Very aptly named, the new solo exhibition “CRUSH” from design avant-gardes Fredrikson Stallard during London Design Week 2012 certainly promises not to leave you indifferent. The Central St Martins graduates in, respectively, industrial design and ceramics, Patrik Fredrikson and Ian Stallard, who formed their studio in 2003, have become known for their innovative approach towards fusing work done by the hand and the computer, and this showcase perfectly illustrates this synthesis. Coming to David Gill's new gallery space in London's St James's, it will feature a series of low glass unit tables and metal chaises centered on recreating the sensuous form of a crumpled metal sheet.

Using a water polished stainless steel and aluminum sheet, which they have formed by hand, and enclosing it in a glass box, the designers fuse industrial with sensuous forms. Their glass unit tables produced with a variety of crumpled metal sheets in black, gold, and silver and the suede-upholstered metal chaise, also create a playful, deeper dimension by the metal’s tantalizing reflections of surrounding space. Also on show will be a teal version of their iconic piece, the Pyrenees sofa created from Polyurethane Foam, which was acquired by the Victoria & Albert Museum in 2011.

Bringing innovative, mold-breaking design that reflects the new parameters of the digital age, Fredrikson and Stallard certainly make a must-see stop in this year’s design festival.

Maria Dimitrova

London-based design wonder Valentina González Wohlers has created another edition of her signature hand made seating objects, aptly called the "Wild Bodged Chairs." Created in collaboration with Oaxacan artisan Gabriel López, the chairs are made from the woods of San Jose del Pacifico, at the highest point of Oaxaca's Sierra in Mexico, and make a tropical re-contextualization of the classic Victorian porter's chair. Hauntingly captivating, Wohlers' creations embody the slow unfolding cycle of her live materials and of the craftsmanship process. As the raw wood and branches intersect, meet and divert, playing by the organic rules of nature, each piece is a one-off and made by request.

Maria Dimitrova

Lockheed Lounge (1988) Image by Karin Catt

Orgone Stretch and Lounge (1993) Image by Fabrice Gousset/Courtesy of Galerie Kreo

TASCHEN has announced the release of a new book of Marc Newson's complete works to date. Being the mastermind behind the most celebrated designs of the past two decades, Newson hardly needs an introduction. This versatile designer's impact on the industry, has been enormous since he first graduated in jewellery and sculpture design from Sydney College of Arts in 1984. A year later he began exhibiting the now iconic Lockheed Lounge Chair, moved to Tokyo and the Paris where he set up a studio and later London where he now lives. He's created anything from salt shakers to Jaeger LeCoultre watches and Qantas A380 interior. Be it the Lockheed Lounge Chair (one of which was sold at the record price of two million dollars at Sotheby's) or cookware for Tefal, Newson's aesthetic vision is driven by the sense of incessant discovery and his fascination with futuristic aspects of modernism.

TASCHEN's comprehensive tome meticulously catalogues the designer's achievements and presents thorough case studies of his particularly significant projects. A profound perspective on Newson's career, which successfully marries design and art, is complemented by a scrupulous interview by Louise Neri, a Gagosian Gallery director. The multilingual limited edition (English, French, German) of 1000 numbered and signed copies are available from TASCHEN's online shop at £650 each.