In its second edition, after the one in September 2021, the Belgian factory is back with great success with the Baranzate Ateliers exhibition. The project is the brainchild of Belgian designer, artist, and interior architect Lionel Jadot, known for his Zaventem Ateliers: a former disused industrial land of 6,000 square meters that has become a place of creation, production, exchange, and experimentation dedicated to design.
For its second participation in the Fuori Salone, Zaventem Ateliers, together with friends Galerie Philia, Everyday Gallery, Modern Shapes, Ben Storms, Atelier Serruys, Mircea Anghel, and Bela Silva, gives prominence to the Baranzate district, so far absent from the fair.
It is an ample space of 3,000 square meters of former Necchi sewing machine factory, industrial land with extraordinary architecture within which projects and creations of designers and artists from Ateliers Zaventem and the above-mentioned friendly galleries were presented.
In addition to the uniqueness of this superb industrial location, the highlight goes to the elegance and skill in setting up the ample spaces. The choice of artists and designers is also successful, showcasing works and objects of collectible design that tell a story of unique materials and artistry, opening us to a rich panorama of the best realities of contemporary design.
Krjst Studio
I exchanged a few words with Lionel Jadot, who told us about his project. It was born as the natural extension of Zaventem Ateliers, which stands in the design world as an accelerator and a platform for shared creativity. The designers who are part of the Zavetem family are unique, robust, and highly talented personalities. They relentlessly explore the boundaries between art and design with honesty and passion; the material is their religion. Lionel goes on to explain that bringing design to the suburbs is a political message: “We put a place on the map, off the beaten path, with all the difficulties that this represents, but we believe in it, and creating a destination also allows for a beautiful encounter with those who visit us. Everything is related to quality.”
Galerie Philia
Lionel’s dream does not stop at design week; he desires to create a concept like Zaventem Ateliers, run by Italians for Italians. “Milan would have a unique place in the production of collectible design: Baranzate Ateliers!”
Lionel’s vision is an incredible mix of narrative, research, and inclusion. The vision is one of “family,” as he tells us. “From day one, we also opened our doors to the public for events! This is our philosophy in the ateliers of Zaventem, and we brought it to Baranzate for design week!” Jadot concludes by telling us that there are already some crazy ideas for the next edition and that there is still a year left to dream even bigger.
Dim Atelier – Mircea Anghel
Among the artists in the exhibition, I would like to mention a few with whom I had the pleasure of talking about their recent experiences this past Design Week. They are Ben Storms, Arno Declercq, Pierre Coddens, and Adeline Halot. The first thing that struck me was the common opinion about the total success of the event, which was successful from more than one point of view. In fact, besides putting the exhibitors in contact with collectors and buyers, it also created a special bond of exchange and union among the designers themselves. The Baranzate district gave excellent visibility to the artists, who felt that this nascent reality best represented them. In particular, they had the opportunity to come into direct contact with industry collectors to create, as the artists told me, human and working relationships.
Below are four short interviews with some of the protagonists of Baranzate Ateliers, who will briefly introduce us to their work and design vision.
Everyday Gallery
BEN STORMS
What is design for you?
This is an important question: design is in everything, not least in the invisible world. How would an undesigned society function? I think you could say that everything man-made (buildings, concepts, ideas, laws, etc.) is designed. Does that make sense?
That said, a lot depends on emotions in the world of collectible design.
When a creation manages to touch me, or someone else on an emotional level, I think it has good reason to exist. My attention is captured first and foremost by the work’s emotional impact.
If the piece is also interesting in other aspects, such as construction, materials, and function, and if it is innovative for any of these reasons, it will still strike my attention. I believe you have to find a balance between the parts so that they coexist in the same object.
What characterizes your work?
I believe that my work is mainly driven by research into materials and processing techniques, which are the elements that most inspire my creations. From the perspective of traditional craftsmanship, each material presupposes specific artistry that has been repeated since ancient times. We, designers, know that it is almost impossible to make a craftsman work on the material he has chosen differently. The initial response to innovative proposals is always, “It can’t be done because that’s not how it’s done! End of discussion.”
I had a craftsmanship background, albeit minimal, so I know a little about it. In addition, I grew up in a family business that traded in old salvaged building materials; as children, my brother and I helped clean and fix everything my father bought, from old windows to marble floors to antiques.
This is where I think my passion for design began; in addition to finding inspiration in materials, I like to play with their perception to trick the viewer using them. Some of my works are very heavy but appear light, like a soft pillow that is made of marble and vice versa. I use a language that is based on contrasts. My creative process comes from ideas and concepts I visualize during the making; some things may change and then return to an initial idea.
PIERRE CODDENS
What is design to you?
Design is an art form whose subject is people and the way they live. I consider objects as functional sculptures. Our relationship with the object is both physical and emotional.
What characterizes your work?
I draw and create objects instinctively. I am interested in the soul that emanated from an artifact shaped by man. My creations are rooted in the movements of Post Minimalism and Radical Design.
My work is, on the one hand, a search for the object’s meaning. On the other, a study of forms, materials, and textures in search of harmony, balance, and universality.
ARNO DECLERCQ
What is design for you?
Design is the freedom to create what I want, with or without a function. For me, design represents a way of life in which I can express what I love and feel through form, to share it limitlessly with the world over a long period.
What characterizes your work?
The raw look, subtle proportions and many shades of black created by textures and a particular use of materials with a shadow play of solids and voids.
ADELINE HALOT
What is design for you?
Collecting, feeling, and disseminating. I like the idea of a personal approach shaken by interaction with others, apt to trigger a process that can disrupt the initial design.
Design is the communication between techniques, materials, and forms and their interaction with space. In my approach, design means dialogue between technical/technological research and creative freedom. I like to develop complex processes to achieve readable results.
What characterizes your work?
The idea is to share sensibilities instinctively.
I create materials and am obsessed with minerals and plants that describe reliefs, curves, and colors with their shapes. Weaving is one of the processes I use most; it allows me to express all this. I weave threads of metal and linen, two materials with very different properties, the surface of these creations comes alive depending on the beam of light that hits it. It’s all about reflection. I also really love collaborations with other artists and designers that push me to open my horizons toward creating new and surprising objects.
