New York product designer Todd Bracher to produce “Das Haus” 2017
“Das Haus” is the superlative design event at the international interiors show imm cologne. Each year a young, influential designer is given the opportunity to make a personal statement on contemporary living in a simulation of a residential house combining architecture, interior design and furnishings. US designer Todd Bracher has been nominated as the guest of honor for the sixth edition of “Das Haus” at imm cologne 2017. Why do we live in a particular way and not differently? Why do our homes have corners? How many walls do we need to feel comfortable, and why do we prefer particular furniture? How do we prioritize functionality, aesthetics and tradition? Which colors and materials generate positive feelings, and which ones are sustainable? What role does the home play today? And what role will it have tomorrow? These questions are often put to architects, designers and sociologists. But it is very rare to find projects where designers are able to try out something genuinely new in practice — something far removed from the typical conceptual installations, which are often works of art rather than ideas for living. Whilst trade fair organizers and exhibition curators may expect the unexpected from them, in day-to-day business, clients, aesthetic conventions and very real requirements in terms of standards, profitability and weather conditions set narrow parameters. “Das Haus” is a platform for experiments in living located right in the very center of this divide: between installation and “real” life.
Breaking living down into its elements and putting them back together
For designer Todd Bracher “Das Haus” is an opportunity to challenge the traditional notions of how one lives today. The questions it addresses are the very questions that drive him when he is developing his immensely diverse spectrum of work, ranging from product design, brand innovation to design strategies. The design event at imm cologne provides him with the perfect platform to explore without commercial limitations. “Das Haus 2017” will offer visitors to the international interiors show exciting insights into a close convergence of living and life. “The home is an elementary synthesis of needs and functions that is very precisely directed toward supporting the people who live inside it in their daily lives and their growth,” is how Bracher understands the concept of “Das Haus”. The holistic project combines architecture, interiors and product design. For his “Haus”, he will follow his classical approach to design rigorously: reducing complexity to its simplest elements and functions. “Why do we choose a particular lifestyle?” asks the 41-year-old and sets out his intentions: “We want to question our conception of what makes contemporary living by rethinking the principles that define the home and asking ourselves if they meet the requirements of the world today.”
Todd Bracher — Analyst, minimalist, translator
Todd Bracher is considered one of the leading names in the American design scene. Born in New York in 1974 and the son of a carpenter, he graduated in Industrial Design from the city’s prestigious Pratt Institute. Between graduating and founding his own studio, he took what is perhaps a unique journey through the different cultures and design traditions of the “Old World”: obtaining a masters in design at the Danish Design School in Copenhagen; working in Milan, Paris and at Tom Dixon in London; serving as Professor of Design at l’ESAD in Reims, France, and Creative Director of the Danish luxury brand Georg Jensen before returning home to New York in 2007 and setting up his own studio. From his Brooklyn base, he collaborates with leading design brands from around the world, including Cappellini, Fritz Hansen, Herman Miller, Humanscale, Issey Miyake, Swarovski, Zanotta and 3M.
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