Designer Karim Rashid presented a collection of stainless steel containers for Italian design brand Alessi at Maison & Objet in Paris last week.
Called Hellraiser, the range includes a basket, tray and fruit bowl, all featuring cut-out geometric shapes.
Maison & Objet took place 21-25 January 2011.
More projects by Karim Rashid on Dezeen »
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Here's a bit of text from Alberto Alessi:
There are two Rashids: the architect (Hani) and the designer (Karim). We've worked with both of them.
With the first (thoughtful and reserved) we produced a collection of desk objects, “Parq”, “Scup”, “Trina” and “Stila”, the “Trianava” vase, the “Arc” wristwatch and the “Ares” pen.
With the second (extroverted and even overly outgoing) the “Kaj” wristwatch and the projects we're announcing today: harsh and metropolitan (an interesting contrast to his usual soft and rounded language), as soon as I saw them, I spontaneously called them “Hellraiser”.
See also:
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| Metrobowl by Frederik Roijé |
Morphê by Zbynek Krulich |
Cross by Karim Rashid for Freedom of Creation |
Overpriced & over-rated design goods…I admire these star architects & designers that have the ability not only to sell themselves but also their impracticle ideas. Outstanding business skills – gotta admire that!
IT'S NOT A BLOBJECT?! WHAT
Diego, I could not agree more. What exactly are these containers suppose to hold? I'm so over Rashid, why is the design establishment so scared of calling him and the other crap designers out? They put flair on an exciting product, that is all they do.
Same old shape shifting nonsense design.
I've yet to see a practical design come out of Rashid…
Typical Rashid, it always looks as though the first idea is the idea he goes with without any editing or development. I'll never understand why he's a star.
Take a look at this! Doesn't you remember something? http://www.mixexperience.ning.com (magazine and grafic of the site)
I think here Karim was possibly celebrating the idea of design as craft, rather than looking at it from a purely utilitarian perspective. We buy crafts solely for their emotive visual power and intrinsic attributes.
Crafts have been very backward in the manner they are produced. Karim believes we exist in the digital era. If this is true, then it suffices to say that there is a niche for a designer of his complexity to use his/her technological prowess to recreate the individuality of crafts, adding flair to the mundane whilst provoking intellectual thirst towards the manner in which these objects were made.
At a glance, the design looks like “Oops! I don’t know about that.” Looking deeper, the objects become a philosophical rather than a use-led offering, taking design beyond normal conversations. It is about product as craft or maybe product as sculpture.