FURNEX & The Home is the largest trade fair in Africa. Held annually in Cairo, Egypt, it hosts the top Egyptian furniture manufacturers, exporters and traders serving domestic, regional and international markets.
This year, it was also host to a student exhibition called Soft and Hard. The challenge to students from German University in Cairo was to design a stool for hallways and corridors consisting of two parts. The parts could work together or separate for use alone. They could be made of a single material, or tell a mixed-media story. Functionality was also key, making these pieces perfect for small spaces. Options ranged from additional seating (like rocking chairs and benches) to tables and from storage to a game board. Materials included plywood, stainless steel, fabric, foam, pine and oak.
Professor Regine Ritz took the time to walk me thought the exhibit, where the students were on-hand to explain their projects. Look at the gallery of images below to see the range of cleaver concepts that emerged from these talented young designers.
A special thanks to Berlin-based colleague Claudia Simone Hoff for supplying the group photo above.
