(Charles & Ray Eames)
In September, Brussels becomes a platform for all things design. There will be exhibitions, lectures, workshops, and a market featuring the work of both Belgian and international, upcoming and established designers. The seventh edition of Design September focuses on the different uses for design.
Cinema sit-in
Charles and Ray Eames must be Amercia’s most influential industrial designers. Jason Cohn and Bill Jersey’s 2011 film Eames: The Architect & The Painter reveals more about this iconic husband and wife team.
Design September: Brussels designer drugs
On 26 September, MAD Brussels and Vitra Belgium will be presenting this lively documentary at Cinema Galeries. The story came together with archival material and interviews with friends, colleagues, and experts and captures both their personal story and creative genius.
MAD CINE: EAMES, THE ARTIST AND GALERIES 26/9, 20.00, Galeries, Koninginnegalerij 28 galerie de la Reine, Brussel/Bruxelles, 02-880.85.62, www.madbrussels.be
An Italian adventure
The city of Milan and design go hand in hand. The famous Salone Internazionale del Mobile, the Milan furniture and design fair that’s organised every year in April, draws over 320,000 visitors from 160 different countries. Around 2,500 designers presented their work at the latest edition, amongst whom nine Belgian artists: Kenny Vanden Berghe (leather and wood furniture), Laure Kasiers (rugs), Marie Gobert (object design), Pascal Breucker (lighting), Patrick Beyaert (furniture), .RAD Product (furniture and interior design agency), Raphaël Charles (furniture and object design), Twodesigners (design agency) and UNU Studio (design studio).
MAD CINE: EAMES, THE ARTIST AND GALERIES 26/9, 20.00, Galeries, Koninginnegalerij 28 galerie de la Reine, Brussel/Bruxelles, 02-880.85.62, www.madbrussels.be
An Italian adventure
The city of Milan and design go hand in hand. The famous Salone Internazionale del Mobile, the Milan furniture and design fair that’s organised every year in April, draws over 320,000 visitors from 160 different countries. Around 2,500 designers presented their work at the latest edition, amongst whom nine Belgian artists: Kenny Vanden Berghe (leather and wood furniture), Laure Kasiers (rugs), Marie Gobert (object design), Pascal Breucker (lighting), Patrick Beyaert (furniture), .RAD Product (furniture and interior design agency), Raphaël Charles (furniture and object design), Twodesigners (design agency) and UNU Studio (design studio).
(© Kenny Vanden Berghe)
Together they’ll recreate the vibe of the big event in Milan at Garage-à-Manger in Elsene/Ixelles. This old mechanical workshop is brought back to life by mobile restaurant El Camion and bookshop Pêle-Mêle. Visit the “Back from Milan” exhibition and marvel at the work of Belgian design talent, grab a bite to eat in the restaurant corner, and enjoy the raw spirit of the old garage, revamped with vintage accents by protOtype.
BACK FROM MILAN 21 > 29/9, ma/lu/Mo > zo/di/Su 10 > 18.00 (vr/ve/Fr > 21.00), Garage à Manger, rue Washingtonstraat 185, Elsene/Ixelles, 0474-24.28.93, www.backfrommilan.be
Looking yummy
Before we’ve even tasted food, we’ve already judged it with our eyes. So what would happen if we got served an aesthetically pleasing dish with nothing but monochromatic ingredients? Surely, it would look pretty, but how about the taste?
Together they’ll recreate the vibe of the big event in Milan at Garage-à-Manger in Elsene/Ixelles. This old mechanical workshop is brought back to life by mobile restaurant El Camion and bookshop Pêle-Mêle. Visit the “Back from Milan” exhibition and marvel at the work of Belgian design talent, grab a bite to eat in the restaurant corner, and enjoy the raw spirit of the old garage, revamped with vintage accents by protOtype.
BACK FROM MILAN 21 > 29/9, ma/lu/Mo > zo/di/Su 10 > 18.00 (vr/ve/Fr > 21.00), Garage à Manger, rue Washingtonstraat 185, Elsene/Ixelles, 0474-24.28.93, www.backfrommilan.be
Looking yummy
Before we’ve even tasted food, we’ve already judged it with our eyes. So what would happen if we got served an aesthetically pleasing dish with nothing but monochromatic ingredients? Surely, it would look pretty, but how about the taste?
Find out at the Eat Color pop-up restaurant at Hotel Bloom, where the chefs will put together a menu combining food in different hues of the same colour. Pantone on a plate, let’s say, cooked by the chefs of restaurant Bouchéry (orange menu) and La Buvette (white menu), to name a few. Expect interesting flavour combinations triggering both your taste buds and your perception of colours.
EAT COLOR 10 > 20/9, 19.30 > 23.30, Hotel Bloom, Koningsstraat 250 rue Royale, Sint-Joost-ten-Node/Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, 0488-24.97.46, www.eatcolor.be
Premium Objekten
Smets Premium Store near place Meiserplein is known for its collection of high-end fashion designers. But the back of the shop is entirely dedicated to furniture, art, and interior design. Throughout Design September, Objekten will take over the Smets design corner.
EAT COLOR 10 > 20/9, 19.30 > 23.30, Hotel Bloom, Koningsstraat 250 rue Royale, Sint-Joost-ten-Node/Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, 0488-24.97.46, www.eatcolor.be
Premium Objekten
Smets Premium Store near place Meiserplein is known for its collection of high-end fashion designers. But the back of the shop is entirely dedicated to furniture, art, and interior design. Throughout Design September, Objekten will take over the Smets design corner.
This brand of furniture and objects is practical, versatile, sustainable, and made in Europe. All items are up for sale as well. On 11 September, the British industrial designer Terence Woodgate will give a lecture at Smets Premium Store. The designer specialises in furniture and lighting and is praised for his modern approach to design in combination with an obsessive attention to detail and manufacture.
OBJEKTEN @ SMETS 5 > 30/9, ma/lu/Mo > za/sa/Sa 11 > 19.00 (11/9, 20.00: lecture by Terence Woodgate), Smets Premium Store, Leuvensesteenweg 650-652 chaussée de Louvain, Schaarbeek/Schaerbeek, www.objekten.com, www.smets.lu/en/stores/Brussels
OBJEKTEN @ SMETS 5 > 30/9, ma/lu/Mo > za/sa/Sa 11 > 19.00 (11/9, 20.00: lecture by Terence Woodgate), Smets Premium Store, Leuvensesteenweg 650-652 chaussée de Louvain, Schaarbeek/Schaerbeek, www.objekten.com, www.smets.lu/en/stores/Brussels
Take a seat, grab a book
Have you ever been to Galerie Bortiergalerij? Few people know of this little gem, now mainly occupied by book stores and art galleries. To lure people to the gallery, designer Stéphanie Gosuin came up with a series of reading benches. These so-called “Seat & Read” pieces of furniture combine the practicalities of a bookshelf with a comfy bench, perfect to unwind and enjoy a treat from the Belgian tea room, set up for Design September. The benches are made by Waste’Up, a collective of designers specialised in upcycling (converting waste material into something new). Spullenhulp/Les Petits Riens provided the material and La Fabrik from Recyclart was in charge of the production.
SEAT & READ 2 > 27/9, ma/lu/Mo > zo/di/Su 10 > 18.00, b-gallery, Galerie Bortiergalerij 14, Brussel/Bruxelles, 0478-58. 50.79, www.wasteup.be
A passion for art nouveau
Born in Antwerp in 1863, Henry van de Velde was a trained painter who developed further as an architect, interior designer, and artistic advisor. He’s internationally renowned for his creations, which always seem to combine both practical utility and elegant sturdiness. He moved to the German city Weimar in 1899, where he became one of the originators of the school of art that gave rise to Bauhaus, and in 1926 he founded La Cambre in Brussels, the National High School of Visual Arts.
Have you ever been to Galerie Bortiergalerij? Few people know of this little gem, now mainly occupied by book stores and art galleries. To lure people to the gallery, designer Stéphanie Gosuin came up with a series of reading benches. These so-called “Seat & Read” pieces of furniture combine the practicalities of a bookshelf with a comfy bench, perfect to unwind and enjoy a treat from the Belgian tea room, set up for Design September. The benches are made by Waste’Up, a collective of designers specialised in upcycling (converting waste material into something new). Spullenhulp/Les Petits Riens provided the material and La Fabrik from Recyclart was in charge of the production.
SEAT & READ 2 > 27/9, ma/lu/Mo > zo/di/Su 10 > 18.00, b-gallery, Galerie Bortiergalerij 14, Brussel/Bruxelles, 0478-58. 50.79, www.wasteup.be
A passion for art nouveau
Born in Antwerp in 1863, Henry van de Velde was a trained painter who developed further as an architect, interior designer, and artistic advisor. He’s internationally renowned for his creations, which always seem to combine both practical utility and elegant sturdiness. He moved to the German city Weimar in 1899, where he became one of the originators of the school of art that gave rise to Bauhaus, and in 1926 he founded La Cambre in Brussels, the National High School of Visual Arts.
This year marks Van de Velde’s 150th birthday, and the Jubelparkmuseum/Musée du Cinquantenaire organises a big exhibition in cooperation with the Klassik Stiftung Weimar. Visitors of “Henry van de Velde: Passion - Function - Beauty” will see a chronological overview of the life and work of Van de Velde, put together by works of art and some photographs and letters, that haven’t been showcased before. Good to know: Van de Velde’s own house Bloemenwerf in Ukkel/Uccle was his first attempt at architecture. Built in 1895 and entirely decorated by himself, the villa is currently up for sale (at 2,45 million euro).
HENRY VAN DE VELDE: PASSION - FUNCTION - BEAUTY 13/9 > 12/1, di/ma/Tu > zo/di/Su 10 > 17.00, €4/7/10, Jubelparkmuseum/Musée du Cinquantenaire, Jubelpark 10 parc du Cinquantenaire, Brussel/Bruxelles, 02-741.72.11, www.kmkg-mrah.be
HENRY VAN DE VELDE: PASSION - FUNCTION - BEAUTY 13/9 > 12/1, di/ma/Tu > zo/di/Su 10 > 17.00, €4/7/10, Jubelparkmuseum/Musée du Cinquantenaire, Jubelpark 10 parc du Cinquantenaire, Brussel/Bruxelles, 02-741.72.11, www.kmkg-mrah.be
Three-legged stool
Exactly eighty years ago, Finnish architect Alvar Aalto designed his Stool 60. At first glance, it’s the most basic of all stools. Except, this one has got three legs instead of four. This simple feature made it one of the most iconic pieces of furniture in design history. Ever since its creation in 1933, Finnish company Artek has produced millions of copies of the stool. To mark the 80th birthday, Artek asked a few designers to get creative with it. Japanese fashion label Comme des Garçons used their signature polka dots to decorate the stool, and designer Tom Dixon (Artek’s creative designer from 2004 to 2009) gave the stool a bright orange coat of paint. Some of these especially designed versions of Aalto’s stool will be on display at interior architect Daniel Perahia’s showroom, located in the city centre, in a 19th century mansion. The showroom will feature another exhibition as well: the Profile collection, a series of tables and chairs designed by Sylvain Willenz for German producer Stattmann Neue Moebel. Just like the Stool 60, the Profile chair is an example of simplicity and fine materials. (Photo © Hans Koistinen)
ARTEK/STOOL 60 & STATTMAN NEUE MOEBEL/PROFILE CHAIR: UNE HISTOIRE DE SAVOIR-FAIRE 5 > 30/9, wo/me/We > za/sa/Sa 11 > 18.00, Daniel Perahia, Brandhoutkaai 63 quai au Bois à Brûler, Brussel/Bruxelles, 02-233.38.90, www.danielperahia.be
What’s cooking?
Pimpinelle in Vlaamsesteenweg/rue de Flandre is a cookery and kitchen shop like no other. And while some believe that you cook the best food in old pots and pans, there’s no denying that kitchen accessories have become big business.
Exactly eighty years ago, Finnish architect Alvar Aalto designed his Stool 60. At first glance, it’s the most basic of all stools. Except, this one has got three legs instead of four. This simple feature made it one of the most iconic pieces of furniture in design history. Ever since its creation in 1933, Finnish company Artek has produced millions of copies of the stool. To mark the 80th birthday, Artek asked a few designers to get creative with it. Japanese fashion label Comme des Garçons used their signature polka dots to decorate the stool, and designer Tom Dixon (Artek’s creative designer from 2004 to 2009) gave the stool a bright orange coat of paint. Some of these especially designed versions of Aalto’s stool will be on display at interior architect Daniel Perahia’s showroom, located in the city centre, in a 19th century mansion. The showroom will feature another exhibition as well: the Profile collection, a series of tables and chairs designed by Sylvain Willenz for German producer Stattmann Neue Moebel. Just like the Stool 60, the Profile chair is an example of simplicity and fine materials. (Photo © Hans Koistinen)
ARTEK/STOOL 60 & STATTMAN NEUE MOEBEL/PROFILE CHAIR: UNE HISTOIRE DE SAVOIR-FAIRE 5 > 30/9, wo/me/We > za/sa/Sa 11 > 18.00, Daniel Perahia, Brandhoutkaai 63 quai au Bois à Brûler, Brussel/Bruxelles, 02-233.38.90, www.danielperahia.be
What’s cooking?
Pimpinelle in Vlaamsesteenweg/rue de Flandre is a cookery and kitchen shop like no other. And while some believe that you cook the best food in old pots and pans, there’s no denying that kitchen accessories have become big business.
Learn more about “The Revolution in the Kitchen” and new kitchen item brand knIndustrie at Pimpinelle. First presented in Milan at Corso Como in January 2011, this brand focuses on quality, eco-friendliness, and versatile use.
THE REVOLUTION IN THE KITCHEN 7 > 30/9, ma/lu/Mo 12 > 18.00, di/ma/Tu > za/sa/Sa 11 > 18.30, Pimpinelle, Vlaamsesteenweg 57 rue de Flandre, Brussel/Bruxelles, 02-513.57.77, www.pimpinelle.be, www.knindustrie.com
What’s your agenda?
MWA is short for Makers With Agendas. Nothing to do with our magazine, this design capacity was founded by Julien De Smedt and William Ravn.
THE REVOLUTION IN THE KITCHEN 7 > 30/9, ma/lu/Mo 12 > 18.00, di/ma/Tu > za/sa/Sa 11 > 18.30, Pimpinelle, Vlaamsesteenweg 57 rue de Flandre, Brussel/Bruxelles, 02-513.57.77, www.pimpinelle.be, www.knindustrie.com
What’s your agenda?
MWA is short for Makers With Agendas. Nothing to do with our magazine, this design capacity was founded by Julien De Smedt and William Ravn.
(Mike Julien De Smedt © Nikolaj Moeller)
They come up with simple and unbiased designs, such as their Butterfly (a dual hook that holds your coat, wallet, and whatever else you’ve got in your pockets) and Stilt (an adjustable support for your artwork that won’t damage your walls). Discover these and other clever designs at the new concept store SiblingsFactory.
MWA - MAKERS WITH AGENDAS 13 > 28/9, Siblingsfactory, Oude Graanmarkt 31 rue du Vieux Marché aux Grains, Brussel/Bruxelles, 02-503.60.71, www.jdsa.eu, www.siblingsfactory.com
They come up with simple and unbiased designs, such as their Butterfly (a dual hook that holds your coat, wallet, and whatever else you’ve got in your pockets) and Stilt (an adjustable support for your artwork that won’t damage your walls). Discover these and other clever designs at the new concept store SiblingsFactory.
MWA - MAKERS WITH AGENDAS 13 > 28/9, Siblingsfactory, Oude Graanmarkt 31 rue du Vieux Marché aux Grains, Brussel/Bruxelles, 02-503.60.71, www.jdsa.eu, www.siblingsfactory.com
Vintage lovers unite
Mark Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 September in your agenda if you’re a vintage fan. The Brussels Design Market is taking over Thurn/Tour & Taxis with more than a hundred vintage stalls from – amongst other countries – Belgium, France, the Netherlands, England, Denmark, and Italy, selling furniture and deco from the 1950s, ’60s, ’70s, and early ’80s. Last year, about 6,500 sellers and buyers made their way to the market, so if you’re after something specific, come early. Tickets for Saturday, dedicated to vintage sellers, collectors, and die-hard fans, cost 20 euro. Tickets for Sunday cost 5 euro. Just remember, the early bird catches the...Eames chair! This year, Brussels Oldtimer Market teams up with the Design Market and will display (and sell) about a hundred old cars as well.
BRUSSELS DESIGN MARKET 7 (14 > 18.00) & 8/9 (8 > 16.00), Ancienne Gare Maritime de Thurn/Tour & Taxis, Havenlaan 86c avenue du Port, Brussel/Bruxelles, 02-349.35.95, www.designmarket.be
DESIGN SEPTEMBER • 5 > 30/9, Verschillende locaties/Divers endroits/Various venues, www.designseptember.be
Mark Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 September in your agenda if you’re a vintage fan. The Brussels Design Market is taking over Thurn/Tour & Taxis with more than a hundred vintage stalls from – amongst other countries – Belgium, France, the Netherlands, England, Denmark, and Italy, selling furniture and deco from the 1950s, ’60s, ’70s, and early ’80s. Last year, about 6,500 sellers and buyers made their way to the market, so if you’re after something specific, come early. Tickets for Saturday, dedicated to vintage sellers, collectors, and die-hard fans, cost 20 euro. Tickets for Sunday cost 5 euro. Just remember, the early bird catches the...Eames chair! This year, Brussels Oldtimer Market teams up with the Design Market and will display (and sell) about a hundred old cars as well.
BRUSSELS DESIGN MARKET 7 (14 > 18.00) & 8/9 (8 > 16.00), Ancienne Gare Maritime de Thurn/Tour & Taxis, Havenlaan 86c avenue du Port, Brussel/Bruxelles, 02-349.35.95, www.designmarket.be
DESIGN SEPTEMBER • 5 > 30/9, Verschillende locaties/Divers endroits/Various venues, www.designseptember.be
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