100% Design , LONDON 2011, Argonaut Collection
Press Release
05.08.2011
Christina Skouloudi Design Studio and Athanasios Babalis will launch the Argonaut collection at 100% Design London 2011.
This year they decided to work together in order to create objects with clean but intense sculptural forms, with respect to the material’s qualities and an unconventional approach in the objects utility. The objective was also to collaborate with local but highly skilled crafts people and companies and together redefine the limits of design and craft.Christina Skouloudi Design Studio (www.skouloudi.com) and Athanasios Babalis (www.ababalis.com) are two independent creative design practices that focus mainly on furniture and product design.
The results are five objects that are designed and made in Greece but will travel through Europe and the rest of the world in a series of exhibitions in order to find distribution throughout the world. All the objects are made of various species of solid wood (or wood veneers) as it is one of the most kind materials to the environment.
The name “Argonaut” collection was inspired by the ancient Greek myth of the Argonauts. The Argonauts, went on a long journey to seek the “Golden Fleece”. Metaphorically, the modern Argonauts: the team of designers, makers and their work, are on a long journey in search for design excellence.
The Argonaut collection includes the following objects, named after the crew of the original myth:
- The Actor notebook case. A wooden mini suitcase, tailor made for modern notebooks. The case is light, friendly and fully protects the notebook, its power supply and the mouse. It can accept various sizes of notebooks (up to 17” screen size). The stainless steel door can be secured with a lock or a thumb screw. The interior is covered with thick felt, for maximum protection. Designed by Athanasios Babalis
- The Iolas serving tray. A light wooden tray with handles that are an extension of the tray surface. The elliptical “lip” of the opening provides easy control over the contents while moving. Available in two sizes (47 and 60 cm in length) and two kinds of wood veneer (Oak and Walnut).Designed by Christina Skouloudi
- The Atalanta fruit-bowl. A restless solid wooden bowl! The bowl can rest at any given point (line) depending on the distribution and weight of its contents. Available in a variety of solid woods and protected by a food friendly wax finish. It comes in three sizes (S M L) for any occasion. Designed by Christina Skouloudi
- The Atalanda salt & pepper set. A pair of wooden bugs made of light and dark solid wood (light for salt and dark for pepper). The two bugs absorb humidity and allow the ingredients to flow easily, while they are lying there waiting to serve you. Designed by Christina Skouloudi
- The Staphylos fruit-bowl. The solid wood, pebble like shape of the bowl was inspired by the variety in size of the fruits themselves and especially the shape of the grapes. Available in light white or black wax finish. Designed by Athanasios Babalis
- The Asterion suspension light. Inspired by the fish gills and the magnificent three dimensional form that the metal sheet acquires when it is cut. The light in the centre plays with the metal gills and casts amazing shadows on its surface and the surrounding walls. Asterion can be hung vertically or horizontally. Designed by Christina Skouloudi
More about the designers:
Christina Skouloudi design studio Christina Skouloudi is an industrial designer based in Athens, Greece.
She studied furniture and product design at Kingston University, London, England.
Christina has collaborated with many prominent furniture and product manufacturing companies in Greece (VARANGIS schemata, Viokef S.A., Uccello, etc.).
She has represented Greece at the Biennale of New Artists in Rome (1999) where she was awarded for her work as well as in an Arts competition by the Bank of Greece in 2007. She has also participated in many other exhibitions in Athens, Thessaloniki, London and Kortrijk.
In December 2009 she set up her own studio, called “Christina Skouloudi design studio” where she launched her own series of products, made in Greece.For more information visit www.skouloudi.com
Athanasios Babalis Athanasios Babalis is an industrial designer based in Thessaloniki Greece.
He studied Industrial Design at the London Metropolitan University and the Royal College of Art in London.
His professional career started in London (as a freelance furniture designer) and continued in New York where he worked for seven years for companies like Dimensional Media Associates Inc. and Dakota Jackson Inc. as a product designer.
In 2003 he returned to Thessaloniki, Greece where he established his own design studio.
In 2006 he was elected Professor of Industrial Design at the Technological Educational Institute of Larisa, Greece.
Many of his designs have received awards from International and Greek authorities and companies like the EBGE Awards (GR 2011), the Dieline Awards 2010 (USA), the Green Good Design 2011 (USA), the British Standards Institute (1996), the Royal Society of Arts (1994 and 1995), the Greek Ministry of Development (2007), the Bank of Greece (2007), the company Furnidec – Hellexpo (GR, 1994 and 1995), the company Dromeas SA (GR, 2006) etc.
He has exhibited his work at many International exhibitions in London, Paris, New York, Chicago, St. Etienne, Athens and Thessaloniki.For more information visit www.ababalis.com