Berlin´s Design Week Opening
On April 26, the opening of the Berlin Design Week took place at the Kunstgewerbemuseum
April 29th, 2024
Berlin design week Founder and Curator, Alexandra Klatt, selected 30 flagship projects from 11 countries.
As contemporary witnesses, the selected works represent the current state of our culture of knowledge. Every age and era confronts us in society with its own tasks and challenges. New tasks, technologies, tools, and materials lead to new solutions.
The event began with a few words from the organizers, thanking the attendees and especially the artists for their presence.
In collaboration with EUNIC Berlin and the Kustgewebermuseum der Staatlichen Museen zu Berlin, “NEXT, Young European Design” creates a design showcase in which the potential of European design to promote social change and as a catalyst for innovation is highlighted.
The exhibition had 30 objects distributed throughout the room. Each one had a different QR code where the work was explained.
Among all of them, one of the projects was created to find an environmentally friendly material. It is called "Cork Hangers". The main raw material used in this project is cork, which is one of the most sustainable materials in the world.
Cork oaks do not need to be felled in order to obtain cork. In fact, trees that are stripped off their bark to obtain cork actually absorb more CO2. The bark of a cork oak tree can be harvested every 9 years without causing harm to the tree.
Cork is a versatile material that has many unique properties. It is lightweight, flame retardant, antibacterial, hydrophobic, and has excellent sound and thermal insulation. Additionally, cork forests are important ecosystems that support a diverse range of plant and animal species, including endangered species such as the Aquila adalberti, Aegypius monachus, and Lynx pardinus.
Another project was called “Foundations”. The design explores the influence of human actions on physical spaces, emphasizing the connection between creative expression and the built environment. It demonstrates how gestures shape territories and highlights the intricate relationship between human actions and the spaces they inhabit while emphasizing the synergy between creativity and utility.
At the center of the project is an architectural-inspired lamp that symbolizes the theme. Through its form, it illuminates the truths hidden in abstract concepts. The lamp's wooden body is carefully crafted by the designer, and it is complemented by a frosted glass lampshade from a Luxembourgish glass processing company.
