3 January 2019
NEW DESIGNS LAUNCH AT
IMM COLOGNE 2019
We begin 2019 with ambitious plans to continue and strengthen our presence on the international design scene, and we have chosen to do so by exhibiting at 3 of the most important industry events, on 3 different continents.
We’ll be kickstarting the year in January, in Europe, at one of the biggest international furniture shows in the world – IMM Cologne in Germany. In March, we will exhibit for the first time in Asia, at the International Furniture Fair in Singapore, and we’ll complete our 2019 world tour on the North American continent in May when we will return for a second year at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) New York.
Alongside pieces like Alkar Table, Faug, and Kallas, we will showcase the latest furniture pieces – part of the award-winning collection entitled Ostinato – design objects that explore rhythm and repetition as means of transforming materials: Ostinato Tower cabinets, Ostinato III and V dining tables and the Midas chairs. The pieces materialize the concept of ostinato – a musical motif that persistently repeats in the same voice, frequently in the same pitch. A dimensional, linear, rigorous and repetitive pattern is over-imposed on the natural fiber of wood to create a modern, rich texture, an enhanced sense of materiality.
The Ostinato Tower is a tall cabinet with unexpected lines and volumes that are referencing brutalist architecture with its top heavy structures.
The cabinets, made of solid walnut or ash, feature two large compartments lined with mirror polished solid brass, glass shelves and a brass covered drawer.
The Ostinato V is a large size dining table in solid European Walnut with five cylindrical legs displayed asymmetrically, some of which feature entirely or partially the ostinato pattern. The rounded lines are picked up by the tabletop which also features a very subtle beveled edge as an unexpected detail.
The chairs are referencing one of the most well-known tragedies in Greek mythology: the golden touch in King Midas’ legend. The chair is of generous size and proportions, manufactured in solid European walnut.
The 3 legged chair, reimagined as a sculptural, modern-day throne, features an elongated armrest with a golden, polished brass detail where the fingers would rest – referencing Midas’ destiny to turn into gold everything his fingers touched.
The pieces are designed by Cristian Branea, Co-founder and Creative Director of Materia Studio. Self-taught, with a background and a PhD in Philosophy, Cristian established the brand Materia in 2014. The brand made its US debut in New York at ICFF 2018, when Materia was awarded “Best Furniture in ICFF Show” by the International Furnishing and Design Association (IFDA), the New York Chapter.
Koelnmesse, Cologne