The Brand Ambassadors of the Maison&Objet Fair, Bilgen Coşkun and Dilek Öztürk, founders of the In-Between Design Platform, had a conversation with Enis Karavil, the Creative Director of Sanayi313, at the Maison&Objet Turkey Official Presentation Office Assembly Ferko Signature. The discussion revolved around the theme of the January 2020 edition, (RE)GENERATION.
Maison&Objet Paris, in collaboration with the global trend agency NellyRodi, announced its January 2020 theme as (RE)GENERATION, shedding light on the changes of the next 25 years.
(RE)GENERATION focuses on exploring new trends in consumer behaviors, particularly those shaped by the defining characteristics of Generation Y and Z. Amidst economic and environmental global crises, Maison&Objet directs attention to the expectations and shaping patterns of this generation born at the pinnacle of technology. The theme delves into the ways in which the aspirations and desires of this generation are taking form, categorizing them under two groups: the engaged and the augmented generation.
Engaged generation
The generation under 30, facing multiple global crises, moves forward without hesitation to actively integrate into the world's transformations. Believing in initiating collective change, this generation prefers to suggest alterations and values that would contribute to everyone's way of life.
With a high level of information literacy, this generation dreams of returning to nature and bringing nature into indoor spaces. Using ethical principles as a catalyst, they advocate for fair, responsible, and virtuous trade. Simultaneously, believing that anything used can be transformed into a beautiful object, they actively participate in the world of bartering and second-hand items.
Mexican designer Fernando Laposse presents a comprehensive example of a designer contributing to social and environmental issues through design as an entrepreneur with his 'Totomoxtile' eco-surface material in 2016. Within this project, Laposse collaborates with local workers in Mexico, supporting labor for agricultural activities that are approaching completion in that region. Bringing corn husks from Mexico, Laposse first separates them into small pieces based on their colors and then combines pieces of different colors to create different textures. In this way, the designer not only creates a product but also designs a material and method with a zero-waste and labor-supporting approach, paving the way for various product potentials.
Augmented generation
The Wi-Fi generation seeks a simpler, clearer, and faster relationship with consumption. They want to try new things, explore their options, and use the web as a source of inspiration. NellyRodi defines this as the 'Connected Millennials.'
Accounts constantly showcased as new talents on Instagram exhibit a trend of developing digital aesthetics using high-tech tools. However, their mantras are centered around well-being. We observe that messages promoting well-being spread to millions through the web. This generation also uses DIY videos as a means of content creation and communication.
Under the title "Love Project," Guto Requena proposes a necklace design called Aura Pendant. Through the Aura Pendant application, which can be downloaded from the Apple Store, users can design their own mandala using sound and pulse. The user is asked to cover the phone camera with their index finger and share the story of their life's love. Meanwhile, the application detects emotions in the voice and measures the user's pulse through the index finger. The collected emotional data shapes the movement of particles (speed, thickness, attraction, push), shaping the jewelry. At the end of the story, the user removes their finger from the camera. Each time, an original design emerges in the form of a mandala. This mandala is then transformed into a necklace using 3D printing.
Emelie Röhndal is a textile artist who developed the Google Weaving Stop-time project for the 4th Istanbul Design Biennial. In this participatory project, Röhndal brought together 20 hand weavers. With the common goal of searching for the keywords 'textile, labour, Turkey' in Google image searches at their respective locations, participants wove wall tapestries using the results. The participants created their weavings in their own studios, later coming together for an exhibition. This allowed participants to connect with each other through the design objects they created with their hands. The technique used is known as the Swedish rya knot or the Turkish knot, a technique used for centuries in both regions. The Google Weaving Stop-time Exhibition offers the audience an experience of the transformation of global digital images into a physical Google search engine.
Max Lamb, in the recent London Design Festival at Galeri Fumi, exhibited a collection dedicated to the ancient craft of urushi, with a history spanning 9,000 years. This example shows us how the designer dedicates himself to updating traditions and passing them on to future generations, indicating a reversal of hierarchies. Lamb documented a decade-long research process working alongside masters in Japan, turning it into a book and creating a resource on the urushi technique in the process.
For Enis Karavil, the creative director of Sanayi313, design exists in balance between contrasts such as past and present, East and West, maximalism and minimalism. Karavil draws inspiration from the cities he visits, his experiences, and history. Believing in using design as a sustainable medium, Karavil considers material, texture, light, and color elements equally important for innovative design. Sanayi313 brings together architecture, design, fashion, and cuisine, continuing restoration and construction projects in cities such as Istanbul, New York, Miami, London, Doha, and the Alps.