Guest Contribution by Pascal Panagiotidis

If a design object is characterized by rationality and inspiration then we are probably talking about one of Giorgio Biscaro's concepts. This italian designer is constantly seeking new ways of expression through simplicity and  "user friendly" projects. No surprise that some of his new porjects have been shown in the Milan Design Week and also selected for the Salon Satellite. His inspiration comes from the need to find creative solutions even when it seems impossible. So whether there is space, material or any other limitation Giorgio has the answer. His concepts are exactly this; a response to design questions for beautiful, practical and functional objects.

This year, Giorgio Biscaro came to Milan Design Week with some new products. As Karim Rashid, he has been inserted in Slide Design catalogue with Atlas, a rotational-moulded, zoomorphic bench, and with Bosa Ceramiche (together with some products by Jayme Hayon, Sam Baron and Luca Nichetto) presented a prototype of ceramic/porcelain suspension lamp and torch, exploiting ceramic thermal characteristic in lighting to create a product pushing material technology to the limit. He was also selected to show his autoproduced works at the Salone Satellite, the best showcase for young designers.

Here’s some words from Biscaro:

BOOAZ LAMP with Bosa Ceramiche
When this lamp was proposed to Bosa Ceramiche, we had a precise target: the possibility of creating a lamp using the natural characteristic of ceramics to resist heat. Since the first proposal, when the project was pointed only to suspension lamp, the same concept has been applied to a torch. I never saw a torch who deserve to exit from drawers and gain freedom: they all seems a part of a robot ready to beam a laser. This is a lack in our homes a designer must fill. This product has been presented during the Milan Design Week by Bosa Ceramiche, a lovely company that makes great ceramics because they LOVE ceramics.

METAMERICK TABLE is composed by trapezoidal modules you can assemble in two different ways to create not only linear tables. The peculiarity, in fact, is that you can decide to assemble it in many ways, adapting the table to your needs. It's possible, using some extra support, to increase the lenght of the table creating longer systems, or align modules obtaining curved tables or whatever. All these characteristics aim to increase the life span of the object, a theme I deeply trust. Because using recycled/recyclable materials is a great effort, but I think we can make green design increasing the life of a designed object by expanding its form and functions.

ON THE SPIT storage system
As for my Metamerick Table, I started thinking about a furnishing item you can choose to personalize according to your specific needs. Containers are often sold in some standard, more recurring, measures, so you should hope to belong to a representative percentile of population, otherwise you should break down a wall or prepare yourself having a gap between the edge of the container and the walls. Everything works around a wooden beam: some container modules are hooked to it so they float above the floor. You can decide the lenght of your forniture only by adding or subtracting modules and order a beam with the correct lenght. Moreover, the structure makes possible having angular solution, hung beams, different modules with different shapes, drawers and more.

UNTWOO room divider
Room dividing has always represented a beautiful design theme to me. You can work on transparencies, weights, and maybe create new functions. In this case, I preferred thinking about the material. I found a great company dealing with natural materials, producing a recyclable sisal sheet of the right thickness and I designed a die cut module. The result is a 3d mesh you can expand and fold as you like. Nothing less, nothing more. Just a tent you can assemble on your own to separate ambients. The module is point-symmetrical, so you don't have to decide which side goes where, just keep on plugging. Every insertion create a free ring , useful if you want to attach something or to expand the tent creating massive, three-dimensional structures.

MUSCLE wardrobe
Here is an alternative storage system exploiting two simple drilled metal bases through which some elastics pass and create a sort of cage, keeping the content from falling. You can fill the inner part of the container as you like it, even more than what the bases can suggest, because even if protruding, objects won’t fall thanks to the elastic wall, recalling a bulging biceps. It can be wall-mounted or freestanding. Obviously with the same bases, only increasing the height of the elastic wall, you can have extra-short as well as five-meters-high furniture, warehouse friendly!