Spain was the place to be during the second week of February, with See You in Valencia turning the city into Design Central. The exhibition encompasses three leading fairs: Cevisama (covering the ceramic sector); Maderalia Selección (interior finishing and materials); and Feria Hábitat Valencia (furniture, lighting, kitchen and textiles). The latter included the 13th edition of NUDE Lounge, celebrating the work of promising young designers.
Alongside the three fairs, design events and happenings – from tributes to tours to installations – took place throughout the city. The mood was upbeat and buoyant.
Noted Juan Carlos Muñoz, president of ANIEME, the Spanish furniture manufacturers association, and owner of Tecninova, a high-end furniture company, “Spanish manufacturers’ export is growing; it is recovering from the European downturn and succeeding in worldwide competition.”
1-SHELF LIFE Designed by Rafa Ortega, Long is a program of shelves that makes good use of Cubox’s aluminium extrusion system. Shelves are made of oak and can be upholstered. Long is self standing or can be attached to a wall. cubox.es
2-THE LAYERED LOOK Designed by Ramos Bassols for Actiu, Shey is a collection of upholstered modular seats that combines overlapping layers. Sleek and comfortable, it hides a robust and sturdy metal structure. Actiu products are distributed in Canada by Tusch Seating International. actiu.com tuschseating.com
3-IT’S RESOLVED The tradition of Azulejos (from an Arabic word for “polished stone”) ceramics is extended by high-resolution printers that enable the production to reach a high level of perfection in decorative ceramics. Bombato by Mainzu boasts geometric patterns created by new technology. The dimension is 15×15 cm and the decor series is the black-and-white Preston. mainzu.com
4 ROUND AND ROUND WE GO Point is a family business that has been making furniture from woven fibre for nearly 100 years. It newest collection is Round: chairs, stools, tables and side tables that balance woven fibres, textiles and good wood for outdoor use. point120.com
5 CHESTER GETS A MAKEOVER At the offsite Mercado de Colón, a venerable old market, Chester made its debut. Veteran Valencia-based designer Javier Mariscal has put a spin on the classic Chester by Canella, adding vibrant new colours. It’s available in different colours and sizes, and from one to three seats. mueblescanella.com
6-ARTISTIC VISION A highlight of NUDE Lounge was Artistic, designed and produced by Cardeoli, a young studio created in 2014 by the industrial designer Ramon de Cardenas Olivares. Artistic began life as a large sculpture of carbon steel for an urban project, and has morphed into a chair for interior use (made of oak and steel) and another for outdoors (made of in iroko, teak or mongoy and steel). cardeoli.com