The In Between collection of glasses, bowls and plates was produced by BCXSY for Inframince as part of the tilde_objects 01 collection shown at the Design Tide Tokyo trade fair last weekend.

"A closer look at pieces, which at first glance may appear identical, reveals the uniqueness of each piece through slight variations in shape, colour and dimensions," according to the designers, Boaz Cohen and Sayaka Yamamoto, who founded their studio in 2007 shortly after graduating from Design Academy Eindhoven.

Other glassware we've featured on Dezeen includes a series of engraved carafes accessorised with metal collars and a set of frosted glass decanters which echo the Istanbul skyline.

In Milan this year, BCXSY presented stools, tables and bowls made in collaboration with traditional boat builders as well as a collection of rugs woven by Bedouin women.

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Photographs are by Kiyotoshi Takashima.

Here's some more information from the designers:

Harmony and gradations in glass

One of the greatest appeals of hand-blown glass is the delicate balance between imperfection and near-perfection, reflecting both the nature of the material and the skills of the maker. A closer look at pieces, which at first glance may appear identical, reveals the uniqueness of each piece through slight variations in shape, colour and dimensions.

In Between is a hand-blown glass tableware collection, consisting of drinking glasses, bowls, plates, and accessories of various types and sizes, which come in a six-step gradation – from transparent to white.

The subtle successive changes are enhanced through the use of the pieces and the way they harmoniously combine. Besides emphasising the artistry required for reproducing such variations, this also encourages the exploration of different compositions and applications. More playfulness and awe are now introduced to the table.

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for Inframince appeared first on Dezeen.

Milan 2012: Eindhoven designers BCXSY worked with traditional Irish boat builders to develop this collection of stools, tables and bowls, which they'll present at Spazio Rossana Orlandi in Milan next week.

Boaz Cohen and Sayaka Yamamoto were invited by the Sirius Arts Centre to undertake an artists' residency at the Meitheal Mara boat-building culture and education centre in Cork.

Called Origin part III - Contrast, the pieces draw on steam-bending, joinery methods and clamps that the pair observed at the boat yard.

This is the third instalment in their Origin series of projects, working closely with skilled craftspeople to develop collections based on their techniques.

Last year they presented a collection of rugs woven by Bedouin women in Israel and in 2010 their first Origin project resulted in the acclaimed Join folding wooden screens made in collaboration with a Japanese joinery craftsman.

Read all our stories about BCXSY here.

The Salone Internazionale del Mobile takes place from 17 to 22 April. See all our stories about Milan 2012 here.

Here are some more details from BCXSY:

Origin part III: Contrast

Origin – our explorations into traditional crafts and techniques from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines.

Meitheal Mara – (translated from Irish roughly as, workers of the sea or sea community) is a charitable maritime cultural and educational centre based in Cork City in the south of Ireland, who’s main goal is to preserve the craftsmanship of traditional Irish boat building.

Contrast is the result of our collaboration with Meitheal Mara, and consists of a Side-Table, Stool, Fruit Bowl and Serving Tray.

The multidisciplinary arts organization, Sirius Art Centre, based in Cobh, County Cork, has commissioned us through their internationally recognized artist in residency program to collaborate with Meitheal Mara.

The boat-building techniques we have witnessed at Meitheal Mara were very different from the traditional artistry we have worked with in the past – they utilize rougher, unrefined and simple methods, while being strikingly efficient. Observing their work we were fascinated by how almost magically, in a matter of a few days, a vessel can be constructed which allows people to travel on the water.

Due to the fact that the work done by the participants at Meitheal Mara is specific and created to achieve a functional end-result, without involving much attention to cosmetic details, and that the artisans are comprised of people with a variety of backgrounds, skills levels and working schemes, the project has turned out to be particularly challenging.

Building or redesigning a boat was never our intention for this collaboration. Our goal was rather to employ the naturalness, efficiency and functionality of Meitheal Mara traditional working methods and distil various various elements involved in the boat-building process in order to create new objects that are aesthetically far away from what Meitheal Mara does in their day-to-day work, yet always remaining focused on maintaining the link to their inspirational-origin.

“Rule number one of a boatyard is that you never have enough clamps”. In times of need, improvised clamps are made of only two pieces plywood. These clever artefacts were our inspiration while developing the Side-Tables and Stools, by which the top plate is clamped between two vertical plates. The outer surfaces of the plywood are removed, revealing the less regularly placed wooden layers, making each and every piece unique.

Steaming and bending of long and narrow wooden planks are common during the boat-building process and mostly used for covering the outer surface or support the boat’s frame. For the Fruit Bowls we have used shorter and wider planks of freshly cut Ash. Two long cuts make it possible to bend and twist the surface until the final form is achieved and fixed by using copper nails and roves. The white painted parts are a reference to the water line painted on the boats.

A scarph joint is used for connecting two different pieces of timber and is commonly used when constructing a boat. A well-made joint gives the boat-builders a chance to demonstrate their skill.

The Serving Trays are constructed by two pieces of Sycamore. Once the joint is fixed, the top is painted, and then a part of the upper surface is routed, revealing the beauty of the light-coloured timber and the joint.

All timber used in the project is sourced from local, sustainable origins. All surface treatments are water-based and food safe.

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Milan 2011: Eindhoven designers BCXSY present a collection of rugs woven by Bedouin women in Israel at Spazio Rossana Orlandi in Milan this week.

The rugs are woven by hand in four sizes on ground looms using wool from local desert sheep.

The four pieces are then joined in different configurations to create rugs of the required size and shape.

Colours are taken from the desert surroundings where the pieces are made and details from traditional rug making crop up like fringing on selected edges and a single green tassel on each piece.

Called Balance, the project forms the second phase of their Origin series where the duo work closely with skilled craftspeople. See the first in the series in our earlier story.

The project remains on show at Spazio Rossana Orlandi, Via Matteo Bandello 14/16, 20123 Milan until 17 April.

See all our stories about Milan 2011 »

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The text below is from BCXSY:

Origin – our explorations into traditional crafts from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines. Lakiya Negev Weaving – an organization of Bedouin artisans, initiated by SIDREH, a non-profit organization focused on improving the socioeconomic situation of Bedouin women living in Israel’s Negev Desert.

Balance – the results of our collaboration with SIDREH and the women weavers in Lakiya. Balance consists of a series of seven area rugs woven in the Bedouin tradition by the women in Lakiya, Israel. Each rug is hand woven on traditional ground looms using the wool of local desert sheep.

From the dying of the yarn to the weaving and final construction, each rug is the result of the collaborative efforts of many of the women in Lakiya. Through a craft that is central to Bedouin social and cultural heritage, the weavers are able to produce an extremely high-quality, durable and beautiful material.

By creating a culturally acceptable employment opportunity for women, Lakiya Weaving produces short-term and long-term benefits to the Arab Bedouin community. The project remains the only possible employment for many isolated women who have suffered from the impacts of social upheaval.

SIDREH’s focus is to empower, represent, and improve the socioeconomic situation of these Bedouin women, women who exist in a constant state of inequality, of imbalance.

During our second visit to Lakiya, we had the opportunity to visit some villages in the area that remain unrecognized by the authorities. Throughout our time in these villages, we were continually overwhelmed by the positive attitudes of the women we encountered.

We became increasingly inspired by the choice they have made to focus on their optimistic progress, rather than their more obvious hardships.

Balance is our response to this optimism, that in the midst of adversity and misfortune there is a lasting element of proportion and beauty.

Drawing from the surrounding landscape of the Negev Desert in both color and texture, each piece in Balance pushes the perceived confines of traditional woven dimensions and expected application of decorative elements.

The rugs are the result of working within the boundaries of the Bedouin weaving practice, where it is only possible to weave long, narrow strips of material. The strips are then cut and repositioned to create non-traditional and innovative silhouettes that generate new and exciting placement possibilities within the interior. Balance embodies the possibility of finding a modern context for an ancient craft.

See also:

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Change! by BCXSY	Distilled Nature by BCXSY	Join by BCXSY

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Here's a pair of concertina-style sunglasses by Boaz Cohen and Sayaka Yamamoto of BCXSY.

Inspired by origami, the Origamaster Shades are made of a thin sheet of transparent plastic that has been folded several times and pinched in three places to form glasses.

The sunglasses are being shown as part of an exhibition in Tokyo called Shades Down in Tokyo Town, curated by Sofia Hedman and designer Karolina Kling of HEDMANKLING.

The exhibition is at Calm & Punk Gallery in Tokyo and will run until 26 November.

Photographs are by Gavin Fernandes.

Here's some more information from the designers:

Origamaster Shades

Mastering the secrets of folding, long before the invention of paper and anything that is flat, the immortal Origamaster has been traveling through time and space since the dawn of mankind. The very few who had the chance for a quick glance could swear that he’s surrounded by a cloud of rapidly moving hands..
Being a very private person, the Origamaster has decided to create a piece which will help him to be less recognized while being among the living – folding a thin sheet of transparent plastic has been the perfect solution for that!

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BCXSY was commissioned by HEDMANKLING to create a sunglasses concept for the project SHADES DOWN IN TOKYO TOWN – an exhibition that features the creatures and their spectacular spectacles.

The exhibition will take place at CALM & PUNK gallery, Tokyo, and in 2011 will tour to London, Gothenburg and Stockholm.

The participating artists are: Ann-Sofie Back, BCXSY, Bernhard Willhelm, BLESS, Charlie Le Mindu, Helle Mardahl, Henrik Vibskov, Iris Schieferstein, Josefin Arnell, Kling by Kling, Maiko Takeda, ManfreDu Schu, Mykita, Piers Atkinson, SWD/Skyward and Walter Van Beirendonck.

See also:

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Change! by BCXSY	Distilled Nature by BCXSY	Join by BCXSY

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Milan 2010: Eindhoven designers Boaz Cohen & Sayaka Yamamoto of BCXSY presented a collection of  vessels and a light made up of beaded coils at Spazio Rosana Orlandi in Milan earlier this month.

Called Coiled, the collection was created for Swedish collective Editions in Craft and made in collaboration with the Siyazama Project, a bead-craft collective of women from KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa.

The collection is made using locally-sourced materials and consists of flower vases, pots and a light.

The colours and patterns of the objects were determined by the Siyazama women.

Here's some more information from the designers:

Coiled (for Editions in Craft) by BCXSY

Editions in Craft (EiC), established by Stockholm based curators Reneé Padt and Ikko Yokoyama is a production platform that invites artists, designers and traditional craftspeople to collaborate on projects.

By joining and exchanging expertise and by merging traditional techniques with contemporary practice, it seeks to explore new, more equitable strategies for the production, marketing and distribution of design and crafts products.

BCXSY was invited to take part in EiC’s kick-off project, in collaboration with the Siyazama Project a bead craft collective of women from KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, initiated by professor Kate Wells.

Commonly the Siyazama ladies create traditional dolls representing animal and human figures.

In designing a new platform, the goal was to only implement locally found materials in order to keep the process possible and accessible.

Coiled consists of a series of interior accessories that finds inspiration in traditional ceramic vessels – earth wares constructed by hand coils of clay.

The intricate beadwork of the Siyazama women, in both pattern possibilities and color, is reminiscent of the inherently scaled skin of a serpent.

Each piece is made by encircling the serpentine beaded coils, like the natural movements of a boa constrictor, into the resulting form of a unique interior accessory.

The Siyazama women use their own artistic vision to determine the patterns and colors for the ’skin’ of each piece.

See also:

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Distilled Nature by BCXSY	Change! by BCXSY	Join by BCXSY

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