karim rashid: forkola for riva 1920

'forkola'
image © designboom

'forkola' by karim rashid is currently being showcased as part of 'tra le briccole di venezia',
a project initiated by italian company riva 1920 at the triennale museum for
milan design week 2010. the exhibition involves 22 leading names from the design, art
and fashion world, supporting ecologic values and linked to the re-use of a peculiar product
belonging to the venetian landscape: the 'briccole'.

'briccole' are chestnut oak posts on which venetian gondolas are docked. corroded by tides,
they are re-interpreted by these famous designers and turned into works of art.

for karim rashid, he was heavily influenced by his memories of his student life in italy,
his designs draw from the language of gondolas, creating soft organic forms that stretch
into a point and join by the contrasting geometric severity of connecting beams.

'when riva 1920 approached me about project venice I immediately began thinking back
to my days of studying in italy and my time in venice and also thinking of the importance
of change while embracing the future and exploiting the past and its materials for all that
it’s worth.'- KR


detail
image © designboom

upon riva 1920's selection of rashid's most intriguing sketch, further development was made
through printouts of a few different scale models whereby rashid progressively worked towards enhancing its form. the result is one blop-like shape, pulled and stretched to create a backrest
while another is extended to become a table surface with the briccola, the beam that connects
the backrest.






side view


detail


karim rashid
portrait © designboom