The exhibition project envisages 9 large panels of the Parade Collection hanging suspended from a corner and slowly rotating on their diagonal. On the walls and on the floor, large mirrored surfaces made of laminatesheets, dynamically reflect the decors creating a magical and unexpected effect. These large panels represent on a larger scale, those ABET laminates samples that usually fill up architects and designers offices. A tribute to the famous catalogue of the Bra-based company which has been able to spread its classic product among creative teams thanks to its coloured swatches.

Parade is made up of two major groups of decors: the first one comes from the study of 6 different units developed through a strong digital approach; the second group is the result of freehand drawings subsequently scanned and processed in order to complete the graphics of a whole laminate panel.

GIULIO IACCHETTI works in the field of industrial design since 1992 and designs for many brands including ABET LAMINATI, Alessi, Arthema, Danese, De Vecchi, Foscarini, Globo, Jannelli&Volpi, Lavazza, Meritalia, Moleskine, Pandora design. The distinctive characteristic of his work is the research and definition of new object typologies, like the Moscardino, the biodegradable spoon/fork for which, in 2001, together with Matteo Ragni, he has been awarded with Compasso d’Oro; Moscardino is now part of the permanent design collection of MoMA New York. In May 2009 the Milan Triennale held a solo show of his work entitled “Giulio Iacchetti. Disobedient Objects”. He had also pursued his personal research project into new design topics such as the symbol of cross from which came the exhibition titled “Cruciale” held both by the Diocesan Museum in the spring of 2011, and by Basilica di Santo Stefano Rotondo in Rome in March 2012.

Triennale di Milano – Viale Alemagna 6 – Milano
17/22 April 2012
Opening hours 10.30-22.00

Opening
17^th April 19.00/24.00

Press preview
16^th Arpil 11.00/18.00

Functional minimalism

Interior designer Filip Deslee can boast an enviable portfolio of projects at home and abroad. In 2007 he was voted ‘Best Interior Designer in Belgium’ however, to the wider public he is mainly known for his collaboration with the ‘Huizenjacht’ [House Hunt] TV programme and a number of books he has published. As an interior designer he keeps to his own style and takes on each new project with an à la carte approach, as a new challenge. His interior design business elicited requests from a number of people for his own furniture line, above all from his father who urged him on. Filip Deslee initially saw no need for his own furniture line, he believed the request to be entirely superfluous, in view of the vast range of furniture on offer for buyers to choose from. Filip Deslee loves sketching and is constantly putting new creations down on paper. It struck him that it was most often kitchens and washbasin cabinets that flowed from the tip of his pencil. “A kitchen design, however is highly personal for the user and does not lend itself simply to a generalised approach” he comments. “It can be done though for a washbasin cabinet and that was a challenge that I actually wanted to take on”.

The power of simplicity

His first furniture creation to break away from his usual bespoke interior design work was finally developed from just two lines: an L-shape with a U-shaped carcass around it. Filip Deslee: “If I was going to market a washbasin cabinet, it needed to capable of universal application. It needed to be capable of being installed free-standing as well as against a wall or in a corner, independently of any specific type of tap. Use in private dwellings and public spaces were just as obvious for me as being style-neutral. Furthermore the dimensions were also to be such that the cabinet could be used anywhere. In short, the cabinet needed to fit in 100% with any bathroom layout. Finally, the design needed to be configured such that it would be suitable for installation by a tradesman as well as any DIY person”. In order to fulfil this wish list in its entirety, the cabinet carcass needed to be as clean as possible. The choice of material would contribute to the success of this project to a large extent.

The power of material selection

Filip Deslee’s wish list included ease of maintenance as well as tactile quality. Consideration was given initially to Full-Colour, a self-coloured solid HPL laminate panel by Abet Laminati, with a smooth gloss finish on the outside and matt on the inside, resistant to use of a scouring sponge. However a thin carcass was desired and free from corner joints, which was not achievable with this material. Abet Laminati was involved from an early stage in developing FD1, as the washbasin cabinet was dubbed, as the first furniture creation by Filip Deslee to be marketed to a wider public. Finally, with pRaL® solid surface material, Abet Laminati came up with the answer to all the stipulated requirements. The FD1 washbasin cabinet is being marketed in a single version: for the outer shell gloss white pRaL® 2060 is being used for the U-shaped carcass and for the inner shell a brown quartz surface will be applied for the inset sloping water surface and the sheet on the side. “The gloss white pRaL® outer carcass picks up the surroundings, which enables the cabinet to integrate even better in both contemporary and traditional interiors” explains Filip Deslee. “In actual fact the design can only be produced in pRaL® in order to obtain the intended result”.

The power of design

FD1 looks like a piece of architecture and accordingly its spiritual father considers furniture design as a form of architecture. The washbasin cabinet is floor standing, a conscious choice by its designer, who also means to keep both feet on the ground and not waver. This creation by Filip Deslee combines aesthetic purity with pronounced practical features. The taupe-coloured sheet on the side opens electrically to provide access to three handleless drawers, two of which have spring-release catches. At the very top there are two power sockets and twin power sockets are also built into the bottom drawer to recharge personal care appliances such as electric toothbrushes or razors. The drawers in the FD1 cabinet are finished in oak veneer and are available in a choice of colours. Filip Deslee determined an ‘ideal’ size for the FD1 washbasin cabinet: 130 x 40 x 90 cm. This is consistent with the famous golden ratio. The cabinet can also be doubled up without detracting from the strength of the design. FD1 is supplied with assembly instructions. The carcass is configured such that there is always easy access to the waste trap for any maintenance or repair work.

The power of collaboration

Filip Deslee is keen on sound professional collaboration. His design matured over a year and a half and is a perfect example of an ideal preliminary process for converting a design into a manufacturable and marketable piece of furniture.

In addition to the collaboration with Abet Laminati in order to arrive at the most appropriate material selection, there was also the contribution by the firm of De Coene, that is looking after final manufacture.

Filip Deslee: “The relationship between design and manufacture is of the utmost importance in achieving the quality level aimed for. The development of this washbasin cabinet was truly a self-test. How self-critical must I be throughout this entire process, how should I deal with everything involved along the path from idea to manufacture?

Meanwhile he has already received accolades from non other than Axel Enthoven, who considers FD1 as a synthesis of three traditional washbasin cabinets in one ideal functional object. And what is more: “FD1 is an icon for Filip Deslee, it is like a nameplate left behind by the architect on the façade of a building.

The experience gained with FD1 has tempted Filip Deslee into doing something about a kitchen design to be marketed. “It is my intention to make the kitchen invisible, to install it like a dressing room between the bedrooms and the bathroom” is how he explains his design philosophy. “The kitchen will be built up in 1.80 m modules, finished on the outside in Print HPL Stratificato solid laminate and pRal®” on the inside.

We are looking forward with excitement to the introduction of the FD2 prototype!

The FD1 washbasin cabinet can be seen at Filip Deslee’s Design studio, Otto Veniusstraat 9, 2000 Antwerp (B) and in manufacturer De Coene’s Concepthouse, Komvest 58, 8000 Bruges (B) (opening in May 2012)

FD1 Photography credits: Thomas De Bruyne

pRaL® solid surface material (SSM)

pRaL® solid surface is a solid, self-coloured composite material that is made up of acrylate and natural minerals. The look and feel of pRaL® sheet material lends itself to creating the most diverse and prestigious range of design projects. pRaL® has multiple applications as a cladding material for items such as worktops in kitchens, bathroom furniture and showers; in healthcare, shopfitting, restaurants, etc.  pRaL® in white colour 2060 was used for the FD1 cabinet. A noteworthy feature of pRaL® is the seamless adhesive bonding; this is true of both butt and corner joints. This means, as it were, that infinitely long structures can be built without any visible seams at all. The procedure for installing pRaL® differs from that of HPL laminates, this is catered for by intensive training which can be organised by Abet NV at the installer’s site. In addition there is a highly detailed pRaL® installation manual available. pRaL® solid surface sheets are available in 3,600 x 760 and 3,600 x 1,350 mm sizes. Sheet thicknesses are 3-6-8-10-12-18 mm. Many colours are available for supply directly from stock via the Belgian ‘Partner in Excellence network’, which also keeps the appropriate pRaL® adhesive in matching colours in stock. The palette of pRaL® colours available to order totals over 40 different shades, ranging from timeless to avant-garde. Personalised pRaL® colours can also be created, subject to a modest minimum quantity.

Karim Rashid is spicing up the new Alpes kitchen collection “Libiri in Cucina” with vibrant Digitalia HPL laminates he designed for Abet Laminati. Visit Alpes @ Eurocucina Milano (17-22/4/12) – Pad. 09 Stand C05-C07

Tonda is the first round rotating ice-cream display case in history and has been commended from the International Jury of the XXI Premio Compasso d’Oro ADI making it part of the prestigious design award’s Historic Collection as a “national heritage”.

Designed by Makio Hasuike, this revolutionary excellence is characterized also by the unmistakable “Tonda Sign”, a multicoloured cloud born from the talent of Michele Provinciali, presented at the Triennale di Milano.

The Sign, made of a few pastel colours horizontal stripes, has been realized by ABET LAMINATI using the digital printing technology, which enhances tones and shades. The “dress” wraps the Tonda’s bodywork with its soft hues: the metaphor of the joy of the senses. In the best ice-cream parlour of more than fifty countries in the world, Tonda is the synthesis of Italian taste, research and technology, ambassadress of the “Made in Italy” as part of the Farnesina Design Collection.

NORI is made by pRaL^® and is available in white colour.
pRaL^® is obtained by combining a natural mineral with an acrylic polymer, it is mouldable and warm and soft to the touch, but very strong.
Coloured in its paste, so beyond the surface too, pRaL^® is available in different colours and the tones can be customized.

HAB has been produced in different versions using white Stratificato FULL-COLOUR, Stratificato COLOUR-ALL white-aluminium and Stratificato BLACK-ALL black-aluminium.

The Stratificato Print HPL is a self-supporting material which offers excellent functional qualities; it is very resistant and maintains its aesthetic and performance characteristics for the entirety of its life cycle.
ABET LAMINATI Stratificato can be manufactured in more than 500 decors, 30 finishes, 8 sizes and different thicknesses.

Both characterized by the quality that distinguishes every ABET LAMINATI product, pRaL^® and Stratificato are the perfect solution to realize refined design objects.

A highly traditional pencil handed out at exhibitions by Cibo nv as a give-away, brought a client with pronounced green expectations to the showroom. Sustainability and adherence to the Cradle to Cradle (C2C) principle were key factors for the interior design of his new build home. During the first exploratory talk, the nesting box made out of TEFOR® recycled laminate and which was handed out by Abet Laminati at the Interieur 2010 Biennale in Kortrijk (Belgium), was standing in the background. Not for long however as Pieter Van Hecke, Cibo nv managing director, took his inspiration from the material to design a highly individual kitchen.

TEFOR® based on recycled laminate and plastic

Towards the end of the eighties Abet Laminati developed and patented TEFOR® sheets based on recycled laminate and plastic: it was a revolutionary idea, long before environmentalism attracted mainstream attention and “eco labels” came about. TEFOR® is the first sheet material that is infinitely recyclable in its entirety. Because the various Abet Laminati manufacturing facilities are centralised at one location in Bra (Northern Italy), manufacturing waste can be collected and reprocessed as a raw material (“waste = food” principle) without any additional impact on the environment, as opposed to the usual incineration or disposal in landfill of manufacturing waste. Abet Laminati has had a unique product line set up for this purpose. TEFOR® is an extruded sheet, available in a standard 305 x 130 cm size and in thicknesses varying between 1 and 4 mm. Maximum sheet width is 187 cm. TEFOR® sheets are moisture-resistant, they can be thermoformed and are 100% recyclable after use, which maintains a perfectly closed raw material loop. TEFOR® is currently used mainly as a robust interior lining for the sides of the load bay on delivery vans and light goods vehicles, which transforms them as if by magic into travelling shops or mobile workshops for the tradesman. Abet Laminati supplies TEFOR® in 8 different colours. It was Abet Laminati’s intention at the Interieur 2010 Biennale in Kortrijk, using the nesting box made out of TEFOR® to give an impetus to having environmental responsibility develop from design creativity. Mission accomplished, as Pieter Van Hecke testified with his Cibo team.

Environmental contrast effect

Pieter Van Hecke decided to build the taut, modern but above all sustainable kitchen required by the client in TEFOR® recycled laminate on the inside and a strongly contrasting white Print HPL Stratificato Full-Colour solid sheet on the outside. In view of the fact that TEFOR® expands considerably on account of temperature fluctuations, combining these two laminate types required thorough consideration. Adhesive bonding was ruled out from the outset, so other assembly techniques underwent thorough testing by Cibo nv in consultation with Abet Laminati in order to achieve the optimum end result.

Finally, nailing and screwing were rejected in favour of opting for setting up and clamping the TEFOR®. The TEFOR® sheets utilised were 1.5 mm and attached to solid timber coming together to make up the bodies of the kitchen units. Norway spruce was selected for the solid timber as it is also consistent with the Cradle to Cradle principle. The various component parts are clamped together rather than bonded with adhesive, in order to safeguard the 100% recyclability prerequisite.

Cibo nv developed suitable bending tooling in-house in order to enable the TEFOR® sheets to be fitted around the Norway spruce frame and shelves by applying heat. The entire cabinet assembly is in the form of a timber skeleton structure. This process required that the utmost care be exercised in setting the speed of the saw in order to avoid damage. Furthermore, the TEFOR® sheets proved to allow too much air through when vacuum was applied by the sawing machine, which gave rise to an ingenious solution. The back wall of the kitchen area is also finished in TEFOR®. The drawers were selected from the Blum range, which were then “made sustainable” with the TEFOR® component. The cutlery drawers were lined with black felt. The cabinet fronts are made of 10 mm thick white Print HPL Stratificato Full-Colour hung on three hinges in each case. The same material is also used for the worktop, in which the extractor is concealed (extractor hood in work surface). All cabinet fronts are configured without handles. The integration of control knobs of the Gaggenau hobs shows particular refinement and craftsmanship, providing the white Print HPL Stratificato Full-Colour solid sheets with a finishing touch.

The many storage cabinets in the kitchen are discreetly concealed behind room height doors, also finished in matt white Print HPL Stratificato Full-Colour solid sheets.

An absolute masterpiece by Pieter Van Hecke and his Cibo team!

Cradle to Cradle principle

Michael Braungart can lay claim to being the originator of the Cradle to Cradle principle (C2C). He was born in 1958 in Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany and is a scientist specialising in chemistry. In his youth he was on the barricades for Greenpeace.

In 2002 he published ‘Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things’, a visionary book, jointly with William Andrews McDonough, a US architect and founder of the William McDonough + Partners firm of Architects. Cradle to Cradle views waste as a raw material, food for the future of our planet which is only on loan to us as inhabitants, not owned by us. This places the responsibility on us to leave a planet to subsequent generations that is not stripped of raw materials and which passes on to those who come after us at least the same resources as those which were available to us.

Michael Braungart emphasises that C2C is very different from acting in a CO2-neutral manner and reducing the environmental impact. It is precisely about cutting out the environmental impact. C2C is also an economic concept rather than one just limited to the environment. C2C sees materials as a ‘service’ that we use rather than consuming raw materials. With C2C material is not discarded as waste at the end, but recovered and preferably returned to the natural environment whence we extracted the raw materials. C2C aims for a closed loop and intends to be harmless to our living environment.

If we look at the natural environment, we see that trees have a positive footprint, because they contribute towards improving air quality despite the polluted air they absorb. In Michael Braungart’s view, buildings should lay down a positive footprint just like trees do.

C2C is actually a scientific project in itself. It is mainly about improving the right things by tackling them differently, whereas at present progress is being made primarily by doing ‘less badly’.

Interior architecture reduced to the essence

For Vittorio Simoni the introduction of architecture into an empty space is the essence of interior architecture. For him, the given situation is always the launch pad for the creative process and the ensuing search for solutions. It has become second nature for him to intuitively gauge the given situation and let ideas grow from there. A good interior design needs to seek a fine balance between aesthetics, practical workability and optical effects.

‘Situational architecture’ as Vittorio Simoni calls it, was once again the perfect approach to apply to the space he was invited to work with on the ninth floor of the Antwerp Museum Aan de Stroom, also known as MAS. ‘Following the latest development in international circles, Antwerp now also wanted a culinary masterpiece to crown its newest museum,’ Vittorio Simoni tells us. ‘The top floor is actually entirely separate from the museum. It consisted of a large space with a central block housing the entrance, lifts and sanitary facilities. They wanted to split the floor into two businesses, the two star restaurant ‘t Zilte of Viki Geunes and on the other side a multipurpose room for parties and private functions that would share the kitchen with the restaurant.’

Vittorio Simoni let the given situation smoulder and spark in his imagination and then designed a detailed scenario for the interior architecture. ‘It’s almost like making a movie: each scene is precisely defined in advance so that all is left is to record the shots and mount them together into the final cut,’ the architect explains.

Space Architecture

Neutelings Riedijk Architecten (Rotterdam, NL), after being awarded the design commission for MAS, did not opt for panoramic windows on this highest of floors, as one might expect, but, on the contrary, designed a series of vertical windows and wall sections spaced along at a rhythm marking 90 centimetres. A wooden strip runs along the top of the windows. The height of the room on the highest floor of MAS is 6 metres.

This inspired Vittorio Simoni to design a modelled shape that follows the rhythm of the windows. In this composition of shapes, that serve the aesthetics as well as the circulation and function of the room, a bar takes pride of place, with the ‘service-cabinet’ hidden away, out of sight.

The part of this custom-made furniture that is visible to the public is finished with Print HPL colour 868 from the ‘Touched by Colours’ collection by Abet Laminati. The Print HPL colour 868 ‘Grigio Medio’ was used here with a combination of ‘Longline’ and ‘Microline’ surface structures. The choice of Print HPL panels by Abet Laminati has two key things going for it: the great look as well as the facility of maintenance. Into the space and leaning against the central block, a slightly elevated lounge has been created, to provide maximum visibility of the outside view. The lines of the shapes against the windows seamlessly match the constructions in the space.

The kitchen is positioned strategically to allow service of the restaurant as well as the party room. A conveyor belt has been installed on the side of the party room to be able to handle large numbers of dishes efficiently. Towards the restaurant a highly open architecture has been employed. This gives chef Viki Geunes an excellent overview of the state of affairs in his restaurant. A transparent wine climate cabinet with three temperature zones is another real eye catcher in the space.

Twinkling over the Schelde

Vittorio Simoni also came up with the total lighting concept for the top floor of the MAS. ‘Considering the height of the party room, elegant chandeliers were the first obvious choice, but all the light points that were already present, inspired something more creative than that and allowed the germination of a different design of my own,’ he elaborates. Vittorio Simoni found transparent, undulating acrylic sheets with twinkling glitter incorporated in them. On the ceiling all the necessary fixtures for spot rails were already furnished. By hanging the acrylic sheets on the ceiling and lighting them with the spots, they are transformed into twinkling chandeliers with a decidedly new twist.

The lighting in the restaurant also was not to detract from the fascinating play of light that unfolds outside in the evenings. The interior lighting dims when it gets darker outside and the light design draws attention there. Vittorio Simoni commissioned a light management system with various programmes to follow the course of an evening that influences the intensity and the colour of the lighting. The global lighting of the space has been completed with LEDs.

Art up and down

For the MAS, an artwork by Luc Tuymans has been integrated into the tiles of the square outside. This is an immense natural-stones mosaic of 1,600 square metres, entitled Dead Skull. It can only properly be admired in full from the vantage point of the ninth floor of the building. This inspired Vittorio Simoni to also do something with art in the restaurant, with the strict stipulation that it must add value to the setting as a whole. Koen Van den Broek was involved as an artist to develop a mural painting. He proposed a collage with elements of his most recent works. The idea was immediately embraced as the house style of the restaurant. The colourful elements present on the walls repeat on the edges of the plates, menus, etc. The usual tablecloth has been replaced by large charger plates that again repeat the artistic elements.

No coincidences

Vittorio Simoni has paid attention to every last detail in the design for this restaurant. All the furniture is custom made. The tables radiate pure class, the tops finished in root wood veneer.

The restaurant also has a balcony that on fine weather days can be the perfect place to partake in before-dinner drinks. To furnish this area Vittorio Simoni designed three different organic shapes that serve as seating blocks.

The architectural interpretation of the space designed by Vittorio Simoni has resulted in a very cosmopolitan look – this interior would look equally perfect in New York, London, Sydney… And in the same stroke it outdistances the trendy interiors that will suffer from the passing of time. This is a mature interior, thoroughly immune to fleeting fashions.

Family portrait by the sea

Photographer and film-maker friend Dimitri van Zeebroeck, who took the shot two years earlier, was brought in again. In order to give even more strength to the desired effect, he dug up an old Kodak box camera, a very simple little camera, little more than a ‘box’ with a hole in it that acts as a lens. This aspect, along with the inescapably long exposure time of as much as 3 minutes, would ensure a ‘fuzzy’ effect was achieved. Dimitri van Zeebroeck himself is very keen on working in black and white which suited Pat Heylen perfectly for the intended result, since combined with the haziness of the photo, the final image on the façade would turnout less obtrusive. “Exposing oneself on the photo and the hermetic nature of the façade bring about an fascinating contradiction” claims Pat Heylen.The image was set up accurately in order to be able to achieve the subsequently desired positioning on the façade. “The idea of using a photo had very considerable consequences” recalls Pat Heylen. “Thus we could not choose a sectional door for the garage. Moreover, the different thickness of the doors forced us to incorporate the photo in the MEG Digital Print sheets at different thicknesses as well: 6 mm for the garage and 8 mm for the bicycle storage”.The photo was aligned relative to the façade to provide the optimum effect in order then to be cut up into jigsaw puzzle pieces to go into production at Abet Laminati. Pat Heylen: “The surfaces needed to fit together with the utmost accuracy since the smallest discrepancy would subsequently be amplified to an intrusive extent. Apparently straight lines suddenly bulge and need to be straightened again. The concealed fixing of the jigsaw puzzle surfaces also demands the utmost care”.

These MEG Digital Print sheets are the first application for Abet Laminati in which a photo has been applied to a particular dwelling. In a European competition, the manufacturer of the garage door used here – Hörmann – nominated the original installation in this project one of the ten finest in Europe.

MEG Digital Print HPL façade sheets

In an exhibition space rich of materials to appreciate and touch, technology and design join together to create a harmonious whole which involves the visitor and catalyzes the attention on aesthetics and functionality, peculiarities of ABET laminates and P.L. products,  both stressed by this distinguished space.

Your are kindly invited to visit us Hall 9, Stand A33-B30

In the mid-nineties specialist wine merchant Nicolas Francart witnessed a rapid shift of wine sales to warehouse chains of major retailers. He noticed at the same time that true wine lovers were directing their efforts increasingly towards cherishing their bottles in optimum conditions and enjoying them not only by tasting, but also experiencing them in a different way. Nicolas Francart saw that there was scarcely any supply in existence and set up a new company, Degré 12 – a reference to the recommended storage temperature for wines – concentrating on the design, manufacture and complete finishing of wine cellars as spaces to be experienced.
“In some cases the architect for a luxury home would include the wine cellar in the project, in others it would be the wine lovers themselves who were experimenting, seeking out ideas to give their wine experience that added dimension” recalls Nicolas Francart. “We knew from our experience as wine merchants that developing a wine cellar involves a great deal more than an eye for an enticing design. In actual fact it is a highly complex item in which climate control and lighting have a major part to play”.

A wine cellar is basically a functional item. Its purpose is to keep the wine and allow it to age in optimum conditions. Relative humidity, temperature, any odours present and the risks of mould or mildew growth are all factors which need to be allowed for in the design. Not every timber species is suitable for use in the ideal conditions for laying down wine. Degré 12 adds to the functional aspect the pleasure of seeing one’s wine aging in full view.

Dressing room for wine bottles

Degré 12 is targeting a global audience with its ‘wine cellar experience’ and is currently able to point to references in Monaco, the French Riviera, London and even Canada. The company has a full-time in-house designer and brings together all the specialisms for projects under one roof: climate control and electrical engineering, joinery and metal fabrication. Nicolas Francart: “at the top end of the building industry virtually every room is elaborated down to every detail nowadays: kitchens that can stand comparison with professional restaurant kitchens, breathtaking bathrooms, Elysian swimming pools or wellness palaces and so on. For someone who has just about everything, a private swimming pool and a wine cellar are the “nec plus ultra” of eye-catching features to be acquired!”

Degré 12 refers to it on occasion as a ‘dressing room for wine bottles’, since their creations present the riches in the cellar in the most attractive manner and attract admiration! Bottles of wine are elevated to treasured relics! The labels on the bottle are given added prominence by sophisticated displays and lighting.

Dreaming warmly recommended

Degré 12 designs wine cellars entirely in accordance with the customer’s wishes, the highest levels of finish being a constant in the process. “We bring design into the wine cellar without losing sight of the functional aspect, i.e. caring for the wine” states Nicolas Francart. “The wine cellar becomes a living space where guests are entertained or offers an attractive extension of the kitchen living space. The eye-catching effect is of course a major plus for the client”.

Degré 12 is well-versed in working with fine timber species such as wenge and padouk, but Nicolas Francart is constantly looking out for new materials and improved installation techniques. This led him to Abet Laminati.

Heaven on earth

The project shown here links an Elysian swimming pool and a large-screen multimedia system to an almost futuristic looking wine cellar that is revealed as a treasure-house. In addition it is all backed up by lighting controlled via home automation.

A custom-built stainless steel island in the centre of the room attracts attention, it has two built-in conditioned wine storage cabinets to keep two magnum bottles of champagne ready for drinking. The heart of the wine cellar is the climate control system. It is concealed entirely from view by a casing finished in Print HPL laminate with a natural stone look (Print HPL type I Finti No. 561 with “Climb” surface texture). In addition to the climate control system there are concealed trays built into it in which outsize bottles are laid.

The periphery of the space is filled in meticulously with storage modules for 12 bottles each – 2 x 3 deep, spread over two levels. Each module consists of a central tray, a sheet of glass with a slight black tint above it, which provides a view of the bottles and a cover panel dropping down from it concealing another 6 bottles behind. The cover is made of black pRaL^® Solid Surface Material (colour No. 2017) that does not show any seams at all thanks to a special adhesive technology. It also acts as a concealed handle. The storage modules are supported by a steel skeleton and the fronts are designed to be replaceable such that the appearance of the wine cellar can be changed relatively easily.

The bottles on top of the tray rest on very fine laths, which makes it look as if the bottles are floating above the surface and enables the back-lighting to caress the bottles all round.

A uniformly illuminated wall controlled from a home automation system stretches out behind the storage modules. LEDs with lens specially developed for this application are fitted at the front of the trays in order to light up the label on the bottle with great precision.

The drawers need to open and shut very smoothly and above all without any shocks in order not to disturb the wine cellaring cycle. Degré 12 has developed a pneumatic variant as an option to a purely mechanical closing system. This dream world is rounded off with the drawers being controlled through an iPhone application.