Design Miami 2012

With 25% more galleries involved, and in the most sensible selection ever, director Marianne Goebl continues to take a modern approach to an increasingly ambitious fair, enriched with interesting open talks and on-site design projects.

Beneath the crown of Snarkitecture's Drift installation — a series of giant oblong cylinders in white vinyl suspended at the entrance of the marquee that hosts it — Design Miami/2012 opened last week in the heart of Miami Beach, in a glossy presentation of one of the most keenly anticipated international design fairs. With an increase of 25% in the number of galleries taking part compared to the previous edition, in a more sensible selection than ever, director Marianne Goebl — now in her third year — continues to take a modern approach, presenting an increasingly ambitious fair enriched with interesting open talks and on-site design projects. Evidence of this can be seen in the exhibition Glassworks that young gallery owner Victor Hunt dedicated to Belgian designer Sylvain Willenz, presenting work in glass of rare poetry that is refined, sublime and able to create full and intense colours. On another hand, Gam Fratesi's Stone Wear Tables for Galerie Maria Wettergren are extremely elegant, made from dark stone in a limited edition of twenty.

Swarovski ordains Asif Kahh, a young talent from London and a previous winner of the W Hotel Designers of the Future award, collaborating with him in their 2012 Swarovski Crystal Palace project. Entitled Parhelia — a Greek word that means "behind the sun" —, Khan's design transports us into another emotional and sensorial dimension, as its creator explains: a visionary, artificial northern lights. The installation was been conceived for individual, subjective discovery: you have to bend down to enter into a suspended rectangular, light-reflecting structure with more than a million Swarovski crystals. The British designer drew inspiration for this kind of vertical architecture from Asian stilt structures. Khan's wish is for us to kneel down and then stand up, feeling like children — he has even been allowed to make a hole in the roof of the structure, allowing natural light to interact with his installation.

Top and above: Snarkitecture, <em>Drift</em> installation at the entrance of Design Miami/ — Top and above: Snarkitecture, *Drift* installation at the entrance of Design Miami/

Meanwhile, legendary artist, architect and designer Vito Acconci, declared 2012 Designer of the Year, has himself photographed as if he were a Hollywood actor in hot and breezy Miami, a city that in this year's fair seems closer than ever to the world of fashion. At the first of the Design Talks, dedicated to the pioneers of design — innovators who have worked in the field of design —, we meet American fashion designer of Belgian origin Diane von Furstenberg in conversation with Stefano Tonchi. This is followed by Vito Acconci in dialogue with founder and co-president of Terreform ONE Mitchell Joachim, and finally sculptor, designer and teacher Wendell Castle in a face to face with writer and curator Alasdair Gordon.

GamFratesi, <em>Stone Ware tables</em> for Galerie Maria Wettergren — GamFratesi, *Stone Ware tables* for Galerie Maria Wettergren

Design Miami/ partner Be Open, an initiative that strongly supports innovation and creativity giving particular attention to design as sensory exploration — using food, perfumes, biochemistry and haptic technology —, organised a second series of talks with innovative design minds such as founder and CEO of Art.sy Carter Cleveland, interaction designer Tuur van Balen, Founder of olfactory branding company 12.29 Dawn Goldworm, food designer Marije Vogelzang, and Brazilian designers Zigelbaum+Coelho.

During the fair, much excitement was felt at the Miami Design District — where construction of buildings by Aranda\Lasch, K|R, Sou Fujimoto, Moorhead and Moorhead, Iwamoto Scott, Studio Gang, Leong and Leong, SB Architects and OAB is slated to start — in what once again became a hotspot for design but also fashion, with recent openings of new stores for Prada, Dior Homme and Agnona. These are located a stone's thrown from Louis Vuitton, where the Objects Nomades collection was presented with pieces by big names such as the Campana brothers, Patricia Urquiola and the talented Atelier Oï.

During the fair, much excitement was felt at the Miami Design District in what once again became a hotspot for design but also fashion, with recent openings of new stores for Prada, Dior Homme and Agnona

Asif Khan for Swarovski Crystal Palace, <em>Parhelia</em>. Photo by Steve Benisty — Asif Khan for Swarovski Crystal Palace, *Parhelia*. Photo by Steve Benisty

The Campanas are also protagonists in a fundraising charity for Lacoste: a second edition of the t-shirt with the printed crocodile is being sold to raise funds to protect the Everglades in collaboration with the Everglades Foundation. Simultaneously, Hermès presented a limited edition of scarves created in collaboration with Japanese artist Hiroshi Sugimoto entitled Colours of Shadow, where different colours are defined by the study of the refraction of light in a prism. Communication in the world of fashion is usually rigid and only heads of companies and designers can represent brands: bravo therefore to Marni and their limited edition of 125 chairs, used in a photoshoot of the company team, in a successful collaboration with photographer Francesco Jodice.

Young gallerist Victor Hunt presented Sylvain Willenz's, <em>Glassworks</eM>, with full and intense colours — Young gallerist Victor Hunt presented Sylvain Willenz's, *Glassworks*, with full and intense colours

Legendary art directior of Muji Kenya Hara, another great father of Japanese creativity, presented inside the iconic Buena Vista Building a curious project titled Architecture for Dogs, with the participation of designers including Konstantin Grcic, Kengo Kuma, Toyo Ito, MVRDV and Shigeru Ban who each have created comfortable houses for man's best friend: who knows if there will ever be a market for these as well.

Studio Glithero for Roterdam-based Vivid Gallery

Finally, Latin culture was also well represented with the project Mestizo City by San Antonio-based designer and activist Henry R. Muñoz III, a 600 square metre installation describing the growth of Latin American culture in the United States. Maria Cristina Didero

Belgian Maarten de Ceulaer, in a project for Fendi

<em>The art of portrait: Marni</em>. Pictured, left to right: Carolina, Gianni, Consuelo e Giovanni Castiglioni. Photo by Francesco Jodice — *The art of portrait: Marni*. Pictured, left to right: Carolina, Gianni, Consuelo e Giovanni Castiglioni. Photo by Francesco Jodice

Atelier Bow-Wow's project for Kenya Hara's <em>Architecture for Dogs</eM> — Atelier Bow-Wow's project for Kenya Hara's *Architecture for Dogs*

Design Miami 2012

With 25% more galleries involved, and in the most sensible selection ever, director Marianne Goebl continues to take a modern approach to an increasingly ambitious fair, enriched with interesting open talks and on-site design projects.

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