IMM Cologne The new edition of “Das Haus – Interiors on Stage”- stands in bold contrast with not only the compact installation from Neri&Hu at the last imm cologne, but in fact also with all living conventions. It is circular, more or less transparent and has almost no solid wall elements. Nonetheless, Sebastian Herkner's house promises to be a sensual experience – a house that is soft and aromatic, colourful and communicative, and which is able to change its form like a chameleon.
The design is vaguely reminiscent of tent-like yurts or traditional ring architecture in rural China, except that such traditional forms do not consist of transparent, colourfully opaque or perforated foils, industrial textiles and luxurious curtains, but are instead designed to provide more substantial protection against wind and weather, sun and curious glances. This is not the case for “Das Haus” 2016, which will be erected and furnished in January in the middle of hall 2.2 of the Koelnmesse. Here, in contrast, everyone is invited to look, enter, feel, communicate with others, gather impressions and insights.
A house that locks nobody out: Panorama views of the surrounding landscape open up from any position on the various levels of the round living space. If “Das Haus” stood as a glass structure in a park, associations with Japanese pavilion architecture would come to mind. However, in Cologne the visitor won't have a view of hills, but instead of the “platforms”: a newly designed, open fair landscape with presentations of furniture and living accessories.
This is also the intention of the designer from Offenbach, who, with his vision of open, freer living, also wants to make a statement: a message against the tendency toward isolation. “The transparency of ‘Das Haus’ is an expression of the necessity of facing changes with more openness”. he comments on his concept against the background of the flow of refugees currently presenting a serious societal challenge in Germany.
A house with many curtains but no drapes: Sebastian Herkner has designed a soft, flowing architecture that plays with light and perspectives, addressing all the senses in the process. An aperture in the suggested roof at the centre, which should act as a kind of inner courtyard and garden, plays an important conceptual role: it is the lively meeting point of the house and represents the core of the onion-like architecture revealed from the inside out. A circumferential, narrow walkway forms the outer layer, the exterior of which is formed by a decorative facade of curtains, specially produced by the exclusive German textiles manufacturer Nya Nordiska, which Herkner and koelnmesse were able to recruit as a sponsor for this project.
The interior of the house is dominated by textiles and patterns, lighting and light. The furniture selected by Sebastian Herkner for the interior design, in some cases designed by himself, in some cases favourite pieces designed by other designers, stand around freely in the room like on a stage. Bedrooms and bathroom break out of the round theme as the only intimately styled, semi-transparent spatial cube. Many prototypes, exclusive designs and new products presented by Herkner's industry partners for the first time, including an outdoor collection from Dedon, a room divider from Rosenthal, a chair from Linteloo and lighting from Pulpo, will comfortably and attractively realise his idea of freer living. “It is important to me that ‘Das Haus’ is really open to all”, the young Offenbach designer explains his decision in favour of a round and accessible house in which the wall elements are replaced by movable curtains. “There are no boundaries, no barriers, no corners on which one can bump into or hide behind. The result is an uncompromising round and open house in which the various levels are accessed by way of a gallery. That was the approach: a (nearly) endless house.”
