Toronto-based designer Davide Tonizzo launched his latest project, the Midtown Collection, at the High Point Market Spring Market on Apr. 20. This new product line is manufactured by Bühler, a recognized name in the Canadian furniture industry. With this new collection, Bühler has taken a bold step forward veering away from a traditional aesthetic and offering its take on modern design.
The products share the simple, clean solutions of the modern approach yet differentiate themselves with unique hints of character and metaphor.
“Bühler has shown tremendous courage in launching this collection.” says Tonizzo. “While their competitors continue offering the same, tired products, Bühler took an adventurous direction that offers innovative solutions for living.”
The Midtown Collection is composed of five different product series, Fitzrovia, Ginza, Shibuya, Logan and Create a Curio. Every piece in the collection takes its name from a midtown district in a city known for its design and architecture. All the products are manufactured in Winnipeg using quality materials.
Fitzrovia (London) takes a simple external shape and slices it with a “U” shaped cluster of white drawer fronts. The bed features a deep upholstered headboard offering a comfortable place for reading or tablet use.
The Create a Curio collection is a reinterpretation of the object Bühler is best known for, the curio cabinet. In this new version, the customer can play a role in configuring his or her product. The consumer can choose from six different door fronts and four different finishes. Each design offers a unique character. Summerhill (Toronto) is stately and elegant. Vesterbro (Copenhagen) is striking and impactful. Salamanca (Madrid) is bold yet fun. Trocadero (Paris) is sensual yet classic. Hampstead (London) is inspired by its leafy environs and Gracia (Barcelona) is an ode to the Modernismo aesthetic. The finishes include a wide mix spanning Bühler’s darker tones to all-white.
Ginza (Tokyo) is an innovative take on a classic product type, the fireplace. The furniture piece is dominated by a simple, horizontal beam element that contains the electric firebox and storage units. A cavity below the beam is filled with logs that evoke the ambiance of traditional wood burning hearth. A recess above the beam can be utilized for placement of electronic entertainment components.
“I’d describe the design objective as incremental innovation” adds Tonizzo. “We didn’t re-invent the wheel. We just made it roll better and look more beautiful when it has stopped turning. It is extremelyimportant to give consumers a product line that takes them in a new, bold direction but still gives them a sense of warmth and friendliness.”
ABOUT DAVIDE TONIZZO
Davide Tonizzo is a Toronto-based industrial designer with a diverse range of clients. Past projects include furniture, ceramics, handbags, bath wares and transportation products. His projects have received numerous awards and have been featured in international design publications. Find out more at designd-online.com.
ABOUT BUHLER
Bühler is based in Winnipeg, and has been a fixture in the furniture industry for decades. The company manufactures its products locally using quality materials. For more info, go to buhler,com