5,5 designers: Order Must Be Established, At Least In Thoughts

(adam štěch) Our homes find themselves in the constant battle between tidiness and messiness. If we want a cozy and pleasant environment, we simply have to pit our wits against clutter and dirt. The French designers from the 5,5 designers group, who had a presentation at the Design Indaba conference in Cape Town at the end of February, have designed the Clean collection for the young brand Enkidoo that will definitely defeat that mess.

Founded by Cyril Delage, Virginie Fournier, and Virginie Ecorce four years ago, Enkidoo focuses on simple interior accessories. However, the material they chose this time is rather unconventional - raw chestnut branches bring a modern rustic feeling into our homes.

Objects designed by the Parisian studio 5,5 designers, who have experimented with forms and meanings for some time, radiate in the same atmosphere. It is interesting to observe their creations – from a formal diversity of glass and furniture – that are shrouded with a necessary dose of French humor and mystification. Parisian new realists and conceptualists from the 1960s applied similar approaches.

The designers have designed a broom, two types of brushes, a litter basket, clothes pegs with a rack, and a duster for Enkidoo. All these objects are made from bent chestnut branches in combination with red bristles and strings. The contrast between tidiness and dirtiness is naturally reflected in the form. The raw irregular wood turns into the intelligent, pure lines of final cleaning instruments. However, the idea seems to be more important than the function. Manipulating the delicate broom is probably a bit difficult; and the three-armed brush is a designer-function plaything. Other products also stay within the bounds of a formal play instead of practical and functional requirements. Thus, purity and cleaning is just a conceptual pretext for the whole projects. Therefore, we have a unique possibility to establish order in our thoughts.

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