the Work category) and Coatrack Dots (a finalist in the Create category). Congratulations to all of the finalists.

Visit Dwell Modern World Awards to cast your vote today.

 

A VIP visit with the president of Vipp.

Vipp President Henrik Hjorth dropped by our Los Angeles Studio yesterday. We talked about everything from Nordic Design to our obsession with Vipp and the new matte black trend we're spying on everything from Vipp toothbrushes to Automobiles. Vipp designer Holger Nielsen used to say: "Good design never goes out of fashion." We couldn't agree more. We adore the original pedal bin that became a permanent fixture in Danish salons and clinics in the 1940's. Pictured: DWR Account Executive Terah Gisolo and Vipp President Henrik Hjorth.

The New York Times: Shopping for the 1960s.

In Wednesday's "Shopping for the 1960s" feature in the NY Times, Jaguar designer Wayne Burgess, in town to unveil the 2012 Jaguar XF at the New York International Auto Show, shopped Manhanttan for inspirational 1960s design –– among his picks was the Hans Wegner Shell Chair (1963) available at DWR. We think it would fit into his growing collection of vintage furnishings quite nicely.  

ICFF NYC day one: a classic find.

We stumbled into a vintage furniture store and found this sofa and table. Can you guess the designers? Hint: we have other iconic works by them in our assortment.

Tour the Irwin Miller House by Eero Saarinen.

Photo: Indianapolis Museum of Art

This May, visitors to the Columbus, Indiana area have the opportunity to tour the Irwin Miller House, completed in 1957 by Eero Saarinen. Thanks to the Indianapolis Museum of Art, patrons may arrange private and group tours of the home and its adjoining gardens. 

The Irwin Miller House was the third project (and second residence) that American businessman and modern architecture patron Irwin Miller comissioned from architect and designer Eero Saarinen. Irwin and Eero had met years earlier when Irwin's grandfathers -- who were both preachers -- asked Eliel Saarinen to design the Tabernacle Church of Christ (later renamed the First Christian Church) in Columbus, Eero accompanied his father on the trip.

Happy Birthday! Jens Risom turns 95 on May 8.

Running into legendary designer Jens Risom in the halls at DWR headquarters is just one of the many pleasures of working here. On a recent visit, we asked Risom what he thought about the longevity of his 1943 chair (shown below), to which he replied: “When a piece is sufficiently neutral, and sufficiently well thought out, it sticks around a while.” More than 70 years later, Risom still prefers to work in wood. “I’m a wood man,” he says. “Danish design is all about construction, craftsmanship and the selection of materials – especially wood. Nature is full of excitement.” (Shown below: Risom in print ad, circa 1950, and Risom with his Lounge Chair designed in 1943.)
 

2011 Design Leadership Summit in Copenhagen.

Our CEO John Edelman has just returned from the Design Leadership Summit in Copenhagen (thus, the design quizzes we’ve been posting recently). An exclusive annual gathering of leading architecture and interior design firm principals in the U.S., the summit features a veritable who’s who of design professionals. We look forward to the inspired ideas that will develop from this summit. Here are just a few of the folks who attended:
  
SHOWN: Martyn Lawrence-Bullard, interior designer; John Edelman, DWR CEO; Newell Turner, House Beautiful editor in chief; Philip Gorrivan, interior designer.

Guess the designer.

Can you name this designer? Hint: he was named one of the world’s top 100 interior designers by Architectural Digest.