Visit us at FOOD, WINE, DESIGN 2012

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www.foodwinedesign.co.za

Hyde Park Corner Shopping Centre Rooftop

Johannesburg, 23 – 25 November 2012

Opening times:

Friday 23 November: 12pm – 10 pm

Saturday 24 November: 10am – 10pm

Sunday 25 November: 10am – 4pm

RAW, together with GOET (www.goet.co.za), has a large display stand at this year’s Food Wine Design show. Apart from being a first of its kind in South Africa, this boutique outdoor market features the best local furniture designers/crafters, artisan products, top wine labels, micro breweries and speciality foods. We just love the easy atmosphere, this is a trade show where you actually feel like hanging around a bit longer. Expect to see new products from both brands and some show specials that add up to great value.

Finally a corporate gift that speaks of your company

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Tired of giving and receiving boring corporate gifts? The usual culprits come to mind… pens, key rings, torches, mugs, flash drives and golf ball bags, all nicely branded, yet of questionable quality. These usually end up broken or dumped in landfills before Christmas and leave you wondering why the gifter even bothered.

We believe that the gift should reflect something of the core values of the company. Some other big brands, such as VWSA, seem to agree with us and have chosen our Standup™ product for corporate gifting.

  
The Standup™ laptop stand was initially developed for two reasons: For use in our own studio as we mainly operate on laptops and as a promotional item which reflects our core design ethos and company values. The idea was to create an object, which although simple and elegant, is also functional and healthy, both to the user and the planet. Our work in glue-less, screw-less flat-pack design using sustainably sourced engineered materials, is well known, and this object epitomises that ideal. Utilizing a clever little twist joint that requires no tools to assemble, we create just enough structure to raise even the bulkiest of laptops to an ergonomic angle and raise the screen enough to improve the posture of the user considerably. Disassembly is just as easy as we’ve made it fully collapsible and conveniently clipped the bits together so you don’t lose them when you’re mobile.

Giving the Standup™ laptop and ipad stand says the following about your company:

* You care about the environment
* You support innovation
* You support local design and manufacture.

 

What others say about Standup™:
http://www.lovedetail.co.za/2011/favorite-object_may-2011/

How to assemble Standup™:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9A1ueJZpM4Q

What others say about Raw Studios™:
http://www.theprettyblog.com/2012/04/raw-wood-furniture-giveaway/

TRESSEL XL. On special until end of 2012

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SPECIAL OFFER:

Normal price R 6,900- incl.
Special price R 6,400- incl.

Supersize me… We hear you!

Raw has, over the last year, had numerous requests from clients to create a full lenght (8 seater) version of our best selling Tressel™ table. By further developing the already existing Tressel™ Boardroom table we are proud to present this 8 seater dining table to the public. Enhancements from the standard Tressel™ include a thicker top, thicker legs and on the whole the unit is easier to assemble. As a welcome consequence of the size of the top, 2000mm x 1100mm, we have minimized wastage on the raw material and can now offer these at the very competitive price of R 6,900- for the natural and R 7,400- for the white (smooth laminate) finish.

Tressel XL Boardroom Table

Tressel™ XL …… the perfect combination between value and elegance.

 

Rollo Stool – Coming Soon

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When development started on the Rollo stool we had two clear aims that we wanted to achieve. Firstly, it had to be a true flat-pack object that was quick to assemble, using only the inherent strength properties of the birch plywood and no mechanical fixings. Secondly, it had to be so efficiently produced that we could offer it at a very competitive price.

To achieve this we employed a “stress” joint developed months earlier for a much smaller object, scaled this up and started prototyping and tweaking through a series of models until we were happy with the integrity of the jointed construction. Form followed innovation in this case, as we set to work on a series of experimentations in form while constantly being aware of optimal material usage. Discovering that we could produce another new product on the same piece of material, utilizing the areas that would normally be wasted during the machining process, meant that we achieved increased efficiency and lower cost per unit.

Rollo will be ‘tested’ on the public during the Food Wine Design Fair (23 – 25 November 2012, Hyde Park Corner Shopping Centre Rooftop). We are obviously hoping for lots of good (or bad) feedback to guide us in further development.

Raw is branching out

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takke

The latest addition to the Raw product family is Takke, an Afrikaans word for ‘tree branches’.

You may well ask what this “Takke” we are alluding to is? “Takke” is a wall-mounted coat rack with its shape and form inspired by and derived from the simplified silhouettes of tree branches. The branch structure lends itself naturally to the shaping of hooks and hanging spaces. These natural hooks and hangers are what attracted our attention initially and formed the biggest inspiration for the design. Precedents for coat rack design are readily available. Few acknowledge the origins of the design. We aim to rectify this.

Inherently the shape of tree branches does not lend itself to a modular simplistic design, nor to the cost-effective use of materials, but at Raw Studios our design philosophy is driven by such essential goals.

We considered the various aspects of the designs and combined them with the instinctive jointing techniques we make use of. The product that finally emerged is esthetically pleasing and functional. It also boasts of exceptional economical use of materials and resources.

Once Takke is officially launched in all its varying configurations, we believe this product will successfully branch out into many interiors and into people’s hearts.

Agriculture School Cool

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Raw’s lecture hall seating system has found another home at the new School of Agriculture building at the historical University of Fort Hare in Alice, Eastern Cape. Designed by Edward Peinke from Ngonyama Okpanum & Associates it reflects a crisp modern interior to match the exterior, with eco features such as innovative natural ventilation and intelligent lighting systems. Our seating system was specked early on in the project for its simple ruggedness, quick installation turnaround times, modern look and green credentials. This is one cool building on a tight budget for a modern School of Agriculture.

[See more photos here...]

 

Excerpt from an article by Edward Peinke.

The University of Fort Hare in Alice required a new auditorium primarily for its expanding School of Agriculture, but also to serve as a fully connected video conference facility for other events.

The entrance to the building was defined by a block that facilitates movement in all directions, primarily from the main pedestrian walkway running past the building’s façade, while also connecting from the first level bridge of the existing building and accessibility ramp. Internally this node facilitates movement up to the foyer area and to the ablutions below. The auditorium space features tall windows with blinds that face southward to allow natural diffused light into the space and is supplemented by energy efficient lighting that can be controlled according to the required use. Furthermore the acoustics and sightlines have been well considered, creating an intimate space that is able to accommodate as many as 350 students or up to 400 if need be on a flexible, robust and sustainable seating system designed by Raw Studios. World-class technology has been incorporated into the building, including fingerprint readers, wireless internet, interactive smart boards and video conferencing facilities.

Rather than forcing a disposition upon the project, the design was allowed to evolve from its context, requirements and collaborations. The result is a building that subtly, but clearly communicates its intentions, while relating appropriately to its surroundings.

Edward Peinke
M Arch Pr Arch

Look and feely coffee experience…

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Tribeca Campus

In conjunction with the brilliant design team at EarthWorld architects and Jacques Coetzer, artist and illustrator extraordinaire, Raw played an important role in the realization of TriBeCa Campus, a new restaurant coffee shop on the Tuks Campus in Pretoria. Tribeca Coffee Company is a long-standing client of Raw, and once again we were the go-to people for the shop fitting joinery and loose furniture fittings at this new student hotspot. Printing the artwork straight onto the birch plywood really created an effect that optimizes the “retro” look and “holiday” feel of their brand. Since its opening three weeks ago, the place has been packed to capacity and the stream of punters doesn’t seem to be letting up. Tribeca’s ethos of quality products and attention to detail (even if that does cost more initially) certainly makes economic sense in the long run.

[See more photos here...]

 

How green are Raw Studios products really?

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We pride ourselves on being an environmentally responsible company and this is evident in our approach to design, raw materials procurement and manufacturing processes. However, since the Green Building Council South African does not test, review or certify products or materials, we have decided to compile a fact sheet to help prospective users to ascertain for themselves our commitment to sustainable business practices.


Read the fact sheet here.
 

Double take at Decorex JHB 2012

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We have two collaborations going at Decorex Johannesburg 2012. “Decorex Designer collection with Raw Studios” was initiated by Decorex itself to bring some of the coolest designers and craftsmen’s work to the public’s attention, and Raw Studios was asked to ‘house’ them using our popular Ikonik™ woodlockers. Ikonik™ is our take on the traditional steel locker, produced exclusively from Finnish Birch Plywood (even the hinges) and as the name suggests, it has become a very popular must-have object to the public.

“Decorex Designer collection with Raw Studios” can be found in Hall 5, stand E77 and an absolute ‘must visit’ whatever you do this year at Decorex. The exhibition runs from 8-12 August 2012 and you stand the chance of winning a Raw Standup™ laptop stand if you swing by to enter. Standup™, the laptop stand you can hardly do without, is also on sale at the stand.

 

 

PIA – Pretoria Institute for Architects – was the first to adopt our (still under development) klik FS system as they don’t mind being guinea pigs for innovation. We kitted out their stand at the Green Building Expo in July and now again at Decorex Jhb. “It looks fantastic and works even better than expected” were the comments from PIA management and the public at the Green Building Expo. We are sure it will be a hit once again at Decorex. Visit the PIA at Stand G11 in Hall 2 as they exhibit the best that South African Architecture has to offer. Raw and PIA will continue to collaborate throughout the year on expos and the like..

 

 

 

 

DECOREX JOBURG  2011 AWARD
Most Innovative Product
Winner: RAW™ Studios

“Each of the products of RAW Studios’ stand can be considered for an innovation award. From the Toasti heater to the new line of office furniture- RAW Studios is the design force to watch. That’s why the judges decided to award RAW Studios’ whole portfolio of products with the award for the most innovative on show. The stand clearly mirrors the RAW design philosophy: well detailed, but nothing superfluous. Everything has a purpose.”  Decorex Jury

Klik FS™: Free… and still standing

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New Klik Free Standing System

New Klik Free Standing System

We get it! …… An important part of innovation is listening to clients’ needs (and fears). As Raw has always been obsessed with making things easier for users, it is just natural that our systems should constantly evolve. Apart from the small tweaks we perform for our larger projects, we at times make substantial changes or add features to our workhorse systems, effectively creating something new and infinitely more useful while retaining the essence of what made the system so popular.

An example of this was when we started brainstorming the idea of creating a freestanding version of our most popular product, the Klik™ storage system. By adding two well balanced, cnc manufactured steel legs to the side of the backing board and holding it all together with laser-cut plates that slide into the steel profile, we then allowed gravity do the rest of the work.

By making the Klik™ system freestanding, we effectively lower the threshold for clients who feel they don’t want to bother with fixing that beautifully crafted backing board to the wall or feel they are not DIY savvy enough to wield an impact drill. But it is more involved than just that. We have widened the range of applications of the Klik™ system. We can now transform this already super adaptable and useful system into a fully fledged office system with reiterations already prototyped for modular partitioning, workstations, collaborative spaces and hot desking pods.

Klik™ has been used in private, commercial and retail environments with great results, plus the range of components available is constantly increasing in number and evolving in use. Please watch this space as Klik FS will be going into production in the next month or so and is set to excite the modular furniture market.