Could you please present yourself?
Mark Braun, born 1975, half german/ half swedish

What inspires you every morning to get out of bed and get your day started?
My “to do” list.

What does design represent for you?
Identity. Beside function, I think identity is one of the most important aspects in design. Each object works as a sign + interacts with the perception of people.

Where did you find the inspiration for your first project?
WOOD.

What things are inspiring you at the moment?
Water and glass – or lets say how to celebrate the value of simple but important things in daily life. I´m working on an installation in Milan this year in collaboration with the Austrian company J. & L. Lobmeyr. Have a look at www.poetry-happens.com.

The project is called FORTUNE and celebrates the value of the simple and the natural, like water or crafted things. 21 pieces of a specially designed glass carafes will be engraved in traditional techniques by Lobmeyr with the image of a specific body of water of this world.

Will you be present during Milan design week 2011. What will you exhibit there?
There will be 4 exhibitions I take part:

-FORTUNE - 21 carafes showing international waters; poetry happens! Sunday 12th until sunday 17th of April 2011, “Overlite” Via Privata Oslavia 8, 20143 Milano-Lambrate. Press Preview: Monday April 11, 15:00 – 20:00. General Opening Hours: Tuesday April 12 – Sunday April 17, 10:00 – 20:00, Ventura Lambrate Opening Night: Wednesday April 12, 19:00 – 23:00

-Hallway furniture FLOOR 95 at Design Deutschland, 12th– 17th April 2011, 10am – 8pm, Carrozzeria, Via Tortona 32, 20144 Milano, Italy.

– BELL ceramic lights in collaboration with northern lighting  + TON stools and tables at ELLE DECO – “YOUNG TALENTS ON SHOW 2011″,saturday 11th until sunday 17th of April 2011, STELLA McCartney,, showroom, Via Forcella, 5, 20144 – Milan, Italy, Press Preview: Monday April 11th, General Opening : Tuesday April 12 – Sunday April 17

– ACHILLE IS WATCHING US, An assortment of stories and memories, 12th– 17th April 2011 11am – 7pm, Via Laghetto 9,  20122 Milan, Italy, 12th– 17th April 2011 11am – 7pm, Opening 13th April 2011 (Invitation only) 19:00–23:00, Dinner & friends 16th April 2011 (Invitation only) 19:00–23:00

What is the future of design?
Sustainability.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Playing football with my children

www.markbraun.org

Two years ago, they came up with the innovative idea of embodying fiber optics in furniture. The furniture they produce are completely safe, because the source of light is not on the surface of furniture, but in a light box inside them. The light travels through the optical fiber on the surface of furniture, so no heat is transmitted and there is no problem in case liquid is dropped on the fabric.

This year, during the Salone del Mobile in Milan they wanted to present a new collection of furniture so they chose the young Greek designer Lina Tsakli to design for them.

The pshilosophy of the new collection follows a futuristic style inspired by the 60′s and i tried to use the light as a tool to build atmosphere.

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A united effort where timeless natural materials and traditional intuitive working techniques give life to a series of open projects, born from the minds of designers ( Elia Mangia, Giopato&Coombes, Elisa Honkanen, Jim Hannon-Tan, Line Depping&Jakob Jørgensen and Peter Johansen ) who, on this occasion, have decided to work free from the commercial and practical constraints of industry.

First Round by Elia Mangia is a chair heavily inspired by traditional handcraft, referring in particular to the technique used to fix metal working tools to the handle. It consists of a chair in solid cedar wood turned by hand, around which is wrapped a sheet of painted aluminium to form the backrest. Three chairs, with three different forms and colours.

Alfred by Giopato&Coombes is  the special armchair. The structure, in maple wood, is composed of a line segmented in space, forming the seat and backrest. Fixed to the structure is a high tension network of fabric. Two feather-filled cushions make the armchair comfortable.

Fly by Elisa Honkanen; Coat hook in the shape of an aeroplane.

Kaldei by Jim Hannon-Tan; Inspired by the recognition that the stain-glass doorway in Victoria Cafe in Milan looked a lot like the geometry found in a familiar CAD program. Kaldei mixes the traditional artisan techniques of lead lighting with computer generated 3D forms.

Io by Jakob Joergensenis a storage system that provides an organic three-dimensional effect in space. It achieves a sculptural expression with simple means, and in a free way it breaks the horizontal and vertical lines.

Handle chair by Peter Johansen is made by a frame in steel and a seat in pressed veneer. The idea was to make a simple and compact chair which easily can be shipped in a small box and be assembled by the user. On the frame I have made a handle which is very useful but also gives the chair its character. A simple and poetic chair.

visit the official web site www.design-uncovered.com

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The Salone Internazionale del Mobile is the International Furniture Fair of Milan, the largest decoration trade fair in the world. The annual show showcases the latest in furniture and design from international sources. It is considered by interior designers as a leading exposition for the display of new products by furniture manufacturers, designers, lighting concepts, and other design items. The show is commonly abbreviated as “Salone”, “Milano Salone”, and also “Milan Design Week”. It is held every year in April, in the FieraMilano complex in the Milan metropolitan area town of Rho.

ENTRATALIBERA, Design Glamour Store, is an 800 square meter space in the center of Milan displaying design objects and new expressions of contemporary art. The relationship between objects, design and art represents the main criterion of research, layout, promotion and sale. This is the primary focus of ENTRATALIBERA and is meant to inspire people to furnish their homes in a contemporary and highly individual ways. ENTRATALIBERA is located at Corso Independenza 16 in Milan, Italy.

Visit www.entratalibera.mi.it for showroom hours and information. A reception will be held on 14 April 2010, from 6pm to 10pm. The collection will be on view through the Spring/Summer 2010 season.

The Emirate Collection will be featured in New York City at Michael Hennessy Home. The showroom will open late April 2010. MH Home is located at 207 West 18th St, New York, visit www.mhhome.net for more details.

Jeff Muhs is a painter, sculptor, and designer based in Southampton, New York, USA. Muhs studied at the School of visual Arts in New York City. Muhs lives and works in Southampton, New York with his wife, art dealer, Beth

www.jeffmuhsstudio.com

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The best way to survive the frenzy is to prepare beforehand. The Milan icon design trail is back by popular demand and will offer much-needed solace. The build-up this year is more jittery than usual but there will still be brisk trade on the 220,000sq m fair ground, and the Zona Tortona promises plenty of activity as per usual.

This year the sumptuous Villa Reale by the Giardini Pubblici will become a British hub with the British Design Embassy setting up home here, in a space curated by Paul Smith. Next door the multi screen film installation Love & Money – 50 years of creative Britain is showing.
various venues, Milan
www.iconeye.com/designtrail

We choose the best photos of ambients and design: from living furniture to kitchen, workspace and bathroom furniture.

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The Salone Satellite is the meeting place par excellence for manufacturers, talent scouts and the most promising young designers. An event that has become a cross between a cult gathering and an obligatory appointment for all those who work in the furnishing sector and who want to be kept up to date in real time on the trends of the future.

This year, there are approximately 570 participants. In addition, 22 Design Schools, spotlight along with the designers. One of these school slots is actually represented by a number of schools in the form of the ODCD program (Oriental Domestic Culture & Design), a joint initiative of Tshinghua University (China), Musashino University (Japan) and Kookmin University (Korea) with the aim of drawing attention to Asian design. Participating at the Satellite for the first time is the University of Belgrade (Serbia) and Southern Regional College-Lurgan Campus (Ireland).

Between many great works from 1+1 Studio-Riccione Italia, Design A4, Vicenzo Catoio, In Design, to Lady Penelope, Od Do Architects, Vivo and many others talents from all the World, specially takes the attention University of Art and Design Lausanne (ECAL), who presents Nidecker snowboards inlaid with Swarovski crystals, “Crystal snow”.These projects were produced by students in Industrial Design and Visual Communication.

Furthermore , University of Belgrade’s Wood Processing &Furniture Design students show us a new wood products , which are based on
activities that are mainly oriented towards developing new products with emphasis to sustainable design solutions and savings in raw wood material, which resulted in many successful prototypes.

Also, the successful work of Fethi Atakol and his “redesign”, which concept is the creative transformation of an old object, which gives life to ” functional artworks”.

This event that is unlike any other, anywhere in the world, is not just the leading event in the home/contract furnishing sector at global level, but also a matchless occasion for an international meeting of minds – not to mention business, image and communication.

As always, there is an infinite variety of goods on offer. The Salone Internazionale del Mobile, together with the International Furnishing Accessories Exhibition is a showcase for excellence covering all types of domestic furnishing, from
single pieces to coordinates, and every conceivable style, from classic to design to modern, not to mention trendsetters.

Furthermore, during this international exhibition , Fuorisalone is getting ready to offer many events, performances, art exhibitions in city center and suburbs. Zona Tortona, Triennale, Bovisa will surprise us with full program about design in Milan.