Woven spaces: Heimtextil

Many highly sophisticated kinds of textiles offer innovative solutions in terms of fire protection, inside air, and acoustics, as well as the necessary design freedom for future oriented living spaces and working environments. At Heimtextil, which is taking place in Frankfurt from 8 to 11 January 2019, the Atelier ushitamborriello will present completely new perspectives on this – using an old Japanese tradition: the 'Furoshiki'. The installation will be located in the Interior.Architecture.Hospitality Expo in Hall 4.2, the hotspot for contract furnishings, which was launched last year.

The term 'Furoshiki' denotes a simple woven cloth, which was traditionally used in Japanese cultural history for gift wrapping and carrying bags. A square format forms the basis for different, and sometimes elaborate, knotting and folding techniques. As the need arises, one and the same cloth can become a shoulder bag, wrapping for a gift or a means for transporting valuable items.

Interior architect and set designer Ushi Tamborriello’s enthusiasm for the 'Furoshiki' lies in its high degree of flexibility and sustainability, as well as the particular three-dimensional design freedom that the simple two-dimensional cloth can provide. "The cloth can take on any shape – whether folded, looped or knotted – and change its appearance again and again. In one go, it can define an interior and an exterior space. It can emphasise yet also disguise the shape of the object wrapped in it, distort the image, and arouse curiosity", says the designer, describing her fascination for the theme.

With her installation at Heimtextil, the designer will engage with the relationship between space and surface, attempting to create a convergence between outside and inside spaces. It will invite us to stroll around and explore, and demonstrate how a change of perspective can determine the way the space is perceived. Regular live presentations and lectures will illustrate examples of different applications and expand on the Heimtextil theme for specialist audiences.

Since last year, the Interior.Architecture.Hospitality Expo has provided interior designers, architects and hospitality experts with a tailor-made platform at Heimtextil, combining both functional and aesthetic material solutions for contract furnishing textiles. The Expo will be complemented by an ambitious lecture programme and specialist guided tours, and there will be space for networking.

Atelier ushitamborriello’s major interest lies in designing rooms that have a sense of identity and rich atmospheres. The team of scenographers, interior designers and architects have made a name for themselves in recent years, primarily in the hotel and restaurant trade, and have created innovative bath and wellness spaces. In their projects, architectural and interior design approaches are developed in harmony with each other and are closely interwoven. Motifs pervading everything that they create include: developing design approaches from the existing substance of the site, embarking as pathfinders on a voyage of discovery, and respectfully combining things that are found with those they think up.