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Crosstown Collaboration (cont'd) Launching
a new line of furniture (that one day may also include lighting) is
hard work. But, as the name implies, Berman has undertaken this project
for fun. "I do such specific architectural work. Now we're stepping
out from what we've been doing," he says. "Pierre and I wanted
to use new three-dimensional, corrugated glass to create something that
would be a surprise." Just for Fun combines Beaumont's curved
and bent wood design -- in this case maple plywood available in several
finishes from light to dark -- with similarly manipulated three-dimensional
cast glass pieces and custom hardware designed and produced by Berman.
"In
terms of the glass, we'll be offering most of the Berman textures, possibly
including an exciting new variation of our corrugated glass," says
Archambault. "No polycarbonate will be offered, but we're playing
with a very cool acrylic that could take the place of either the wood
or glass portion of the table. Development is moving quickly, and we
should see the acrylic variations at the same time we debut the glass
versions." The legs will be brushed stainless steel. Anodized aluminum
is also being considered as an option in the future. Berman is pleased
with the table's clean design and craftsmanship. "It's simple,
but whimsical. We're very excited about it," he adds. "We've
worked really hard." Straight
Line Design is known for its free-form creations that aim to make furniture
unintimidating, interactive, and fun. Beaumont's most recent project
is the design of several pieces for the Princeton University Children's
Library. Joel Berman Glass Studio produces designs with simple lines.
Despite the fact that they have very different aesthetics, Berman and
Beaumont had tossed around the idea of working together for several
years. "We always run into each other at ICFF, and we've often
said that it would be really cool to collaborate on a project,"
explains Beaumont. "I'm glad to have this opportunity to bring my approach to glass art to custom molded furniture that takes on a sculpted form," says Berman. "It's a wonderful juxtaposition of materials," adds Beaumont. "My shapes provide a new frame for showing off Joel's art form." The collaboration promises to be a win-win arrangement for both companies. Just for Fun is stretching the creative abilities of the designers, and everyone is curious to see what the response will be at ICFF. |
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© 2007 Joel Berman Glass Studios International Ltd. Site Credits. |