ECAL/ University of Art and Design Lausanne partners with Italian design giant Alessi to develop desktop wares that show that Switzerland can still grind out some of the best design students around.
Alessi, Italy's venerated purveyor of high-end home wares, tapped the best and brightest from ECAL/University of Art and Design Lausanne recently to produce a set of stunningly simple concept office accessories.
The results are pretty astounding, especially when you consider that these kids -- all sophomore industrial-design students -- probably aren't even old enough to have spent much time, if any, in an office. Their ideas range from a hanging magnetic paperclip holder to a waste basket that you build up with sheets of paper to what might be the world's most minimal tape dispenser -- all styled with the quiet but forceful efficiency that has defined Swiss design for decades.
The accessories debuted in an exhibit curated by ECAL prof and ID department head Elric Petit during Milan Design Week earlier this month. We've selected some of our favorite products above.
[Images via ECAL]
COMMENTARY: the ECAL/ University of Art and Design of Lausanneis, France is quite a design school and those young French designer's are fantastic. I just love the ingenius tape dispenser, the yellow cone shaped paper clip holder and the digital clock with the yellow dials. The only product that I didn't quite understand is Raphael Nessim's minimalist stadium container.
I have covered both new products, art pieces, commercial building and residential architectural designs and interior designs, and the big trend appears to be towards incorporating minimalism into the design concept. Keeping things simple, functional and beautiful.
Courtesy of an article dated April 30, 2011 appearing in Fast Company Design
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