I happened to be in the city during Budapest Design Week – October 2nd -11th which ran for the sixth consecutive year.
It consisted of design fairs, exhibitions, open studios and programs for children. This year’s theme focused on artists’ creativity and innovations. As well as drawing the public closer to the Hungarian and international design world.
I managed to visit the Aron Design Store which turns into a kind of ‘ museum’ for the week.
The store is small in size but large in design and spirit. It had an extensive display of creations from designers over the past 50 years. May of the exhibits were from the Danish designer: Jacob Jensen.
Above is a prototype lamp by product designer: Szandra Szentgyorgyi who is a Jacob Jensen intern. This is an example of a very aesthetic solution to house an energy conserving light bulb.
Another example of an energy efficient fixture is the Itis LED task lamp by Naoto Fukasawa. Designed for Artemide it features two identical looking CD size disks on a stem that tilts from 0 to 90 degrees. How amazing is that?
If you can make out the prices, they are in HUFs. I’ll let you do the calculation.
Aron, the store owner, placed the name tags of the various designers in Plexiglas. I thought it was such a clean professional touch.
Now here is a grand idea: take a small light bulb, place it in glass block and voila! you have increased its light capacity.
Here you can see it open. Designed by Harri Koskinen you can probably buy it in the United States.
Many may recognize this knitted lamp, but few realize that it was designed by Bruno Munari in 1964. Good design is timeless. Pun intended.
He also had Charles and Ray Eames clocks above and furniture below.
As well as a wooden house bird designed in 1910. A favourite that the couple kept in their home for 50 years.
I imagine its a replica. They are also available through Vitra Design.
There were so many beautiful objects – some from MoMA as well – that it was difficult not to photograph everything.
As I said Jensen’s sense of clean design predominated.
The above rain gauge is so clever. The cup part is placed outdoors while the meter is inside. It measures the rainfall and based on the amount it decides whether to turn on the lawn sprinklers. A definite conservation of water that would be particularly useful in our part of the planet.
Two more designers worth mentioning: Harri Allen and Enzo Mari. For those designers I inadvertently left out, my apologies.
All images copyright Judy Weiss. All rights reserved.
