Gubi

Curiosity, courage and intuition are key components for the success of a company that sees itself as a treasure hunter. For Jacob Gubi Olsen, who is Chief Creative Officer heading up GUBI with his brother Sebastian, “Design is all about discovering gems and following your instincts. It involves travelling, searching and finding long-lost remnants from the past as well as contemporary, cutting-edge designs from new artists on the horizon.”

The result is an eclectic, intercontinental collection that blurs the lines between the past and the future. GUBI has an extensive assortment of extremely aesthetic, thought-provoking designs characterised by simple, arresting shapes, original materials and innovative techniques which defy time and space.

The iconic Grasshopper lamp designed by Greta Grossman was first produced in 1947. The tubular steel tripod stand is tilted backward and the elongated aluminium conical shade is ball jointed onto the arm; so the light can be directional, yet the glare is minimal. The shade and stand are available in a variety of colours true to Grossmans original designs.

The Cobra lamp takes its name from the shape of the oval shade which is reminiscent of a Cobra’s neck. The tubular flexible arm can be bent in all directions and the shade can be rotated through 360º. It is also available as a floor lamp and more recently the wall lamp was added to the range.

In 1950, Jaques Adnet formed a partnership with the French fashion house Hermes, where he developed a collection of leather covered furniture and interior accessories, including the distinctive Adnet Mirror which has brass buckles and is suspended by beautifully detailed strap. It is available in three sizes 45 cm Ø, 58 cm Ø and 70 cm Ø in both black and tan. More recently the mirror was also released as a rectangular version.

Also during this decade, The Pedrera Collection of lighting was designed by Barba Corsini & Joaquim Ruiz Millet. They were made especially for renowned Spanish Architect Antoni Gaudi’s famous house in Barcelona, Casa Mila. The ABC table lamp, H20 pendant and Pedera floor lamp are characterised by their perforated shades in a variety of colours.

One of the first furniture designs to use a combination of metal tubing and perforated sheet metal is The Nagasaki Chair by Mathieu Mategot. His work is characterised by these materials and is also evident in the Nagasaki stool, Dedal bookshelves and Kanourou side tables.

Louis Weisdorf’s Turbo Pendant was created in 1965. It was first put into production in 1967 and has achieved great success over the years. It illustrates design at its best: it is simple in form, yet complex in structure and combines a sense of airiness and strength in a beautiful sculptural whole.

The Semi lamp is another of GUBI’s timeless classic pieces. Designed in 1968 by Claus Bonderup & Torsten Thorup, this award winning design is based on two quarter-circles joined together back to back which creates its distinctive arch-shaped enameled metal shade.

One of GUBI’s most innovative products, the Gubi Chair collection, was designed by Boris Berlin & Poul Christiansen of Komplot Design. Designed in 2003 it has won numerous awards and is included in the permanent collection at MoMA in New York. The Gubi Chair is the first furniture design to be based on the innovative technique of moulding three-dimensional veneer. The collection consists of a large range of chairs, stools and lounge chairs in various combinations of materials and finishes. The latest addition to the collection is the “Hi-rek” shell which is available in seven contemporary colours. 2008 saw the emergence of a potentially classic furniture series designed by Danish/Italian duo GamFratesi in release of The Masculo Collection.

GUBI is also the manufacturer of the Bestlite collection, read more here …