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| Tom Kundig of Olson Kundig |
Tom
Kundig principal and owner of the Seattle-based firm Olson Kundig is designing
Outpost Basel, an arquitectural pavilion created for the Collector’s Lounge at
Design Miami. Basel Switzerland is an artistic fair that will take place from
June 16 - 21, 2015.
Outpost
Basel is bringing together a diversity of geographic material and cultural
elements of different parts of the world like, Japan, America, Romania, Austria
to bring into existence a design space made from everyday materials.
The
arquitectural firm “Olson Kundig” is founded by arquitects Jim Olson and Tom
Kundig. The firm is based on the ideas that, building can serve “as a bridge
between nature, culture and people, and that inspiring surroundings have a
positive effect on people’s lives.
Kundig
plays with the idea of being an outsider, bringing a collection of highly
contrasting influences and functions, which he unifies to make a harmonious and
inspirational space. An idea of yin-yang will run throughout, shown
through the interplay of shaded and well-lit areas, dark and light materials,
as well as space for refuge and for being seen. The result will be an enjoyable
retreat in which to reflect on the design fair, meet friends or just relax.
From the
entrance of the exhibition, Outpost Basel will appear to be a simple dark cube
at the west point of the hall, playing a subtle role within the vast Messe
Halle. But as visitors walk closer, they will see the textures and complexity
of the structural design. Guests are going to be welcomed by hosts, who
will roll open an iron-wheeled ‘X’ door, to reveal a vibrant inner sanctum of
lounge and restaurant areas.
Kundig
works with “commodity materials to create this high-design space from
re-purposed structural elements, in a continuation of his love of ‘hot-rodding’
”. Like wood formwork and bricks bountifully supplied by innovative Austrian
company “Schweighofer”.
There is
going to be two distinct adjoining volumes, one semi-open space and one a taller
solid box made of wood bricks, together form Outpost. A tribute to the 10th Anniversary of Design Miami/
Basel in the form of a repeated X- shaped pattern will surround the exterior of
Outpost Basel.
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| Sketch by Tom Kundig, Outpost Basel |
Kundig
said: “It’s a great honor to make this space for Design Miami/, and to work in
Basel, Switzerland. We each carry many influences with us—both my parents are
Swiss, although I am American. With Outpost, I wanted to explore this idea
through bringing different elements together in Basel. I like to mix old
techniques and robust materials with innovative methods of making, so there
will be crafted ironwork from Seattle, and amazing wood from Austrian firm Schweighofer.”
The design of Outpost
Basel is bold yet grounded. Interiors are intricate and bold. The ingenious use
of space in the Collectors Lounge allows Outpost to be the protagonist of a
variety of different activities. Including the Design Talks, a series of
panel and one-on-one discussions with the leading lights of the design world.
A bar is going to be
serving fine champagne (Perrier-Jouët) and the presence of a restaurant where
guests can regroup and refuel before continuing their exploration of the
exhibition. Collectors will be able to work, talk and relax in Outpost
Basel, experiencing a microcosm of the Olson Kundig world, and the distinctive
design approach of Tom Kundig himself.
This #CertifiedCOOL event
is going to benefit Miami in many ways! A fusion of different creativity and
ideation is what Miami needs. The city is growing up to be a multi-cultural
portal to the world of the arts and technology.
By: Mckenna Martinez
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out more COOL here:
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