It was at the latest edition of 3daysofdesign, Denmark's major design event, that German furniture designer and craftsman Carsten in der Elst presented his very first exhibition, "Soft Works," at the Tableau gallery in the heart of Copenhagen. As its name suggests, this installation is an ode to softness and languor. To bring it to life, the young Cologne-based creative dedicated over two months to researching comfortable materials. He then put this research into practice in the world of interior design through a show presented in the Scandinavian capital.
The result? An A-to-Z of materials, both natural and synthetic, temporary and permanent, recycled and pristine. A jumble that prompts us to question our relationship to comfort, the permanence of materials, and even touch. In the design of these pieces, the traditional upholstery process was bypassed in favor of another, yielding a softer result. Only those pieces that highlight the inherent properties of the materials were retained. Among the most striking creations are the "Aluskin" daybed in aluminum and foam, as well as the white chaise lounge, the coffee table in wood fiber and latex, and the highly unusual "Accession Chair" upholstered in latex tubes. Some pieces, suggesting the ephemeral, are imbued with poetry, like the cork chairs and stools with their crumbling contours, and the wax lamp that appears to be collapsing.
Lisa Agostini
