BMW-Kvadrat-Flos reveal The Dwelling Lab (textile sculpture)

22 Apr '10

4 min read

BMW, Kvadrat and Flos have revealed the spectacular design installation “The Dwelling Lab” by Patricia Urquiola and Giulio Ridolfo featuring the new BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo, during the Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan, April 2010.

Blending their creative and technological expertise, the German carmaker and the Danish textile manufacturer have collaborated to create a unique sculpture based on an innovative car concept.

As leading designers both companies chose their long-time favorites, Patricia Urquiola, award-winning Spanish designer and architect, creator of sensual and compelling furniture, and Giulio Ridolfo, distinguished Italian designer and colour expert with a strong background in design, fashion and accessories. Collaborating partner Flos has developed a bespoke OLED solution for internal soft lit features.

The BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo, designed by the team of BMW Group Design Director Adrian van Hooydonk, has broken with convention and explored a new vernacular, bringing together elements that are part sedan, part SAV, part coupe for the exterior design, while at the same time creating a visionary interior that is as luxurious as it is modern and functional.

Urquiola and Ridolfo have translated this concept into a design sculpture whose most daring elements – huge cone-like structures that seem to be growing out of the car's body, drawing the viewer inward just as they reveal the usually sealed-off interior to the outside gaze. The design installation “The Dwelling Lab” will be on show at the shared Kvadrat / Flos Showroom, corso Monforte 15, Milan, during the Salone.

Refined beauty and cutting-edge technology : The idea for this groundbreaking installation was born when Adrian van Hooydonk, who has long been an admirer and close follower of the Kvadrat collections, met CEO Anders Byriel at a fair and suggested a collaborative project.

Kvadrat was founded in 1968, today the young company is the leading supplier for design textiles. Their mix of refined beauty and cutting-edge textile technology has drawn architects and furniture designers, and artists like Olafur Eliasson and Thomas Demand.

The Danish company known for its curtain and upholstery fabrics was thrilled at the chance to enter a new terrain in developing a material suited to the necessities of a car yet retaining the Kvadrat signature.

Working on a car – the structured space of mobility – was also a debut for Patricia Urquiola, and she approached the commission with excitement and curiosity.

Spanish born designer, Patricia Urquiola, saw the car interior of the 5 Series Gran Turismo as offering a great opportunity to play around with soft edges and colours; whilst at the same time creating an atmospheric space inside the car infused with the dominance of the textiles and the interaction between the various materials.

The stunning installation includes an array of innovative products and interior details in various hues and materials. Patricia Urquiola describes her inspiration for the design: Usually we perceive cars from the outside, and then the inside follows.

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