MYTO from Project Idea to Market Launch

MYTO – from project idea to market launch

Konstantin Grcic presents MYTO

A new myth is born: MYTO , a cantilever chair, made entirely of plastic. It is the brainchild of an unprecedented collaboration between a designer, a furniture manufacturer and a plastic producer. A joint creation by KONSTANTIN GRCIC, acclaimed industrial designer and recipient of many international awards, by the Italian manufacturer PLANK and by BASF, this chair will be officially launched onto the market during the international furniture fair in Milan, Italy (April 16 to 21, 2008). The MYTO installation by KONSTANTIN GRCIC and BASF will also be exhibited at the same time in the sala d’Onore at the Triennale di Milano. The MYTO cantilever chair is made entirely of BASF’s novel, easy-flowing engineering plastic Ultradur® High Speed (chemically speaking, PBT: polybutylene terephthalate). Immediately on the fair, it will be available to the market in eight different colors.

PLANK, Salone del Mobile, padiglione 8, stand D037 (MYTO - market launch)

BASF, Triennale di Milano, Sala d’Onore (MYTO – making of exhibition)

From the seed of an idea all the way to the market launch

The MYTO project dates back to the late summer of 2006, when BASF invited four renowned industrial designers, among them internationally renowned KONSTANTIN GRCIC, to a joint workshop in Ludwigshafen to familiarize them with the creative potential of the “Ultras”, BASF’s product range of engineering plastics. In the months that followed, collaboration with KONSTANTIN GRCIC (KGID), gave birth to the idea of implementing the special properties of Ultradur® High Speed in an industrially produced design object. A consensus was soon reached that a chair, a cantilever chair, would be the greatest challenge for a piece of furniture made of plastic, not only in terms of production but also of design. The Italian furniture manufacturer PLANK came on board at a very early stage of the development and was put in charge of manufacturing the serial part and selling the chair.

Fast action, team spirit and the ideal combination of plastic and the concept of a cantilever chair paved the way for this ambitious project. The constructive dialog among all participants was instrumental in achieving the record-breaking development time of just over a year. “This level of efficiency is a first. Finalizing a project within such a short time has blazed new trails in the realm of design,” states Grcic. As the initiator, BASF’s know-how about this novel material was the moving force behind the entire process. After just a brief time, the preliminary designs of the chair were ready, making optimal use of the technical and esthetic properties of the material. Then came the first wire mock-ups, followed by Styropor models to demonstrate the sitting comfort as well as several CAD models and development loops to calculate the strength and the shape of the molded part. In May of 2007, the partners decided on the final design and started to build the molding tool.

Design and designfabrik™

The collaboration with KONSTANTIN GRCIC and the MYTO chair are the impressive outcome of an expanded marketing concept adopted by BASF Plastics: in its quest to tap into new markets, BASF is increasingly shifting its focus to the topic of designing with plastics. An integral part of this concept is the designfabrik™ ( the design factory founded in Ludwigshafen, Germany in May of 2006, where industrial designers can consult with BASF plastic experts and receive advice ranging from the initial idea about the product concept, all the way to colour and tool design.

Special exhibition on the MYTO design and development process

KONSTANTIN GRCIC for BASF / Sala d’Onore - Triennale di Milano.

Parallel to the presentation of MYTO on the PLANK stand at the Salone del Mobile, the Sala d’Onore at the Triennale Design Museum will host a special exhibition which will focus on the design and

development process of the project.

BASF comissioned KONSTANTIN GRCIC to realize this exhibition which takes the visitor to an imaginary laboratory that is inspired by original BASF work environments.

Design models, images, videos and pictures of the MYTO project offer a transparent documentation and explanation of the “making of”.

Additionally BASF presents its new consulting platform called “designfabrik™”, where the industrial designers have the possibility to discuss the product’s development and they can create first samples of this plastic material.

Since the end of last year, the official design museum of Milan is part of the Triennale and therefore provides an adquate cultural setting for this exhibition that narrates the development’s history of the design project.

Opening: 16th April 2008, Sala d’Onore, La Triennale di Milano, 5:00 pm – 12:00 pm

Exhibition: 16th – 21st April 2008, opening hours: 10:30 am – 10:30 pm

Project partners

BASF

BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from oil and gas to chemicals, plastics, performance products, agricultural products and fine chemicals. As a reliable partner BASF helps its customers in virtually all industries to be more successful. With its high-value products and intelligent solutions, BASF plays an important role in finding answers to global challenges such as climate protection, energy efficiency, nutrition and mobility. BASF has more than 95,000 employees and posted sales of almost €58billion in 2007. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (AN).

KGID

KONSTANTIN GRCIC INDUSTRIAL DESIGN was established in Munich, Germany in 1991. The studio is sepcialised in various fields of design, ranging from furniture design to commissioned architectural projects. Konstantin Grcic defines function in human terms, combining formal strictness with considerable mental acuity and humour. Each of his products is characterized by his careful research into the history of design and architecture and his passion for technology and materials. Known for pared-down pieces, Grcic is often called a minimalist but the designer himself prefers to speak of simplicity.

PLANK

PLANKs history dates back to 1893. The basicobjective has always been the investigation and

intensive research for technological possibilitiesconnected to the principles of design. Thecollection distinguishes itself in various types ofproducts: chairs, armchairs, lounge seatings,table systems, stools. PLANKproducts have received numerous awards andacknowledgments and are part of most importantmuseum collections around the world.PLANK works together with renowned designers. Together with KONSTANTIN GRCIC, PLANK presented the MIURA bar stool (2005) which was recently added to the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Biography Konstantin Grcic

Life and Work

Born in Munich in 1965

1985 - 1987 Apprenticeship as cabinet maker at Parnham College, UK

1988 - 1990 MA in Industrial Design, Royal College of Art, London

1990 – 1991 Work for Jasper Morrison, London

1991 – Konstantin Grcic Industrial Design, Munich

Philosophy

Konstantin Grcic defines function in human terms, combining formal strictness with considerable mental acuity and humour. Each of his products is characterized by his careful research into the history of design and architecture and his passion for technology and materials. Known for pared-down pieces, Grcic is often called a minimalist but the designer himself prefers to speak of simplicity.

The Company

The KGID office is located in the center of Munich in the south of Germany. Konstantin Grcic employs 6 product designers and 1 personal assistant. The studio is specialized in various fields of design, ranking from furniture design to comissioned work like architecural projects. The languages of communication are German, English, French, Italian and Spanish.

KONSTANTIN GRCIC INDUSTRIAL DESIGN

Schillerstr. 40

D- 80336 München

Tel. +49-89-55079995 Fax: +49-89-55079996

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