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DESIGN-NEWS FROM NEW YORK

A place of longing, a source of inspiration, a setter of trends and a hotspot of creativity - New York City is anything but boring. Its 18,000 restaurants, 1,100 parks, spaces and public facilities, 100 museums, 400 galleries and just as many theatres offer plenty of variety and all kinds of opportunities for new synaptic connections. Life is busy in this bustling metropolis of 8 million people on the Hudson River. The most heavily populated city in the USA is an inexhaustible biotope of forward-thinking ideas. Ideas which change the world. And living. The powerful creative force which makes the Big Apple such a big player in design yet again filled visitors to WantedDesign with enthusiasm this year.

The trade fair was launched in 2011 by Odile Hainaut and Claire Pijoulat to bring the international design scene together in the cosmopolitan mega-metropolis. Mission accomplished: each year, the event grows in popularity and forms an attractive platform for designers, manufacturers, dealers, craftworkers, students and design fans from all over the world. The historic walls of the ‘Terminal Stores’ in Manhattan form the showground for this illustrious get-together along with ‘Industry City’ in Brooklyn’s Sunset Park since 2015.

Rolf Benz was in attendance this year for the first time and demonstrated that world-class design is also at home across the pond.

 

TAKE A SEAT AND FEEL THE BEAT OF THE STREET

A stroll through the streets of New York is a real show to behold with every metre. There are remarkable discoveries on every corner. And anyone who thinks they know the city will probably be proven wrong at the very next corner. Someone who knows how to capture the multi-facetted street life like no other is Wataru ‘Bob’ Shimasato. The photographer from Nagano in Japan has worked as a model for renowned fashion labels like Diesel and Uniqlo and has been living in the States since 2009. In 2010, he discovered a passion for street style photography and this still occupies him today.

We asked the style icon with the striking long hair to take our Rolf Benz 650 chair out into the city’s streets and squares and to do exactly what Wataru likes to do best: take photos. It quickly became clear that the photographer and subject of the photos were in perfect harmony. And almost symbolic of this is the fact that the design of the chair is inspired by two interlocking hands. The beautiful wooden seat offers top quality seating comfort even in the hustle and bustle of the big city.

New York is a unique location for a photo shoot – and the ideal starting point for presenting this chair, which was awarded the ‘German Design Award 2017’. Of course, our photo trip started out on Broadway with its numerous yellow cabs. This was followed by some more spectacular backdrops. These include the High Line Park, an area of greenery with heavenly views of the city situated on the former elevated railroad. Our star photographer also snapped away in Manhattan’s legendary and trendy SoHo area. And likewise in the trendy Meatpacking district with its old industrial buildings made from clinker bricks. Brooklyn Bridge Park, which passes beneath the Manhattan Bridge and Brooklyn Bridge, offers fantastic views of Manhattan’s skyline. And last but not least: Dumbo –Brooklyn’s residential quarter which extends down under Manhattan Bridge overpass and is characterised by its striking bridges and access ramps.

The result of our exceptional photo trip through the Big Apple: snaps of casual elegance and timeless beauty. New York, New York, we will be back! And our four-legged protagonist? It stayed behind and can be viewed live and up-close at the ‘BY STUDIOANIS’ Rolf Benz Flagship Store on Greene Street. So when are you visiting New York?