September 5-9 Lithuanian design exhibition DESIGN LITHUANIA came back to Paris Design Week for the third year in a row. As usually, the exhibition presented more than 20 recent Lithuanian designers works – ceramics, furniture, fashion accessories, interior elements and other objects.

This September Lithuanian design was showcased at Ground Control Paris leisure center (81 Rue du Charolais, 75012 Paris, France) as a part of international exhibition “now! le off” which is a platform for young designers from all over the world. The exhibition was open for visitors daily from 12:00 till 20:30.

The exhibition cycle DESIGN LITHUANIA each year showcases the finest of Lithuanian design throughout Europe, and even a bit further. Exhibitions have been showcased abroad on 17 occasions already, including such cities as Berlin, London, Budapest or Jerusalem. The aim of the project is to present Lithuanian design and represent our country at Europe’s most important design events. This project reveals the deep connection between designers, their works and the Lithuanian landscape, and so focuses on several specific topics. Nature, cuisine, folk tales and traditional materials – these features of Lithuania’s natural and mental landscapes are closely linked in the designers’ works.

The project has been organised since 2012 by the Lithuanian Design Forum, supported by the Lithuanian Council for Culture.

The exhibits of this year:

Multifunctional Pill
Designer: Dalius Razauskas
www.emko.lt

The Multifunctional Pill works really well in any remedy against clutter and messy environments. It’s a round cabinet that can be fixed to a wall and instantly transformed into a fully functional workplace, dressing table, even a bar. Attach it at standard table height, a bit higher or a bit lower – it’s up to you. The shelving system inside is designed to allow the user to easily change and adapt it, as it can hold a laptop, files, catalogues, books or any other personal items. It also comes equipped with sockets and the option of integrating LED lights.

SUNrise/SUNset Lamp
Designer: Barbora Adamonytė-Keidūnė
www.emko.lt

Created during the dark Lithuanian winters comes SUNrise/SUNset, a lamp that puts the sun’s colours into the palm of your hand. The winner of the international exhibition Furniture 2012 in Vilnius and the Red Dot Design Concept Award in 2014, this interactive object gives its user the possibility of choosing the right colour palette to suit the desired mood effect according to the moment or one’s personal preference, by gently sliding the light source over the coloured panel. It brings the vibrant and refreshing coolness of bright mornings to your office or the warmth of cosy evenings to your living room.

Naïve Low Chair
Designers: etc.etc.
www.emko.lt

Being youngest member of the Naïve family, Naïve Low Chair introduces itself with a bright yet mature and subtle look. Its main visual characteristic is a large leather strap that holds the backrest attached to the body. A firm connection between wood, leather and textile serves its function and makes it visually distinctive. After a long day, Naïve Low looks very inviting for a cup of coffee or tea, a relaxing read or a little adventure while watching a movie. It is a companion that values your time and sitting quality, so Naïve Low is a chair to live with. Like the other pieces in this family it features a body that can be easily unscrewed and flat-packed. It is composed of long lasting natural materials and suits organically every background.

kARTu handbag collection
www.kartustudio.com

Born in Lithuania, kARTu is a Nordic-designed leather handbag brand that introduces a minimalist alternative to natural leather accessories. We metaphorically call every kARTu handbag by the name of a different spice as each one has a different taste, story and personality. kARTu’s main values are quality, durability and functionality, which are then proportioned with modern design yet contemporary trends. Exhibited models are chosen on purpose to reflect the authenticity and identity of the brand. kARTu handbags tend to stand out because of their unusual silhouettes, various wearing possibilities and exceptional attention to detail. Models differ but have a few features in common, such as their uniqueness, modern attributes and playful shapes and forms. kARTu is a socially responsible brand; we care about the environment and its natural materials, which are used up to 100% during the creative process. We aim to raise awareness about responsible fashion and environmentally friendly choices.

BALA Mirror
Designer: Barbora Adamonytė-Keidūnė
www.namuos.lt

Namuos is a design platform creating and producing functional objects with simple lines. The BALA mirror’s shape is a stylised replica of a rain puddle and was inspired by the human need to search for a self-image wherever possible. The gaps in the shape of the large mirror serve the additional function of a shelf. The frame of the mirror is made of painted MDF. Frame colours: cappuccino, white, black, light green or grey. Size: diameter 50 cm or 80 cm.

Beeswax Candles
www.namuos.lt

These candles are made from beeswax, which is created by bees, is 100% natural and is completely chemicalfree. Beeswax candles on combustion purify the air, are naturally scented by honey and floral nectar, and drip very little, if at all. They do not expire and have about eight or nine hours’ burn time.

Panama Banana
Designer: Agota Rimšaitė
www.agotarim.eu

Panama Banana is a handmade design piece that follows the philosophy of active relaxation. It is a combination of passive relaxation and sport, which is why it has two functions – it could be used as a hammock and as a goal for a game of football. To change the functions is very easy – you just need to turn it 90 degrees. Another useful function is easy assembly – when you don’t need it anymore just take out the supports and it folds flat and doesn’t take up much space. The design was inspired by the smooth shapes of iconic seaside objects such as a surfing board and a ship. That’s why it integrates so well with the natural beach environment. It is made with water-resistant plywood and polyester ropes.

Ignorance Is Bliss
Designer: Agnė Kučerenkaitė
www.agne-k.com

Ignorance is Bliss is an ongoing project for reincorporating the value of metal waste from industries such as water treatment and soil remediation into valuable new products and methods. Metals, unfortunately, are a nonrenewable resource and metal mining affects the air, the water quality and many lifeforms. Agnė Kučerenkaitė experimented with various techniques to find the use of this waste product by conducting a broad material research, which showed great potential for colouring ceramic glazes. The collection consists of elegant porcelain tableware and ceramic interior wall tiles, which are the representation of small and large-scale applications of metal waste. The colours are the result of pure pigments extracted from metal pollution. In this project, surprisingly, the more contaminated the raw material, the more vibrant the designed objects are. The goal is to challenge the current industrial colour mass-manufacture and benefit the environment.

MUISTA chair
www.muistachair.com

Remember your childhood days, how hard it was to sit still? How you wanted to fidget, wiggle and sway? How you had to stand down and ‘learn’ to stay put? Well, the grown-ups were wrong – fidgeting is good for you! You know what that means? You have some unlearning to do! Muista is a unique 2-in-1 chair that lets YOU decide how you want it: sit still or fidget, sway or wiggle both by sitting saddle-like or bench-like on the Muista chair. If you get tired from saddle sitting, just switch to bench. Feeling stiff? Have some fidgeting impulses to release? Activate different muscle groups by rocking forwards (saddle) or swinging sideways (bench). Materials: plywood, PU foam, wool+synthetic fabric.

SOITTI multifunctional speaker
Designer: Danil Ščepanov

SOITTI connects both light and sound. The shape of the speaker is designed to perform a basic function – to invite people. It would be sort of the centre of the home, which brings together family members and friends, as it’s easy to share sound and light. One of the main spaces in any home is the dining room, which is often cluttered with many things. SOITTI is a wireless-type speaker and lamp, a gadget that substitutes different home appliances because it unites several functions, that is, light and sound diffusion. The speaker is hung above the table, which is why the device allows keeping the space free for other home gadgets. This way, the most important space is for family gatherings and communication.

CURVE bar chair
Designer: Justinas Žlioba

The curved shapes of this chair are inspired by dynamic and light forms from nature, which contrast with such materials as steel. A thin, folded sheet of tough metal combined with soft ash tree creates the solid design of the Curve bar chair. This carefully built seat is highly durable and most of its design features are based on the designer’s experience of working in a bar. The heavy metal seat and non-existence of any handles is not a coincidence. These decisions were made bearing in mind that late in the evening people in bars tend to move various objects around or even take them away. So Curve is light enough to be moved to another place but too heavy to carry over a long distance.

Sweater from /’ga:rbidž / Collection
Designer: Adelė Burokaitė

This item is a part of a mini-collection that took its inspiration from working at a fast-fashion store and seeing a vast number of discarded bags. These bags eventually became far more inspirational than the clothes themselves from the same store. This led me to think about the issue of sustainability that still prevails in fast fashion, and a hierarchy of worth between items with and without a price tag. From this was born the idea of creating a collection using unnecessary shopping bags instead of traditional fabrics, transforming them and thereby increasing their value and giving them a second life. The jumper has a large, restricted silhouette that is designed to create an image of a person who looks like he is packed in a shopping bag. A camouflage motif is formed out of unnecessary bags in order to touch on the topic of assimilation and also reflect environmental issues that occur in fast fashion.

THE CONCRETE CITY | KAUNAS
Designer: Gerda Liudvinavičiūtė
Architect: Ligita Ažukaitė Lileikė
www.celsius273.com

T H E C O N C R E T E C I T Y | K A U N A S invites you to take a fresh look at Kaunas’ architecture and discover connections with yourself, to sense the impetus of the city and feel the synthesis of space and human experiences brought together in detail. How did perceptions of the city develop? What is the meaning of modernism today? This multifarious identity consistently inspires us to see things in different roles, and this collection shapes a room for thought, where human, nationality and history converge. Once it was prophesied that the great glory for Kaunas and Laisvės alėja (Liberty Boulevard) could be compared to Hollywood. There are many stories, but the truth is that Kaunas today can be proud of its unique identity – and its modern interwar architecture. It’s a sign that Europe begins in Kaunas.

Floor lamp / rack POLI
Designer: Simonas Tarvydas
www.indi.lt

We live surrounded by an excess of things. Space becomes vital for clear thoughts, feelings and freedom of movement. The stylish POLI floor lamp saves space and has several practical uses, spreading a cosy directional light and also serving as a convenient rack or small shelf. Such an interior element will easily find its place in any corridor, workroom or lounge. Materials: An array of ash, ‘RePaper’.

Urban Landscape rug
Designer: Marija Puipaitė
www.ecolinum.lt

We’re used to flat carpets and graphic objects. Contrary to this traditional point of view, the designer Marija Puipaitė has created an Urban Landscape carpet inspired by Ecolinum technical samples, showing the broad possibilities for different lengths, densities and colours. Changing the scale of the former samples has turned this carpet into an object of wonder, resembling an architectural creation. The Urban Landscape carpet plays quietly with different shades of grey. The gradient is highlighted with a gradually changing length of threads. The difference in height offers an additional tactile experience. The subtle mixture of different coloured threads gives a rich depth and the surface of the carpet resembles an organic stone texture.

Ceramic objects
Vilnius Academy of Arts, Design Department

These ceramic series represent part of an art workshop by I-IV-year students of the Design Department at the Vilnius Academy of Arts. The goal was to create a functional garden or outdoors design object from ceramics, quite a fragile material the properties of which would be employed to develop functionally durable objects. For most students this was the first encounter with ceramics and its technologies. And here we have the results of few months of lasting experiments and inventions. The workshop was led by product designer Barbora Adamonytė-Keidūnė and ceramist Tomas Daunora.

GAIA
Designer: Samanta Skridlaitė

GAIA – the watering system and water vessel where water travels through rope to moisturise the roots of plants. A plant receives the right amount of water and doesn’t require further watering by a person. This process helps to avoid over-watering and dryness. As inspiration, Gaia is the ancestral mother of all life, the primal Mother Earth goddess and the personification of fertility and growth. A plastic and organic shape with an extended neckline, a circular hole in the centre and flowing natural lines give the impression of delicacy and elegance. The realisation of the idea is that ceramics give the object lightness. Natural materials: clay, wood and jute create a close relationship between nature and man.

BRITTLE
Designer: Gražina Bočkutė

Brittle is a series of backflow incense cone holders. Fragile, brittle and coincidental textures lightly emphasise the flow of the incense. When the incense has burned it can easily be removed with the cone-shaped holder without harming or touching the plate. Made from pure white clay.

HOMESS
Designer: Rūta Sabaliauskaitė

This is a cozy home-mess, from the scents of spices, mixed colours and forms in the grater. The objects are an example of a combination between design and ceramics. Two multifunctional products are made from white clay; the first function is as a grater, the second a spice-leaf remover. The object’s details: three differentdiameter holes and a cut-off corner make removing the leaves of spices easier.

MAGMA
Designer: Lukas Kučinskas

A bowl with distinguishing features such as the function of keeping a stable temperature with the use of hot water, which allows you to enjoy hot food for a longer period of time. There is an empty compartment for the hot water that stops water leakage via a fabric cork.

CERAMICS
Designer: Nojus Bakas

Every day we see lots and lots of different cups: a different colour, design and form, but they all have the same old function, to hold liquid. Nobody likes drinking coffee when all of the bean granules stick in the mouth; that’s how I came up with the idea. This ceramic cup is a little different to the others, made of a type of clay burned at very high temperatures, which makes it withstand high temperature so that the beverage can be heated right inside the cup. Inside the cup there is an additional surface that doesn’t allow coffee or tea leftovers to find their way into your mouth. The texture of the cup is left the same after the whole of the manufacturing process, so when drinking it just feels different.

“O” clock
Designer: Danil Ščepanov

The idea of the O clock starts with the outdoors. We often lose track of time when going into the yard or the garden, as the surrounding nature helps us forget the existence of time. Children playing outside often forget to come back in on time, while adults working in the garden seem only to notice it’s already late only after it gets dark. So a clock in your yard or garden is a wonderful accessory enabling you to keep track of time. The stoneshaped clock has an organic, natural and casual form which is designed for outdoors environments, and the “ticking” will always tell you the time when you’re outside. Clock information: the white ceramics produced at a high temperature are resistant to environmental effects and the clock mechanics are tightly sealed against moisture. Battery size: AA 1.5v.

Experimental ceramics for daily habits
Designer: Elena Lašaitė

In today’s world it’s common to take your own food to work, or study from home, because of changes in our lifestyle and values. Yet the importance of eating quality food continues to grow. This experimental ceramics set encourages us to contain our food and drink in reusable objects like jars or plastic bottles. The set includes different-sized modular parts that are suitable for dishes of various volumes. An attached handle ensures comfortable carrying, while all modules are made of ceramics to preserve warmth.