Eco-Design at the Bluebird
by Bonnie Alter, London on 02.26.07
Off to visit the [re] design show at the Bluebird, a chi-chi restaurant better known for its celebrity status and famous owner than for radical design. Part of the chain of restaurants owned by Sir Terence Conran, and now run by his son; this is the kind of stuff that one would expect to see in Conran stores, not whilst drinking champagne. However, it all fits in with the decor. Suspended from the ceiling of the former Bluebird racing car garage built in the 1920's is the fabulous Cutlery Chair (shown), appropriately welded from reject cutlery from restaurants, hotels and charity shops and individually bent into shape. Osian Batyka-Williams has also designed a drawer-chair: combining an old office chair back, with a drawer as a seat. For the hippest windows: pull-down blinds are made from authentic London Transport route rollers that listed destinations on the front of the old double-decker buses. Some come in black and white, others in red, white and lime green; both would add a modern touch to a minimalist room. Also represented was a favourite and familiar chair made of recycled plastic bags by Cohda Design, seen first in Treehugger almost a year ago.
The Book bookcase (pictured) could become a classic. It is made out of recycled books and is strong enough to hold books or CD's. It looks very dramatic against a brightly coloured wall. Jason Ifkahar's bench is made out of waste cardboard packaging which he straps together into a good looking, and surprisingly solid, seat for the hallway. Marcus Sharp has made coat stands out of the backs of chairs which are mounted on the wall.
And we cannot ignore the lampshade that looks good enough to eat; made of yeast, flour, sawdust and assorted baking ingredients. :: re[design]
