I like to open the doors of the human brain
Philippe Starck
Philippe Starck – Architect, Interior & Product Designer is the enfant terrible of the design world
He was born in Paris in 1949, and founded his first design firm specialising in inflatable objects, in 1968.
Many of his products are readily available and affordable to the general public, being mass produced consumer goods such as toothbrushes, chairs and even houses.
For more than three decades, Philippe Starck has been creating unique objects, many of which have a fun or a humourous element to them.
Salif Juicer
His iconic Salif Juicer for Alessi is instantly recognisable to many. The citrus juicer has a sculptural feel while the grooved aluminium spider head neatly funnels juice down into a container. It remains unparalled in its ability to generate discussions about its meaning and design.
His chairs were some of the first to make use of transparent polycarbonate including the well known ghost chair.
La marie was designed in 1998, and is made from a single mould of polycarbonate. It has an exceptionally tough structure, is resistant to scratches and bumps, and easy to clean.
The Dr Skud Fly Swatter has elements of fun and a joke. At first glance it appears to be a swatter with an assortment of pierced holes. Look more closely, and at a certain angles a face appears, many people do not notice it, but they are looking at Starck's own face.
Starck has indeed made a significant impact on the world of design
Hello Rosemary:
ReplyDeleteYes, we agree that PS has made an enormous impact on the world of design. He really has made basic items, often overlooked in terms of good design, into covetable objects that are as beautiful as they are practical. The impact he has had is, we believe, highly significant,and it will be most interesting to see how he is judged in historical terms. Time will tell!
Dear Jane and Lance - I read recently that Starck is designing affordable wind turbines for the homes of everyday people, and that his next endeavours are also 'green' and will include hydrogen vehicles and solar-powered boats. Surely there is much more to come from him.
ReplyDeleteThe fly swatter is a delightful design. I rarely have flies in the house, but would want to have one regardless.
ReplyDeleteHello Mark - yes it is far too precious to use on flies!
ReplyDelete