February 6, 2023 In English, Story of the Month, Trends

Story of the month
Taking
Care

Photos: American Supply

“Take Care!” was the theme for Maison & Objet this January, with nearly 2,300 exhibitors from approximately 150 countries. We were encouraged to “refocus, reconnect with themselves, with others and with the environment.”   “Today, the second we step outside, we are hit with cultural, environmental and identity issues. Society is craving for new models, and that is something that brands can deliver, providing solutions that target the environment, safeguard expertise, and encourage us all to care for others and focus on our own well-being. What we are interested in are the rising voices that are picking up that gauntlet. The under-25s that make up Generation Z are impatiently waiting for something to be done. Today, a new set of ethics is dictating the type of consumer activity we are witnessing.” Vincent Grégoire, Creative Director of NellyRodi   Discover some of our favourite exhibitors in the slideshow above!
December 20, 2022 In Design, English

Design
Back to De Trip
at Dutch Design Week

Photos Britt Roelse & Francine Meerveld, courtesy Francine Meerveld

For Dutch Design Week 2022 in October, we provided Francine Meerveld with iconic and sustainable waste materials from our archive for her immersive experiential installation, ‘De Trip’.   Meerveld built an underground sensorial environment, evoking feelings of stillness, stimulation, and oasis, built on collaboration and partnership. Lighting was conceived by spacelab.lighting’s Paul Cremers, audio by Marlon van der Pas of _blank, Lingua Planta fragranced the air, and alongside our materials, there were narrative textiles that came from Siersema.   Enjoy going back to De Trip, via the sideshow above!
December 20, 2022 In English, Story of the Month, Trends, Windows

Story of the month
Walking in a Parisian Wonderland

Photos: American Supply

This year the mittens were off, as stores played to our nostalgia during the emotive Holiday Season, reminding us that this is a time of family and solidarity. From stars to star systems, Christmas trees to disco balls, playful cut-outs to piles of laundry, snow-filled days and warm cosy cups of cocoa by the hearth, they evoked the sense of togetherness that this time of year specialises in.
The ongoing trend for external facade dressing was taken up a notch, with giant necklaces at Chanel, decorative light spheres at Cartier, compass points and crashing waves at Christian Dior, projected glistening stars at Burberry and much more to the delight of the people on the streets taking selfies.
A special mention this year goes out to the Haute Joaillerie boutiques on Place Vendôme. Their attention to detail and whimsical world-building were second to none, elevating the jewellery and telling a unique story each time.   Happy Holidays from the team at American Supply, Paris!
September 14, 2022 In English, News

Newsflash
De Trip at
Dutch Design Week

"De Trip - Descend for an uplifting experience."

an immersive experience at Dutch Design Week by Francine Meerveld

22-30 October 2022

    We are delighted to collaborate with Francine Meerveld, during Dutch Design Week 2022 - Northern Europe's biggest annual design fair - on her immersive installation: De Trip. Francine is an interior architect and the founder of the FELD agency:   "FELD works from the belief that people feel better in well-designed spaces. With a genuine interest in people and their well-being, we strive for end results that are uplifting and inspiring. Our office is characterized by being a good listener. Context is key. Our strength is to look further, to seek depth. In this way, we offer innovative insights and spatial creativity. The aim is to bring people, architecture and the (brand) story together in synergy." FELD website
 
When Francine contacted us and explained her concept and work ethos, we quickly realised that she would be a perfect partner for us. Her approach to materials, design and dedication to storytelling was perfectly in line with ours. In line with our ongoing commitments to sustainability and innovation, we are supporting her project with material waste from some of our most iconic references, including Magic Mirror, Tinted PVC, and Creafoam.
Francine wanted to go to the core of her process, and approach the installation for Dutch Design Week from an experiential standpoint:  

"I find it important to keep reflecting on my work and goals. If FELD works from the principle that people feel better in well-designed spaces, what would happen if we forget about functionality and work on a project where this belief is the starting point and singular goal? Creating a space that solely targets feeling, being and experiencing? This thought is developed into an actual project and space.”

 

In turbulent times, De Trip gives a small immaterial escape, an inspiring experience into a different dimension. We don’t have to go far to go on an inner journey.

We are not Francine’s sole collaborator for De Trip, her project was born out of a desire to collaborate and expand, to offer a fully sensorial experience:   "De Trip has evolved into an immersive experience thanks to several great collaborations. The light design is developed in partnership with Paul Cremers of spacelab.lighting. Marlon van der Pas of _blank adds to the installation with his talent for sound design. Lingua Planta finds the finest aromatics to ensure a high-quality product that is also friendly to the earth. Narrative textiles come from Siersema and innovative sustainable materials are donated by American Supply Paris."   We are excited to experience the magic of De Trip with you, and hope you can make it to Eindhoven for the 2022 Dutch Design Week !      

Dutch Design Week

22-30 October 2022

 

De Trip 

Location DDW’22

Gebouw TQ Basement

Achtseweg Zuid 151 

5651 GW Eindhoven

September 12, 2022 In asloves, English

#ASLOVES
Treehouses


This month #asloves ‘Symbiotic Architecture’ the AI-generated architectural project of architect and computational designer Manas Bhatia. 
“The project began as an AI-based investigation into the interactions we have all had with nature, such as appreciating a tree's shade on a hot day, reading a newspaper in a courtyard under a tree, or simply hanging out in a park to take in the changing hues of the leaves. Building on these observations, came the idea of a "utopian future" in which buildings are not machines made of steel or concrete is presented. Instead, the structure is alive and has the ability to grow and breathe. Imagine a Hyperion tree (a coast redwood in California that is considered the world's tallest known living tree) that has been hollowed out, with apartments facing inward and natural light flooding in to create an enchanting bio-atrium. Using AI tools like Midjourney helped conceptualize some of the answers to questions like "Can structures grow?" "Can the envelope in which we live breathe as creatures do?" ” Manias Bhatia, on his Instagram
The results are remarkable, with some of the most forward-thinking architectural forms we’ve seen so far! A beautiful concept, beautifully executed.

Images: courtesy Lego

September 12, 2022 In English, Story of the Month

Story of the Month
Better Foundations


The news hit the Internet this month, that researchers from Melbourne’s RMIT University had achieved what many thought was impossible, in developing a sustainable concrete alternative that replaces 100% of the typical aggregate - gravel, stones etc. - with only rubber from used, shredded car tyres.
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They claim that their new lighter concrete material reaches building standards for strength, which up until now was not possible with others’ attempts to replace the aggregate with rubber. The news gives hope for this circular economical approach, and the environment, as it is using waste material and reducing transport and costs for manufacturing.   ‘We have demonstrated with our precise casting method that this decades-old perceived limitation on using large amounts of coarse rubber particles in concrete can now be overcome. The technique involves using newly designed casting moulds to compress the coarse rubber aggregate in fresh concrete that enhances the building material’s performance.’ Lead author and PhD researcher, Mohammad Momeen Ul Islam.
If the process is rolled out globally, it could significantly reduce our consumption of natural resources, and solve the ongoing problem of used car tyre waste. The researchers also add that it can be introduced cost-effectively into existing industrial concrete production facilities, which means the future possibility of integration is very real!
May 24, 2022 In asloves, English

#ASLOVES
Botanical Bricks


We have loved Lego’s Botanical collection since they launched it last year with the first flower bouquets. We couldn’t be happier to see them expanding and including more plants, with the addition of succulents and an orchid.   All of the Lego botanical pieces are intended for adults not children, and make perfect gifts for those of us that are not so green fingered!
Comprising 771 pieces and 608 pieces respectively, the new plants can be assembled to suit our own desires: the succulents can be presented together or separated and the orchids can be posed in a variety of ways by rotating the stems, blooms, roots, and leaves of the model to achieve the look you prefer. They can also be personalized by rebuilding the stems to create new combinations of flower arrangements.
Inspired by real plants and flowers, #asloves all of the Lego botanical collection pieces that are destined to become future design classics!

Images: courtesy Lego

May 24, 2022 In English, Story of the Month

Story of the Month
Materials Of Dreams

 “The Milk of Dreams takes its title from a book by Leonora Carrington (1917–2011) in which the Surrealist artist describes a magical world where life is constantly re-envisioned through the prism of the imagination. It is a world where everyone can change, be transformed, become something or someone else.” Cecilia Alemani
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Cecilia Alemani curates the central pavilion show under the title ‘The Milk Of Dreams’, with a quote after our own hearts, proposing a world where “everyone can change, be transformed, become something or someone else.” This couldn’t be more in line with our sentiment towards materials. We are always looking to extract their hidden potential, and revel in unexpected applications, or transformations.   We look at innovative uses of materials at the Biennale di Venezia, which returns after a long pandemic wait of three years, and highlight some of our favourites!
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