Paris 2012: this collection of furniture by Japanese designers Nendo is stable only when objects are placed on it.
The table top can be cantilevered by adding sufficient objects to weigh it down.
The dependence of the furniture on its objects allows various methods of assembly.
The bookshelf can be expanded by changing the position of the top section, as long as it's stabilised by blocks in the atached box.
The doors of the cabinets can only be closed by placing objects in front, while the quality of a lamp's light is affected by pulling back its shade and keeping it in place with more blocks.
The Dependencies Collection will be presented at the Galerie Pierre-Alain Challier & Specimen Edition during MAISON&OBJET between 21.1.2012 - 3.3.2012.
The collection is on show with Specimen Editions until 3 March at Pierre Alain Chalier gallery, 8, rue Debelleyme 75003 Paris.
See all our stories about shows in Paris this week here.
Photographs are by Hiroshi Iwasaki.
Here are some more details from Nendo:
Originally, furniture was structurally complete, and served to hold books, cups and other objects placed upon it. We can say that this function was one of the most important factors in determining the form of a piece of furniture.
This collection presents pieces of 'weak furniture' that cannot stand independently until they are made structurally sound through the addition of an object. In addition to increasing stability, the accumulation of objects has other effects as well.
It can change the angle of light emitted from a lamp, or expand a bookshelf. Object dependencies is an exploration into new forms created by resetting the once-unquestioned relationship between furniture and objects.
nice forms but seems a bit unrealistic – the shelves are a massive hazard!
That table seems like an accident waiting to happen.
Life is stressful enough. Who in the would would want to add the stress of having to baby sit their furnature?
This sounds like a college asignment to me.
brilliant, such poetry
Just because its a different kind of idea doesnt make it a good one…seems hazardous and incredibly stupid
i went to see this exib in Paris : the table is very stable (the objects are very heavy)
Very good artdesign work !
I love nendo
"Don't touch the book! Don't t–"
*THUD!!*
"I told you not touch the book! The books on the table are NOT for reading"
But why? Its a form without function..thus not a furniture.. agree its hazardous..
Surely an object must perform it's function. The minute you place an object on the coffee table it will collapse.
Novelty at it's worst.
design should solve problems instead of creating them
Well, we should look at it as follows, what is the context? A gallery… Et voila!
Should that be about functionality or about conceptual thinking? Hmm…
Normally I would agree that it just isn't that great because of the problems it creates, but in this case I think they didn't try to accomplish function, if we look at their other designs they do show functional objects for everyday life, this is just playground I guess.
Celebrity Worship :(
This is a conceptual work, i woud agree (limited editon of 8).
Design is about function, form and concept.
But art-design is about concept, form and function.
This design ask questions the industrials will have to answer (objects made for the furniture?, furniture made for the object?)
Plus, once again, the table is stable :) -Oki Sato, whom i've been following for long, wouldn't let a table, even art design table, be unable to realise its function.
Cheers
Love the colors and simple form.