8–13/4/2014Ventura

Lambrate

weLLness Laziness

design

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introduction

Wellness derives from the English words well-being, fitness and happiness. As with most global trends in pop culture, the term wellness is not translated into other languages. It is associated with a variety of services, goods and food products, promising a feel-good effect and aiming for passive recreation. The changes in dem- ographics, new strategy developments in health care and evolution of tech- nology all influence the wellness trend. It seems that what people once achieved by relaxing at home on their couches, is nowadays only possible through con-sumption: vacations at Ayurveda centres in Sri Lanka, futon beds and salt lamps in Lama monasteries or listening relaxation CD´s and drinking Icelandic bottled water. This is the moment when Wellness and

Design meet on a banal – but still legitimate – matter. Designers provide their services to companies that are involved in the trend. However recently the trend itself changed some designers attitudes: Slow Design and Healing Architecture – to name but a few representative movements that might be part of the next paradigm shift.

The exhibition ”About Layabouts“ pres-ents different perspectives on the topic of wellness. A group of students prepared an installation based on their under-standing of wellness: a demand for a little more laziness.

Michael Vasku

WELLNESS

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about Layabouts

A trans-disciplinary team led by Michael Vasku (Vasku&Klug architects) has created an exhibition, which brings the concept of wellness and home together. Tradi- tional central European stoves inspire the exhibition design. In the Czech Republic, there is a special word for a lazy person –

”pecivál“. It literally means a person who lies down on a masonry stove and does nothing. Masonry stoves were historically the centre of every household. They provided warmth and served as a place to cook or even to sleep practically all family life happened around a stove. Therefore masonry stove is a centrepiece of this installation.

The exhibition’s aim is to provide a glimpse of that feeling to the visitors in Milan, while it inspires spectators to relax and be lazy in that hectic atmosphere of the Milan

Design Week. Generally the exhibition raises the question whether a little more lazi- ness wouldn’t make us a little healthier and happier? This happens of course only if one does not regret but really enjoys the time when being a layabout. The presented exhibits are concepts of products, which help to consciously enjoy laziness for the purpose of regeneration.

Join us and become a layabout for a little while!

THE STORY

WWW. ABOUTLAYABOUTS. COM

exhibits

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MARTIN MIKEŠspa cup

The design of this spa cup is similar to the traditional spa cups produced in the Czech Republic from 16th century. Yet it of fers functional innovation and alter-

native use as a water pipe. The shape is designed for easy holding, lazy walking and comcortable fit in a pocket.

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VERONIKA VAŠáTKOVá

You cannot call yourself a layabout if you have not been to spa yet. Drinking mineral water from natural springs during the lazy walks along the colonnade is just great. Drinkie’s design has been inspired

by the shape of a heart. Due to the taper-ing shape you can easily sip the mineral water without any contact with your teeth. Drinkie can be hanged on the neck as a piece of jewellery.

drinKie

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Inspired by architectural features of Gabion, this bowl is a perfect decoration for your interior as well as a perfect place for fruits and vegetables. The bowl is also weather resistant and it can serve as an unusual

f lower pot or a small fireplace. The bowl is made of galvanized stainless steel wire filled with natural pebbles. The bottom of the bowl is covered wit rubber to prevent it from leaving furniture marks.

PETR SEHNOUTKAbowL in wires

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Fruit bowl The Cube can be used in all kinds of interiors, where the empty bowl can serve as a decorative element. Its core con-sists of rectangular wire prisms of diffeing

sizes which can form a large number of com-positions. Due to the minimalistic curves of the bowl, organic shapes of fruit are put in the centre of attention.

DANA VRáNKOVáthe cube

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This coffee set can be recognized by its clear and simple lines. The simple shape of cup enables you to enjoy your cup of coffee with-out curves and ornaments. Favourite activity

of all layabouts has been brought to higher level with a touch of elegance. Wooden saucer is in contrast with white ceramic glaze of a cup.

VOJTĚCH MITURAcoffee set

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The collection of porcelain tea filters respects traditional technique of tea making as well as a significant place tea has in life of every layabout. Variable design enables you to prepare either a larger volume of tea or just a small mug just for you. You can even

hang your filter on the edge of the mug and remove it easily and just in time. Two ways of use are reflected also in the design of the filter. Cold and elegant porcelain is in contrast with pleasant and warm wood.

LAŠUTOVá DANA teetä / tea infuser

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Wall Seed is small mural vase. It is made for anyone interested in bringing a piece of nature to their home. The vase keeps f lowers fresh as well as it serves as a f low-

erpot for herbs essential for cooking. You can take the vase off the wall easily whenever you need to season your dish and then put Wall Seed back on the wall.

JAKUB VERNERwaLL seed

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Every f lower we get, buy or rip off somewhere in the park has a different size and requires different vase. This is not something for true layabouts. The Mine is designed to allow you

to place any kind of flowers in any of the holes. And once you get tired of its design, you can turn it upside down and you have got a whole different vase placed on your table.

VERONIKA VAŠáTKOVáthe mine

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Lazy Vase is horizontal so it does not block the view of people sitting at the table. Eye contact and freedom of hand movement during the toast were the main ideas behind this design. Inspiration for the V form that

opens into two holes originates from cub-ism. These openings allow you to play with flower combination so that you can never get bored by it. The lower centre of gravity also prevents the vase from overturning.

JAKUB VERNERLazy Vase

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ONDŘEJ TICHÝJeweL box

Made of porcelain casting into plaster moulds, the bowls have two parts – the lower and the upper. The shape is simple, oval bowls are

made from a combination of playful coloured fleece that serves as a mat for your jewellery in white elegant porcelain.

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Collection of luxurious jewellery combines carbon fibre, gold and diamonds into triangu-lar structures. Various structures merge into a complex piece of jewellery with a unique

design. The collection of necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings represents crystallization, transformation, growth, decomposition and other processes inspired mostly by nature.

BAčOVá ADéLAcrystaLs

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How do you like to laze? Every true layabout’s favourite activity is either sleeping or relaxing with one’s eyes closed. The feeling of being far from reality is the easiest way how to restart both your body as well as mind. The concept of eye mask offers various pos-

sibilities of relax. You can cover your eyes and enjoy complete darkness or you can upgrade it by adding visual projection. Design inspired by Czech cubism will make you by far the most stylish layabout.

bLind foLdsFRANTIŠEK DVOŘáK

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Every layabout loves rain as it means that he does not have to leave his cosy sofa. Rainmaker is a table decoration that brings rain to your living room. It functions as a sand-watch and captures the sound of dripping water using its shape to enhance

it to the sound of rain. The sound of drop-lets change by increasing or decreasing the quantity of accumulated water. Once the upper part is empty the rain- maker is simply turned upside down and it starts raining again.

MATIC VIHTELIčrainmaKer

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The beach is a paradise for almost every layabout. The Ocean Sound Fan creates a relaxing sound of ocean. A hollow spiral shell diffuser catches the sound of blowing wind and turns it into a tune similar to the

sound you can hear in a sea shell. The air trav-els through the spiral, bounces to its walls until it finally escapes through the front edge of the shell.

MATIC VIHTELIčocean sound fan

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The objects Small & Special are reflect-ing the phenomenon of the chocolate egg Kinder surprise. The moment of surprise is when you get to the toy through the plastic box of the non-transparent choc-olate. Here is the heart of the egg trans-

parent. We can clearly see what is inside but the surprise is the fact, that the toy is not beautiful anymore. It is a hand-blown glass creature, f luorescent monster lev- itating in the air.

ZDEňKA FUSKOVásmaLL & speciaL

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Spending time in the pool provides us with a perfect feeling of being free from the world surrounding us. Our body floats on the water where we can free our minds from all the stress and problems of our everyday life. But the dark flat pool has closed human in it. He cannot move, he can only float like

his thoughts. His passive f loating is iden- tical to the behaviour of the people around the world. We do not want to partic- ipate on the social actions, dealing with serious problems. We just want to live the life of a layabout.

NIKOLA KOVALIKOVápooL

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The glass skirt has been inspired by a tra-ditional village costume which is different in every part of the country. This dress is usually worn during feasts and celebra-tions and passes from generation to gen-eration as a treasure. Nowadays only a few people know how to make it. The glass skirt

is a tribute to the people who are still preserving traditions of our predecessors. It is a tribute to the hard work, old times and beautiful handmade production. The glass represents a fragile bond between tradition and modernity.

LUCIE REGáSKOVáfoLKLore

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KAROLíNA FARDOVá

Wellnessie is a silent companion you will appreciate both at work and at home. It helps in times of stress, uncertainty and also with channelling ideas. Its gracefully shaped curves will please not only your eyes but

especially your mind. Porcelain and wood-en material variation of Wellnessie is com-pleted with genuine fur from recycled coats. Wellnessie is here for you - so take it, stroke it and love it!

weLnessie

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The concept of Greenhouse Ellipsis is based on simplicity and functionality. It has wide applications, primarily as a small incubator for plants of all kinds, e.g. herbs or small trees. Its small shape fits perfectly into the interior of urban apartments, terraces or balconies

where you can watch the entire plant grow from seeds. The shape is inspired by an egg, which symbolizes the birth of something new. From now on, everyone can become a gar-dener without a garden.

SABINA STRžíNKOVáeLLipsis

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MAJA REPOTOčNIK

Being surrounded by nature has numerous positive effects on human body and soul. However, if you are a layabout, you barely leave your comfortable sofa. The Symbio²sis lamp was designed to bring a piece of nature into your home. The lamp creates a pleasant

atmosphere by the casting of light and shad-ows. In addition, plants are excellent natu-ral air cleaners. Additional light accelerates photosynthesis and increases the amount of oxygen in the room.

symbio²sis Lamp

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Light is based on classical techniques of hand-craft work with a book. Pages of the book are folded and layered so as to create a accordion fold. A LED strip is glued to the back of the book. The back is cut away and leaves space for the cable, therefore the lamp can also be vertical. Text of the book gives the impres-

sion of a graphic grid. This Book Light has been inspired by the decreasing interest in reading books. Old books have been used to highlight the re-design of the book and the book also gives new life of the lamp. The lamp creates pleasant and intimate light in any room.

JAKUB HRDINAbooK Light

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The collection represents various tube- shaped LED-based lamps. To achieve flexi- bility and thus the variability of usage, LED stripe as a light source is attached to a metal rod or a silicone strap in case of textile lamps. Body of the lamp is made of transparent foil with graphic print or transparent textile

material in a shape of tube, filled with everyday pillow stuffing. As these lamps are soft, flexi- ble, unbreakable and sometimes even warm, they are perfectly suitable for children and young dynamic people for everyday relaxing and fun.

ŠIMON SCHNEIDERinom / Led Light

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Pyram is a series of table lamps designed to create a nice and relaxing atmosphere in any interior. The playful combination of materials is not only aesthetically attrac- tive, but bending any side of the lamp

individually enables you to regulate the intensity of light. Pyram can be an intimate night-light, a playful children’s room lamp or a unique decoration that creates a calming atmosphere in a living room.

KMEť ANDREJpyram

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This lamp is a paraphrase of an unicellu-lar organism called protozoa that gets its nourishment from the way it moves. Likewise, a Microbe creates energy for its functioning by swinging from side to side. Design of the

lamp consists of a metal hemisphere, which is the center of gravity and also includes a diffuser that spreads the light and creates an intimate and relaxing atmosphere.

PETR VANĚKmicrobe

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Massage Soaps are designed for home wellness. They provide both relaxation and regeneration of the whole body. Thanks to massage points on both sides you will achieve maximal enjoyment. Each of three soaps has a specific function and it is used

for other parts of your body. Soap A is for the blood supply of the lower body, especially thighs, soap B relaxes and massages mus-cles and soap C is for the overall regener- ation of the skin.

LINDA KOCMANOVámassage soap

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Wellness Pack creates a solution to improve your lifestyle! All you need to do is to listen to your inner voice and follow some simple rules designed precisely for this purpose. Combined with content of this wellness

box you will experience improvement of your physical and mental health in a very short period of time! The more you follow special methods designed by the kit the sooner you feel great and relaxed!

MICHAL MARKOweLLness pacK

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This unique Massage Roller is made of oak by traditional turning of wood. It has been designed for an easy use for massage to pro-vide a pleasant and easy way of releasing

tensions of the whole body from your neck to your feet. This Roller consists of only two wooden parts without any screws in order to remain fully natural and simple.

ADAM ŠTĚRBAmassage roLL

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The Showerhead concept offers a new inno- vative way of showering. The showerhead attached to your hand makes you feel like the water streams directly from your palm. The head is made of silicone to make it smooth to the touch and ease of use.

This Showerhead is applicable in any bath-room as well as in public facilities, such as hospitals, nursing homes, spas, accommo-dation facilities etc. where contact between a caregiver and a patient is required.

VOJTĚCH žáKshowerhead

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Massage device relieves your feet after a busy day. The constant movement on the soft rollers stimulates blood circulation in your feet. Not only you will train your legs, in addition a dry skin subsides to the bottom. After a workout you can remove silicone

rollers and clean them. The surface of the roll-ers is adjusted to dulcified human counteract relaxation and stress. Part of the apparatus Home Wellness is a leather bag that is used for convenient storage.

URANBILEG ALTANGERELhome weLLness

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What does the word ”home“ means and represents? For layabouts the answer is the calm and the comfort, which looks like loose, stretched out of shape, pieces of clothing people mostly prefer as clothes

worn at home. The combination of function and the shape of two different things: a piece of clothing and a blanket, gave rise to the blanket that can be turned to a comfortable, loose garment.

MONIKA žíLOVásheLter

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Footwear is designed as an easy fit with emphasis on the shape and structure of material but also on the lightness and flexi- bility of the shoe and its ease of putting on. To ensure sufficient flexibility, the sole is sewn only at the points where the shoes and the

ground are in touch; elastic band is placed only where it is necessary and helps easier and simpler use. Due to modest balance in colour, style and structure the shoes should be in the harmony and they should corre-spond with flexibility of its users.

KRISTINA ZEMANOVáfLex

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Footwear is inspired by the processes and phenomena occurring commonly in the nature. For the upper part of shoes leather with holes and various defects is used. The wooden platform is handmade and plastic shapes were created randomly in the production and even more enhanced by

the spontaneity with which the shoes were created. Nature has always been a part of our everyday lives and we have man- aged to live with it in harmony, listen and appreciate her. This is an attempt to return to the traditional values.

MARTINA ŘIHáčKOVánewintage

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Shoes called Wood are inspired by nature. Therefore wood, leather and moss became the dominant material. The important aspect is also recycling. Wooden platforms are made of exotic woods, which were waste left-overs from the production of electric guitars.

Although the outside shapes of the shoe looks quite absurd and uncomfortable, using of moss inside of the footwear gives the impression of a pleasant environment of the ”forest.“

LENKA MLYNARčíKOVáwood

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The main inspiration for this footwear was Japanese clothing cuts, which are charac-terized by a refined solution. Its 3D shapes are generated due to stapling, stretching

and folding surfaces. Thanks to materials like wood and coarsely woven cloth, here is the evident reference to the production of the traditional folk footwear.

MARTINA ŘIHáčKOVáJapan

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It is not an accident that this footwear  reminds you of the structure and shapes of sea coral. This is a new approach to the  appearance and function of the casted foot-wear when the traditional form is negated

and object covers the entire leg. To come up with this form, the author had to experiment with chemicals to achieve the desired result. The materials themselves were the greatest source of inspiration.

URANBILEG ALTANGERELcoraL

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Model of women’s footwear called Stripe is a successor of the model called Two in one. The main common feature is the platform and the absence of the heel. When walking, one has to maintain balance and slow down and thus for a while ”pauses“

in today’s busy world. Wearing requires balance and concentration, and upright posture. The name ”Stripe“ comes from the shape of the upper, because the developing of the upper creates a continuous yellow line that is restlessly surging.

URANBILEG ALTANGERELstripe

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Women’s shoe called Two in one is reminis-cent of the traditional type of folk footwear called clogs. The model consists of two parts, monolithic wooden sole with two leather straps which after the manner of traditional clogs can be used separately. The second

part, a separate upper shoe is made from a single piece of leather for perfect fit on leg. The main objective of our shoe is a return to traditional forms of footwear and recon-nection of man and nature.

URANBILEG ALTANGERELtwo in one

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Design of this indoor footwear refers to  a well known fairy tale ”Cinderella“. Therefore the elements related to the main character are evident in the collection. It consists of two parts. The first pair of shoes is woven from natural sheep wool. It allows

the wearer to feel comfortable and creates a comfortable at ”home“ feeling. The second pair has the soles with wooden balls. This footwear is intended for home relaxing and massage.

URANBILEG ALTANGERELcindereLLa

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about the facuLty

Tomas Bata University in Zlín is a  dynamic higher education institution comprising six faculties that cover humanities, natural sciences, technology and art.

The Faculty of Multimedia Communica-tions focuses on graphic design, spatial design, advertising photography, indus-trial design, marketing communications, audiovisual arts and fashion design.

Its students regularly win prestigious inter-national accolades including Cannes Young Lions and the Red Dot Design Awards.

About Layabouts is the second exhibition presented at Milan Design Week. Last year students created gingerbread installation called Bite Me Milan for Czech Centre. (www.bitememilan.com)

FACULTY OF MULTIMEDIA AND COMUNICATIONS

WWW.UTB.CZ/FMK

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WWW.ABOUTLAYABOUTS.COM

team

ABOUT LAYABOUTS TEAM MEMBERSSPATIAL DESIGN

Petr Daneš

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN Ondřej Puchta

GRAPHIC DESIGNAdela Galbavá Petra Koutná

SHOE DESIGNVeronika Jakóbková

ANIMATIONVojtěch Dočkal

PHOTOGRAPHY/ VIDEOVít Hašek

WEB DESIGN Květoslav Bartoš

MARKETING COMMUNICATIONSJakub Šabata

COORDINATORRichard Vodička

SUPERVISORMichael Vasku

ORGANIZED BY:

PARTNERS:

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