Milan 08: Stack drawers by designer Shay Alkalay have been put into production by British manufacturers Established & Sons and were launched in Milan last month.
Rather than being housed in a frame, drawers of different depths and colours are stacked on top of each other and can be opened from either side.
“I think chests of drawers look more intriguing when the drawers are left partly open,” Alkalay comments.
See more work by Alkalay in our previous stories:
Cut Attachez
Pivot
New Stuff exhibition at the Johnson Trading Gallery
New work at Established & Sons
The following text is from Established & Sons:
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Usually a chest of drawers consists of an exterior frame, back panel and runners on each drawer. The height is limited to the size of the frame and the drawer can only be opened in one direction. With ‘Stack’ Shay Alkalay has questioned these elements and challenged our perception of what a drawer unit can be.
These individual, multi-coloured, ‘floating’ drawer units are built up to different heights, creating a tower of drawers that can be pushed and pulled in both directions. This will often result in a random and irregular formality that is both fascinating and unusual to the eye. Positioned against a wall or in the centre of a room ‘Stack’ creates a rich and wonderful spectacle of colour and form. It can be appreciated from all angles as a sculptural object as well as an entirely functional, practical item of furniture.
‘Stack’ is offered in two standard sizes (8 drawer unit and 13 drawer unit) together with two multi-colour variants.
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Posted by Rose Etherington
Interesting concept but poorly executed I think.
May 1st, 2008 at 1:34 pmI am surprised that longer drawers were not used at the base, gradually getting shorter toward the top - thus facilitating wider opening and improving stability. I think this is a simple but still elegant solution.
Great idea Chris, except that it would look like ass instead of looking awesome, as it does now.
May 1st, 2008 at 5:33 pmLooks so very nineties. Bad colours. Looks like a “funky” proposal for a south london affordable housing block. But, hey! It’s for a rich persons living room - who’s have guessed?
May 1st, 2008 at 6:29 pmglad to hear your opinion amsam
May 1st, 2008 at 10:33 pmi just dont see this as very funstional at all. it looks cool, sure, but works ‘like ass’
how do you put stuff in and get stuff out of the top drawers?
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:54 amWho says you have to use it ?
Isn’t this meant as a conversation piece ? Which sure works, look at us conversing about it.
design is art , art is design, etc
May 2nd, 2008 at 6:22 pmLyon, the top drawer clearly has an open top, making it more bin than drawer. Look at the perspective.
May 3rd, 2008 at 12:01 amI can buy the concept and the colour coordination. Well done!
May 3rd, 2008 at 3:37 pmI saw the Stack on television and i must say it’s more convincing when you see it in use. It’s incredible to see how only one drawer is moving and the rest remains on it’s place. Very well done.
And Fred, design is not art and art is not design. Design is made for use. Always and ever. That’s why designers who call themselve artist are bad designers.
And i get bored about people whining about ‘rich stuff’ and so on. Yes, this drawer is more expensive than Ikea drawers, but once you bought this one you’ll never get ridd of it, because it’s a special drawer. So in stead of buying 50 cheap ass drawers from ikea you can buy this one. That’s a choice you can make.
May 4th, 2008 at 1:01 pmJ: I was being sarcastic, but it is easy to get bored of novelty items that exist with the only purpose of creating a ten-second reaction, and end up never being used because they’re either impractical or fictionnal. The web is full of them.
However, I think the line you draw between art and design has been proven to be a bit more blurry than what you suggest.
Agreed on the comment about choice, quality and cost, though.
May 4th, 2008 at 5:01 pm