Homeless Design: From creation to purchase
HOMELESS IS AN AMBITIOUS PROJECT THAT INTENDS TO RENEW THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DESIGNERS AND CRAFTSMEN PROMOTING AN INTELLIGENT DESIGN OPTIMIZING MATERIALS AND PRODUCTION TIME, AND THEN SOLD WITHOUT INTERMEDIATES BETWEEN PRODUCER AND CONSUMER
Homeless is a platform that aims to distribute cleverly designed objects, with a high level of craftsmanship, made in small batches and sold at a fair price. It is a new business model that connects the end consumer directly with the manufacturer and the designer, starting from a not unusual approach, especially in northern Europe, where many designers make use of the artisan for small productions – but that develops on a new balance between the parties; It promotes a synergistic relationship between designer and craftsman, combining creativity with each other’s experience, and giving visibility to both sides. The final product is sold via a web platform, through which consumers are also evidence the production process, the materials used and the work of the craftsmen, regarding the products they buy. Having an overview of the production process, the consumer realizes that the final price is fully justified. We asked Carla Guilhem, one of the three creators – along with Beatriz Ruipérez and Blanca Ortiz -, to tell us about the project in detail.
WHAT IS AT STAKE, WHICH THE PRIZE FOR WINNING PROJECT?
First, it is to see their project implemented and, most important, to see it exhibited during the Salone del Mobile [larges furniture fair in Europe]. We exhibit in fact 20 intelligent products, hand-crafted, and selected from all projects of the competition. The designer who designed the best wins a week of summer workshop at the Summer School of Design Boisbuchet [one of the most important design schools], in France, organized by the prestigious Swiss company Vitra, as well as a certificate signed by the Fernando brothers and Umberto Campana [world renown designers], judges of the competition.
HOMELESS, A CURIOUS TITLE: WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
The name is a play with words, more home “and less” wasteful with resources-, i.e. design and produce objects by finding the perfect balance between the materials used and the production time in order to offer consumers a product of design at a reasonable price. And, as a second intention, finding a home for objects created with the Homeless philosophy.
HOW DO YOU INTEND TO REVIVE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WORK AND CREATIVE DESIGNER AND CRAFTS?
This relation is not a new thing, but what has always been missing is a support to the interchange between these two categories; the designer must hope for a stroke of luck to be able to get noticed and to industrialize the product from a company, and the artisan in recent years has pretty much seen diminishing recognition for his work and his professionalism, resulting in a dramatic loss of revenue. What I set out to do is to turn around this relationship, causing the designer to have visibility and can sell their creations without depending on the industry, giving work to craftsmen, and giving consumers a curated design product, thought and quality.
HOW IS MARKETING AND DISTRIBTION OF THE FINAL PRODUCT ORGANIZED?
The final product will initially be sold through the www.homelessdesign.net web platform, which will feature an e-commerce as well as give visibility to designers and craftsmen through communication and marketing support. The designers who already have their own web page will use the Homeless website as a media platform; however, for designers who do not have their own on-line sales channel, Homeless will offer an e-commerce platform to promote and sell help them to sell their products. In addition, in a second phase, the products will also be sold through brick-and-mortar outlets that proved to be in tune with the philosophy.
WE TALK ABOUT THE COMPETITION: HOW WAS IT ORGANIZED? WHO WAS PARTICIPATING?
The Homeless Competition was born as a support for this initiative with the aim of magnifying the potential and the philosophy of the project. It was directed to any designer who wanted to publish their work. Among all the projects received, we have selected the most interesting ones to expose them during the week of the Salone del Mobile in Milan in 2012 in a dedicated space in the central Brera area. During the design week, in the evening of April 20, we will proclaim the winner.
THE EXHIBITION IN MILAN IS YOUR FIRST DIRECT EXPERIENCE WITH THE PUBLIC? WHAT DO YOU EXPECT?
Yes, this is the first direct experience with the public, we expect and hope that this initiative will meet the flavor of the public and the world of design, gaining visibility and offering consumers a new way to approach and buy designer products.
