Like the title from George Nelson’s 2009 exhibition catalog declares, Architect / Writer / Designer / Teacher, Nelson was a multi-disciplined designer and creative director with six decades worth of work to show for it. Though his creations were mostly associated with Herman Miller, everything from furniture to graphic and installation design, his oeuvre was much more broader. Unfortunately, many of his work have either been discontinued or never produced and sit dormant as prototypes and concepts. Though a giant in the design world, some of his work has been forgotten. The George Nelson Foundation has been established to change this as well as to preserve and publicize the legacy of Nelson. They’ve archived many of his important and rarely scene work from the 1930s all the way up to the 1980s. It’s filled with an array of high-res photos that bring to light many of George Nelson’s design that existed beyond Herman Miller.

At first glance, the 620 Chair designed by Dieter Rams appears the same as it did when it was first produced in 1962. But when Vitsoe took over exclusive licensing they re-engineered every component of the chair to make it better by customizing nearly every piece. Vitsoe worked closely with Rams to improve upon the comfort and most importantly the longevity. To celebrate the occasion, Vitsoe New York will be hosting the ‘620 Reading Room’ with their neighbor Dashwood Books. The reading room will be open next week from May 17th to May 20th.

Vitsoe
33 Bond Street
New York NY 10012

The photo of the Eames Lounge above is not a black and white photo. What you’re seeing is an all black version of the famous recliner exclusive to the European and Asian market from Vitra. As reported by Cool Hunting, the Lounge and Ottoman was revealed this week at Salone along with other familiar pieces from the Eames collection. The wire chair with dowel base (DAW), the shell chair (DSW), and the walnut stools are all murdered out, (that’s slang for all black). If this all seems a bit too stark for you, Vitra also updated other pieces in the line by working with other designers to modify the traditional color schemes. See more of what Vitra unveiled at Salone in their magazine.

Milan’s furniture and design fair, Salone Internazionale del Mobile begins today and with it comes a copious amount of new designs from around the world. What caught our attention recently wasn’t the unveiling of a big name architect designing for a big company, rather it was a modest set of tools for your desktop and home from BIG-GAME, the Switzerland based studio. The collection called CARGO consists of a tool box, a catch all tray, and a hammer. As the starting point BIG-GAME took inspiration from a 1930’s Swiss metal tool box. The materials and design were updated blending organic shapes with plastic and wood. The same materials were used for the catch all tray but the design was inspired by traditional Japanese wooden carrying boxes called okamochi. The set is complete with a hammer made with an ash handle. Unfortunately these are all prototypes for Alessi to be shown at Salone. Though based on its popularity there may be a chance that Alessi will release the line in their catalog. via Collate

Designers have always referred to the past for inspiration. Whether it’s a decade or as far back as the Victorian era, it’s easy to reference something when there is something to reference in design. But recently, a number of product designers have gone even further back in time to the paleolithic period, where primitive tools became the source of inspiration for updated versions of instruments and cutlery. Last year Ami Drach and Dov Ganchrow unveiled their Modern Stone + Flint Tools that incorporated chiseled rocks with custom-designed handles. The juxtaposition of modernly designed components with a rudimentary blades gives these traditional tools a new perspective. More recently, Italian designer Michele Daneluzzo played on a similar concept but the result couldn’t be anymore different. His Primitive knife is more sleek than crude, more futuristic than crude. The design is reminiscent of Isamu Noguchi’s cutlery with its streamline shape and flawless polished steel. Daneluzzo’s knife is currently in production with Del Ben while Drach and Ganchrow’s tools are prototypes.

Herman Miller’s limited edition line, Herman Miller Select, recently announced their product for 2012. In celebration of what would have been Ray Eames’s 100 birthday they’re paying homage to her by releasing the LTR in three new colors, red-orange, cobalt blue, and yellow gold. These were Ray Eames’s favorite colors which reoccur in various products the couple designed including the panels of the ESU storage system and on their iconic Case Study House #8. The wire based tables will retail for $294. It will be made available for five months starting October 1st and cease production in Spring 2013. (via Design Milk)