'Dusty Copper' by Jung-Cheng Su; photo by Nicolas Genta
‘Hot Tools’ was one of three exhibitions presented by ECAL/University of Art and Design Lausanne on the occasion of this year’s Salone del Mobile. Showcasing the outcome of a workshop led by the acclaimed French designer Ronan Bouroullec and glassblower Matteo Gonet during which 20 Product Design (MA) students were asked to devise and build novel tools and forms which were most likely to result in an interesting, traditionally-blown glass objects, the exhibition featured eight innovative glass pieces as well as the novel devices which were employed in the production process. Watch the footage from this hugely innovative and inspiring workshop in the video below.
'Dusty Copper' by Jung-Cheng-Su; photo by Nicolas Genta
‘A crash course in glass, not to say the least, is how we could sum up this project. Pairing the expert eye and intelligence of a designer and the know-how of a experienced glass- blower together with a passionate but somehow naïve outlook from the students was a challenge. The project took place during the cold month of January but the kilns of the glass workshop kept everybody warm. The aim was not to design another vase or bowl, it was to experiment, create new processes and tools, testing the limits of both the material and our ideas.’ - Alexis Georgacopoulos, Director ECAL
'Stein' by Felix Klingmüller; photo by Nicolas Genta
‘It seems to me that the intensity, and the pressure which the students were under, the severity of the necessary appraisals, the empathy and pragmatism in this unique project has produced quite surprising results. Thanks to this extraordinary technician Matteo Gonet and his generosity towards the designers, based on the assumption that nothing is impossible a priori, it is about trying, we produced a range of truly interesting tests.’ - Ronan Bouroullec, Designer
'Stein' by Felix Klingmüller; photo by Nicolas Genta
‘Glass is used in a wide variety of areas, in a multitude of guises, thereby allowing plenty of scope for exploration. Since the material is basically technical in nature, tools have been used from the beginning of time to process glass. The ‘tools’ made by the students themselves took the form of wooden moulds, glass powder and copper, leather, etc. The workshop sessions were intensive and lively!’ – Matteo Gonet, Glassblower
'Mould in Motion' by Philipp Grundhöfer; photo by Nicolas Genta
'Mould in Motion' by Philipp Grundhöfer; photo by Nicolas Genta
'DIY Mould' by Rita Botelho; photo by Nicolas Genta
'DIY Mould' by Rita Botelho; photo by Nicolas Genta
'Tension Expansion' by Sarha Duquesne; photo by Nicolas Genta
'Tension Expansion' by Sarha Duquesne; photo by Nicolas Genta
'Bubble Play' by Charles Mathis; photo by Nicolas Genta
'Bubble Play' by Charles Mathis; photo by Nicolas Genta
'Glass Type' by Giulio Parini; photo by Nicolas Genta
'Glass Type' by Giulio Parini; photo by Nicolas Genta
'Empty Carbon' by Diane du Chaxel; photo by Nicolas Genta
'Empty Carbon' by Diane du Chaxel; photo by Nicolas Genta
'Hot Tools' exhibition by ECAL; photo by Nicolas Genta
