Maarten Bass Wows Dutch Design Week With a Crashed Van Full of Treasures
Posted By Ana Lisa Alperovich On November 22, 2012 @ 6:05 am In Art,Green Design Events | No Comments
Maarten Baas was born in Germany but grew up in The Netherlands, graduating from the renowned Design Academy of Eindhoven. He is well known for his Smoke Series, [9] for which he literally burned iconic furniture pieces including some classics from Rietveld [10], Eames and Gaudi. Since 2005 he has worked with Bas Den Herder in their studio at Hertogenbosch [11].
A faithful contributor to Dutch Design Week, Baas takes the yearly opportunity to show his latest and most quirky creations at the grand show. For the last edition — which finished a couple of weeks ago — he created a tragic but humorous story that got everybody’s attention and left some people shocked. Baas’ public spot consisted of a white van that seemed to have crashed onto a lamp post right next to Eindhoven’s [12] central train station.
But the truth is that the whole story about the accident and design tour was just a joke. By peeking through the van’s top window, people could discover the van’s interior and enter Baas’ magical design world. Inside the van, there was a whole setting full of his designs and it looked like somebody was actually living there.
Many pieces of Baas’ Clay Furniture [13] collection were on site, together with a desk full of stuff, some clothes on a hanger and illuminated lamps. Burnt out matches, plants with flowers and a beautiful tapestry inspired by nature were also part of the installation. Even tea and an orange [14] that seemed to have been just eaten left people confused and wondering if somebody actually was living inside the van (and maybe just popped out to the shops!)
A cheeky charlatan, an exceptional storyteller or a design genius, Maarten Bass [15]’ Unexpected Interaction [7] at Dutch Design Week demonstrates that modern design is really about creating new stories.
+ Maarten Baas [6]
Photo © Ana Lisa Alperovich for Inhabitat
Article printed from Inhabitat – Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building: http://inhabitat.com
URL to article: http://inhabitat.com/maarten-bass-wows-dutch-design-week-with-a-crashed-van-full-of-treasures/
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[5] : http://inhabitat.com/maarten-bass-wows-dutch-design-week-with-a-crashed-van-full-of-treasures/maarten-baas-baas-design-tour-crash-van-dutch-design-week-2012-2/?extend=1
[6] Maarten Baas: http://www.maartenbaas.com/Main.asp?Section=Home
[7] “BAAS Design Tour”: http://www.ddw.nl/news.php?newsID=f3e98fb72bca910fe7c604d853c1d833
[8] Dutch Design Week: http://inhabitat.com/paula-artzen-unveils-mesmerizing-lamps-that-are-inspired-by-nature-at-dutch-design-week/
[9] Smoke Series,: http://www.maartenbaas.com/Main.asp?Section=Works&Sub={FA27A7AC-E988-4B64-98AE-35350EB00CC4}
[10] Rietveld: http://inhabitat.com/1920s-rietveld-schroder-house-in-utrecht-is-a-simple-elegant-and-completely-transformable-home/
[11] Hertogenbosch: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
[12] Eindhoven’s: http://inhabitat.com/fantastic-ufo-shaped-evoluon-in-eindhoven-was-designed-by-philips-and-now-helds-green-events/
[13] Clay Furniture: http://www.maartenbaas.com/Main.asp?Section=Works&Sub={A373BE7D-B114-4E3C-B412-20D6F4EC5AEA}
[14] orange: http://inhabitat.com/israel-based-solskin-studio-creates-biodegradable-objects-from-orange-skins/
[15] Maarten Bass: http://inhabitat.com/treasure-furniture/
[16] + Dutch Design Week 2012 : http://www.ddw.nl/index.php
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