selected projects

selected projects
hallloo
relumine
the idea of a tree
trapped flies
framed
gradient mashrabiya
realLimited
drawing time
collective works
knowledge–tools–memory
reversed volumes
it takes more than one
day by day
ephemerā
cuprum/positive-negative
about
Katharina Mischer and
Thomas Traxler form Studio
mischer‘traxler. Based in Vienna
they develop and design products, furniture, installations and
more, with a focus on experiments,
context and conceptual thinking.
Balancing between hand craft and
technology, they envision whole
systems, processes and new production methods that indicate sustainability and the relevance of nature.
Part of their Design process is to
examine, experiment, analyse and
reject. This critical view questions
and affects the relation between
object and user or observer. “Why
and what for” are often the main
concerns before a new project
comes into being, whilst “What if”
ceases in new inter-pretations and
different possibilities. Their Results
often make use of unexpected
materials and are often characterized by external inputs, for example
the condition of the weather or the
usage of the existing.
After graduating from the IMmasters department at the Design
Academy Eindhoven and several
years of collaboration,
Katharina and Thomas founded
Studio mischer‘traxler in 2009.
Their work won the Austrian
Experimental Design Award 2009,
the Wu Guanzhong Art & Science
Innovation Award, the DMY Award
2009 and was shortlisted for the
Brit Insurance Designs of the
year 2010 Award. Exhibitions on
contemporary Design displayed
their projects in Museums
including the Boijmans van Boiningen Rotterdam, the Design
Museum London and the Triennale
Milano, as well as on International
new media Art Festivals. Projects by
mischer’traxler are in the permanent collections of the Art institute
Chicago, the MAK Vienna and the
Vitra Design Museum. They have
been invited to lecture and give
workshops in various institutes and
Universities in Austria and Europe.
In 2011 studio mischer’traxler was
honoured with the ‘W-hotels
designer of the future award’ by
Design Miami/Basel and W-hotels
and in 2014 they received the
‘be-open young talent’- award.
Since Januray 2014 they are
leading the master course ‘European Design Lab’ at IED Madrid.
Katharina and Thomas are active
members of ‘Dunbar’s Number’.
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“ mischer´traxler brings experimental
research to industrial production, pushing
manufacturing to new limits. Their talent
for humanizing design and introducing
creativity into everyday objects shows that
they truly understand what the future of
design will be.”
- the jury of the be open-young talent award -
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material: various lamp parts,
electronics, glass
dimensions: various
limited edition of 30 + 3 AP
relumine
for design and art gallery
The start of this project was a focus on light
sources. Instead of completely designing a
newly shaped lamp, 'relumine' plays on the
fact that we all have to switch from old light
bulbs to new energy saving light sources.
Each 'relumine' uses two, discarded lamps,
which are disassembled, sanded, newly
lacquered and adapted with newer technology, before they are connected by a glass tube
which holds a fluorescent tube.
By introducing a different mean of light source
to the old lamps, their look and feel changes
completely. They become one new unit, each
with its own character.
Equipped with T5 fluorescent tubes with 21or
28 Watts as a light source, these two lamps
need less energy than each one in its previous
life.
old parts are sanded and newly
lacquered
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01 ‘Jordan & Timaeus’
02 ‘Rosmarie & Anton’
03 discarded lamps
04 technical tests for the lamps
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relumine | 2010 | unique pieces | for design and art – michael turkiewicz | mischer'traxler
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click for movie
the idea of a tree
'The idea of a tree' is an autonomous production process which combines natural input
with a mechanical process. It is driven by solar
energy and translates the intensity of the
sun through a mechanical apparatus into one
object a day. The outcome reflects the various
sunshine conditions that occur during this
day. Like a tree the object becomes a three
dimensional recording of its process and time
of creation.
The machine 'Recorder One' starts producing
when the sun rises and stops when the sun
settles down. After sunset, the finished object
can be 'harvested'. It slowly grows the object,
by pulling threads through a colouring device,
a glue basin and finally winding them around
a mould. The length/height of the resulting object depends on the sun hours of the day. The
thickness of the layer and the colour is depending on the amount of sun-energy.
more sun = thicker layer and paler colour
less sun = thinner layer and darker colour
materials ‘recorder one’:
stainless steel construction on
a wooden trolley, solar panels,
electronic components, various
mechanical parts
dimensions: 145 x 65 x 185 cm
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The concept of introducing natural
input into a serial production
process suggests a new way of looking at locality. This 'industrialized
locality', is not so much about local
culture, craftsmanship or resources,
instead it deals with climatic and
environmental factors of the process' surrounding.
On the equator, for example, the objects would always have the same
height/length, whilst in North- and
Middle Europe, the seasons help
shaping the objects.
In countries with a lot of rain the
objects would be darker and
thinner whilst in sunnier regions
the objects would be paler but
thicker.
the idea of a tree | 2008 ongoing | production process of unique pieces | mischer'traxler
The process is not just reacting on
different weather situations, but
also on shadows happening in the
machine’s direct surrounding. Each
cloud and each shadow becomes
important for the look of the final
object. Various the 'idea of a tree' objects are possible.
‘The idea of a tree’ is an idealistic
vision on how machines combined
with nature can produce great
results - an idea of industrial halls
with daylight and manufacturing
within natural rhythms.
01 ‘industrialised locaity’ :
the objects’ lenghts is depending on the seasons,
thus the production site has an influence on the
various outcomes
02 detail of ‘recorder one’
03 drawing of ‘recorder one’
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04 how trees react to their surroundings
05 similarity between the year-rings of a tree and
the structure of the finished ‘the idea of a tree’ - objects
06 visualisation of how to ‘read’ from the object
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the idea of a tree | 2008 ongoing | production process of unique pieces | mischer'traxler
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07 lamps and bench
08 rocking-bench
09 sideboard
materials ‘the idea of atree’ - objects:
recycled cotton, custom mixed alcohol based - colour,
glue, fiberglass, resin
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the idea of a tree | 2008 ongoing | production process of unique pieces | mischer'traxler
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click for movie
trapped flies
for austrian cultural forum rome
If you trap a fly in a glass, it will try to escape
and fly against the glass wall. When doing
so, it emits the sound of the glass itself. Each
glass, depending on its shape and thickness,
will give a specific tone in a certain volume.
The installation ‘trapped flies’ consists of 52
different glasses, each with an artificial fly.
Together they are programmed to create a
swarm-like behaviour and soundscape. The
‘flies’ are connected to a motor via a thin string,
which gives them the freedom to ‘fly’ and hit
the glass randomly and lifelike. A little concert
by 52 flies.
‘trapped flies’ was initially designed on the
occasion of the exhibition ‘DOS - Designing
Sound Objects’ curated by Domitilla Dardi
and Elisabetta Pisu and organized by the IMF
foundation.
material: 52 glasses, 52 DC-motors with
attached plastic flies, wooden shelf,
custom electronics
dimensions: 160 x 40 x 210 cm
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trapped flies | 2013 | sound - installation| for austrian cultural forum rome | mischer'traxler
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01 trapped flies - whole shelf
02 detail of one fly in a glass
03 starting sketch
“It is a surreal simulation
that explores the boundaries
between natural and artificial
sounds and between movement
and stillness.”
- Domitilla Dardi -
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material: solid oak, grey stain, fabric
dimensions: variable
framed
for kvadrat
‘Framed’ for Kvadrat’s Hallingdal 65 -Project,
celebrates and highlights the classic
Hallingdal 65 fabric by framing it. Several
sheets of fabric are clamped within wooden
frames and form colourful elements of
furniture, like the backside of a shelf or the
upholstery of a bench.
Since the fabric itself is very beautiful, it is
kept as pure as possible and held in position
through pressure and friction. Using pressure
and friction has the advantage of easy changeability, as the fabrics can be swapped without
complicated handling. Moreover it allows
complete disassembly in all different material
components for recycling. Grey is chosen for
the wooden structure to ensure that the fabrics
are the only colourful ingredients for the
furniture. Like in a three dimensional collage
the pieces of cloth are roughly positioned in
a light and playful way. The resulting interior
objects emphasize the used fabric as the main
component and allow flexible arrangements of
layers and colours.
cutting the textiles
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01 set up sketch and colour arrangement
02 detail of the clamped fabric
03 first sketches
04 scale models 1:2
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framed | prototypes| 2012 | for kvadrat | mischer'traxler
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sideboard table and all the ~650 single
parts setup at Design Days Dubai
material: oak
dimensions: 146 x 37 x 89 cm
gradient mashrabiya
commissioned by carwan gallery
mischer’traxler was teamed up by Carwan
Gallery with an expert woodworker in
Lebanon to redefine the constructive system
of the traditional mashrabiyas - delicate
wooden window screens often found in North
African and Middle Eastern architecture.
Inspired by the process of lathing the small
wooden parts of mashrabiyas, mischer’traxler
focused on exposing the many steps of production, to make the craftsmen’s work visible and
understandable to the observer.
The result - a sideboard table - is composed of
a network of more than 650 distinct pieces of
manually carved wood. From rectangular slats
to refined decorative elements, all stages of
production are visible within the one object. It
becomes increasingly more defined, detailed
and fragile, but at the same time progressively
more three-dimensional.
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gradient mashrabiya | 2012 | limited edition | commissioned by carwan gallery | mischer'traxler
01 inspiration: all the steps of lathing a single
element for a traditional mashrabiya
02 some of the pieces used in
‘gradient mashrabiya’
03 console table | detail of the three-dimensional
structure
04 work in progress
05 top view hightlights the gradual changes
mind map - research to the
theme of affluent society
realLimited
The main idea is to get inspired
from these limitation, to start
using and revitalizing them and
to encourage their further being
(applicable to craftsmanship,
products of rare domestic
animals,..) or to mirror and
interpret the limitation, if use
is not directly possible. (wild
nature, resources....) ‘RealLimited’
should show that Design can be
functional, good and beautiful,
not just in an object, but also for
the idea it stands for.
realLimited wild nature:
In the first executed ‘realLimited’project endangered species
are translated into limited
editions of products. Each single
product, or element of a product,
represents one individual being.
A percentage of the money
generated by selling the limited
editions goes to environmental
projects that try to save the
selected species. Ideally the
editions of products would be
re-edited every few years,
mirroring the species
development. If the population
increases in number, the edition
does as well. So far the limited
fungi shelf and the limited
moths lamp are outcomes of this
concept.
real limited | limited fungi & limited moths | 2008 | system thinking |mischer'traxler
Inspired by limited editions, the
project ‘realLimited’ connects
limitation back to realistic facts.
‘RealLimited’ is about limited
editions that reflect limitations
in reality: untouched nature,
maintained traditions, old
craftsmanship, languages and
dialects...
realLimited can be applied to:
1.:wild nature
2.:old nearly forgotten techniques
and craftsmanship:
3.:endangered domestic animals,
plants and their products:
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material: conserved rotten wood,
tin fungi - casted and embossed,
metal wall mounting
dimensions: 190 x 30 x 5 cm
limited edition of 12 + 1 prototype
limited fungi
Limited fungi is part of the ‘realLimited’ series,
which points out limitations in reality. An
endangered Austrian fungi species is figured
in tin, growing on an old ‘rotten’ wooden
board.
Each tin mushroom is numbered and
represents one mushroom left in reality.
The number of the limited edition (12)
derives directly from nature. As there are
just estimated 200-250 individual fungi
of that species left in Austria, there will
be just 12 shelves. (on each 18-21 fungi). A
part of the generated money goes to the
project ‘Baumpension’ (retired tree) by the
Naturschutzbund Austria, which protects
old dying trees as habitat for fungi, moss
and insects. The idea is: by trying to save the
species, another shelf will be possible in some
years - from limited to unlimited
Species: kuehneromyces lignicola, rare
mushroom
Conservation status Austria: critically
endangered
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material: copper moths (waterjet-cut and
handrivetted), electronics
dimensions: 120 x 100 x 35 cm
limited edition of 4 + 1 prototype
limited moths
Limited moths is part of the ‘realLimited’
series, which points out Limitations in reality.
A rare Austrian moth species is portrait in
copper. As a huge swarm, the moths are flying
towards a light bulb.
Some single moths are placed randomly on
the wall. Each copper moth is numbered and
represents one moth left in reality.
Each swarm (lamp) is unique. The number of
the limited edition (4) derives directly from
nature. As there are just estimated 800-1100
individual moths of that species left in Austria,
there will be just four lamp installations.
A part of the generated money goes to the
project ‘Baumpension’ (retired tree) by the
Naturschutzbund Austria, which protects
old dying trees as habitat for fungi, moss
and insects. The idea is: by trying to save the
species, another lamp will be possible in some
years. Growing from limited to unlimited.
species: Marumba quercus, rare nocturnal
moth
conservation status Austria: critically
endangered
detail ‘limited moths‘ each moth is individually
numbered
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material: acrylic glass, custom made electronics,
motors, metal, electronic components, markers
dimensions: 58 x 46 x 15 cm
click for movie
drawing time
for listone giordano
‘Drawing time’ is a wall installation that
visually records the passage of time. It is a
clock that tells the time and by doing so draws
spirographical circles on the wall.
Each day two spirograph curves, one complex
outline for the passed minutes and one,
more simple one, for the passed hours. After
twenty-four hours the device moves randomly
to another spot on the wall and continues
recording its existence. This randomness is just
as the uncertainty of the future, leaving space
for surprises. Day by day the wall fills up with
the graphical patterns allowing to imagine
the slowly overlapping graphical composition
in some weeks, a year, a decade…A positive
thought of long term planning and a belief in
a future.
‘Drawing time’ was initially designed on the
occasion of the exhibition ‘This is My Forest:
The Harvest Cycle’, organised and supported
by Listone Giordano and curated by Barbara
Brondi and Marco Raino. The exhibition was
showing a selection of recent projects by
mischer’traxler.
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01 ‘drawing time’ on show
02 detail of the marker
03 after 24 hours - two circles
“ ‘Drawing Time’ invites us to
think about the various means of
perception through which all individuals record passing time and,
more specifically, the concepts of
growth,development, repetition and
proliferation referred to a definite
time span.”
- Barbara Brondi and Marco Raino -
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drawing time | 2011 | clock - installation | for listone giordano | mischer'traxler
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material machine: wood construction, electronic
components, various mechanical parts
dimensions: 160 x 80 x 115cm
baskets: oak veneer, glue, colour
dimensions: Ø45cm x max. 45cm
click for movie
collective works
commissioned by design miami/basel & w hotels
‘Collective works’ is a production
process which is just fully
functioning when people pay
attention to the producing
machine. Reacting to its audience,
the process translates the flow of
people into one object.
The resulting outcome varies in
colour and size just like the level
of interest is varying during the
time of production. As soon as
one person is coming close to the
machine, the production process
is started: A wooden 24mm wide
veneer-strip is pulled through a
glue basin and slowly coiled up
around a 20mm thick wooden base.
Since the turning platform with the
base moves downwards the veneer
strip slowly builds up a basket.
Once a second person joins to look
at the process, a light tone colour is
added via a marker onto the veneer.
The more people come to look at
the machine, the more markers
are activated, each with a gradient
darker tone. This goes up to four
markers, at the same time, staining
the veneer-strip black.
The interaction is possible
due to sensors in the frame of
the machine which detect the
audience. Depending on the overall
interaction time the baskets’
height is defined. The more often
somebody stops by to watch the
process, the higher the outcome
gets.
The machine directly reacts to each
observer and thus the outcome is
as well directly depending on the
audience. Each basket becomes
an unique record of the people’s
interest in the production. A basket
– a vessel used to collect something
becomes a collection of data by
itself. If nobody is interested in the
project, it stops producing at all.
This can be seen as ‘production on
interest.
’Collective works’ also questions
the relation between man and
machine. The audience is turned
into workers even tough their effort
is basically just their time they
spend with the machine - but time
is what most of us lack. Normally
many machines in factories just
need some technician to monitor
the production and suddenly
one machine needs audience to
produce colourful, vivid outcomes.
This project was initially de-veloped
for the ‘W-hotels designer of the
Future award’ exhibition at Design
Miami/ Basel in 2011.
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01 finished basket and color coding
02 three fiinished baskets
03 detail of marker drawing onto one basket
04 material tests
05 the machine producing a basket
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collective works | 2011 | production process of unique pieces | mischer'traxler
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material: wool, cotton threads
various materials for tools
dimensions: 120 x 205 cm
knowledge-tools-memory
The project ‘knowledge-toolsmemory’ deals about the making
and the reproduction of objects
and that the passing on basic
knowledge of how things are
made should not be neglected.
Even simple objects of daily use
like a sheet of paper or a blanket
are closely interlinked with the
resources they are made out of
and a series of production steps to
turn this material into the object.
If the general knowledge and
understanding of how to produce
objects fades, does this change our
relationship to them?
Each object in the ‘knowledgetools-memory’ series, serves its
function as a usable object, whilst
also briefly showing how it can
be reproduced from scratch.
Included in the design are the tools
which enable anyone to produce
a replication of the object, using
simple methods and materials.
With the tools and manuals being
such an integral part of the design,
the aesthetic of each object treads
the line between function and
decoration, whilst leaving space for
private memories to be added.
Nowadays, when technology,
printers, machines … take over
production in many clever and
genius ways, we should on the one
hand appreciate how much work
is made by these machines for us
and enjoy the possibilities, but
on the other hand we should not
completely forget what our hands
can do and how this knowledge
should not be lost, but can be
embedded in objects.
So far the collection of objects
consists of a sketchbook and a
woollen blanket.
graphics used on the blanket and
the sketchbook: Brigtte Höfler
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01 folded blanket in the bag
02 blanket and tools bag
03 graphics of the weaving instructions
04 parts of the sketchbook
05 detail of the sketchbook
material sketchbook: paper, kraftpaper,
cottton threads, various materials for tools
dimesion sketchbook: 21 x 24,5 x 5 cm
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knowledge-tools-memory | blanket & sketchbook | 2013 and 2014 | mischer'traxler
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material: food-safe resin
dimensions: Ø10 - 22cm
reversed volumes
for pcm design
Reversed Volumes is a collection of
bowls and plates that are shaped by
capturing the imprint of a fruit/vegetable/leaf.
For creating the Design, the organic
material was placed in an existing vessel
or on an existing plate and the void between the two, was filled up with casting
material. Once cast and dried, the natural
element is represented very detailed
from a new point of view. These imprints
are replicated as food-safe and water
proof resin objects, which can be used to
serve and present food.
All details of the natural elements are
captured precisely in these tabletop
items. The skin of fruits, the structures of
vegetables and the veins and wrinkles of
leaves are found in the bowls and on the
plates. The colours of Reversed Volumes
are defined by the fruit/vegetable/leaf
used for the initial creation. Together
they form a colourful representation of
natural diversity.
All reversed volumes are hand-crafted in
a semi industrial process in Spain.
casting a fennel
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01 testing various pigments
02 plates from casted leaves
03 various bowls
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reversed volumes | 2010 / 2013 | for pcm design | serial production | mischer'traxler
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it takes more than one
commissioned by design miami/basel & w hotels
‘It takes more than one’ is a mirror which
is just working if more than one person is
standing in front of it. The mirror appears
just white if one looks at it alone, but as soon
as another person is joining, it becomes
reflective and shows both persons in the
mirror.
‘It takes more than one’ -mirror was created to
a briefing asking for a project that fit to the
theme of ‘conversation pieces’. Conversations
are important to learn about oneself and to
define who you are. Through conversation
with others, one is able to discover oneself.
This was the starting point to develop a mirror
which visualizes that self reflection requires
interaction with others.
The shape of the leaning mirror represents two
single outlines that are overlapping each other.
The intersection of the two shapes turns from
a matt white surface to a mirror. Sensors in the
mirror’s frame detect how many people are in
front of it and switches the mirror on or off.
The project was realised on the occasion of
being one of the winners of the ‘W-hotels
designer of the future award and premiered at
Design Miami/Basel in June 2011.
material: mirror, glass, solid oak wood
custom made electronics
dimensions: 165 x 235 x 15cm
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01 the mirror when it is off
02 detail of the mirror
03 initial idea-visualisation
04 the mirror at ‘W-hotel’s
Designer of the future’ show at
Design Miami/Basel
it takes more than one | 2011 | commissioned by design miami/basel & w hotels | interactive installation| mischer'traxler
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day by day
view of half a rug
material: natural dyed wool
dimensions: 120 x 200 cm
for nodus
‘day-by-day’ is a hand knotted
rug which is designed to visualize
human labour and the working
time of one single weaver to
produce one carpet.
Each working day is translated by
the worker into the pattern of the
rug and by doing so, each piece
becomes as unique as its weaver
while at the same time unveiling
the exact amount of working days
per carpet.
Depending on the size and the
‘resolution’ of a carpet, it takes
several weeks to several months
to produce a hand-knotted carpet.
This amount of labour is often
underestimated and unnoticed.
The rug project ‘day by day’ makes
this labour visible and values it by
incorporating it into the design.
thicker, depending on the rug’s
shape, the working hours, and also
the daily condition of the worker –
a working diary, manifested in the
rug. To underline this, the carpet
carries a label with the name, age
and gender of the worker and the
start and finishing date.
‘Day by day’ is a production method
which can be applied to any size of
carpet. Each resulting rug will be
unique, representing the working
rhythm of the one worker knotting
it. The final rug shows exactly how
many days it took the worker to
knot the rug, thus also representing
the scale of human labour.
The polygon shaped carpet is using
a cell structure pattern as a basic
grid which is filled day by day with a
pair of colours. Every working-day,
the worker is using two different
colours to fill the pattern. This generates a coloured stripe, an abstract
record of the working day. Day by
day the carpet fills up with more
stripes for each day. Some stripes
will be thinner and some will be
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01
135 days of knotting
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01 two different sized rugs using the same
‘day by day’ principle
02 detail of one carpet
03 the raw pattern of a carpet before
04 weaver workimg on a ‘day by day’ - carpet
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day by day | 2013 | for nodus | production system | mischer'traxler
42 days of knotting
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table:
material: oiled oak, laser-cut veneer,
water-jet cut srping-steel species, various
mechanical pieces, motors, custom-made
electronics
dimensions: 304cm x 94cm x 95cm
click for movie
ephemerā
commissioned by perrier-jouët champagne
The project ‘ephemerā’ represents the
dialogue between mankind and nature
through three interactive kinetic furniture
pieces - a big oak table and two mirrors.
Nature is bound by momentum and instinct.
We have all experienced the reaction of a snail
when we lightly touch it, or if we approach a
wild animal. The snail instantly retracts, and
the creature runs away. We react to nature and
nature reacts to us, in an ongoing dialogue
that proves the other’s existence.
From a distance we can watch the species in
nature for a very long time and enjoy their
liveliness. This fleeting moment, and sense
of untouchable closeness is at the heart of
the Ephemerā installation. The installation
consists of a big oak table and two mirrors.
Observed from a distance the pieces’ floral
decoration appears alive. The plants grow
and move, following their own gentle
choreography. However, when someone
comes close, the plants and insects disappear.
mirrors:
material: oiled oak, screen, water-jet cut
steel species, various mechanical pieces,
motors, custom made electronics,
dimensions: 75cm x 130cm x 17cm
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Ephemerā interacts with the
audience, inviting participation,
discussion and questioning. Each
furniture piece uses traditional
craftsmanship and advanced
technologies to create a completely
new typology. The large, simple
table is inlaid with a complex
collection of botanical motifs on
its surface, a contemporary take
on marquetry. The chosen species
are based on existing ones, either
extinct, widely spread or newly
discovered. Each individual plant
or insect reacts if someone comes
too close, retreating into the table,
returning to be a functional and
simple object. The companion
mirrors hang from the walls. From
a distance one can see flowers grow
across the glass, up and even out of
the wooden frame, extending into
the room. On closer inspection, the
plant will retract, and the mirror
becomes, just a mirror. To enhance
the fact that the used botanical
shapes are based on reality, single
examples are also presented
together with basic information in
wooden frames in a museum-like
setting. The project is accompanied
by a book, which includes more
information on the chosen species
and explains why they were chosen
- conceptually and also technically.
The book is a mixture between a
brief biology-book and a project
documentation, including technical
details and backround information.
01 one of the two mirrors. this one representing
“mount diablo buckwheat”
02 model 1:10 of part of the installation
03 work in progress
04 detail of the table
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2014 | interactive kinetic installation | furniture commissioned by Perrier-Jouët Champagne
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“The most astonishing thing
about nature is that everything
is interconnected. Every aspect
of a living creature has a reason,
working together in an endless
cycle of dialogue and correlation.”
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05 ephemerā book
06 outlines of different
represented species
07 detail of the tabletop
08 the final ephemerā installation
at design miami 2014
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2014 | interactive kinetic installation | furniture commissioned by Perrier-Jouët Champagne
- mischer’traxler -
material: copper, copper sheets, stainless
steel, paperclips
dimensions: various
cuprum/positive-negative
commissioned by Kunstgewerbemuseum Schloss Pillnitz
Five Design studios were invited
to develop projects for the
Kunstgewerbemuseum, based on
pieces from their collection found
in the archive – mischer’traxler
was one of them. After a tour through the museum’s
storage, there was a certain
fascination for some old velvet
presentation-boards that were once
used to show fabric samples.
Used for many years, these boards
show the exact shadows of the laces
which in the past were presented
on them. Through time the velvet
boards became nearly a copy of the
original in an abstract way.
This dependency and connection
of two elements, the play between
positive and negative, was
translated into the project Cuprum. together in a copper sulphate
solution. Partly covered with foil
to control the flow of material,
a low electric current is applied
to both metals and due to
electrodeposition, the copper gives
away its material and copper-plates
the steel. The rate at which the
copper dissolves is equal to the rate
at which the steel is plated, thus
illustrating how the one material
is supporting the other. Left in the
sulphate bath for some time both
materials are enriched in patterns,
formability or, in the case of the
mesh, stability. Whilst the copper
can be decorated with patterns or
receives constructed folding lines,
the stainless steel-mesh slowly
grows together, becomes solid, well
connected and even paper clips
become permanently attached.
Through the slow process of
electroplating, a copper-element
and a piece of stainless steel
physically transform, become
related to each other and form
new patterns and shapes. Through
the process both materials
become dependent on each other.
They need each other for the
transformation of the material.
The two metal pieces are immersed
After several days of electroplating,
the two parts are taken out of the
bath, get cleaned and polished and
form pairs. The derivation series
made for the exhibition included
several objects: pairs of graphical
metal sheets, pairs of folded sheets
and a chess game. The chess game
was chosen as a final outcome since
it plays as well on action/reaction,
dependency and exchange. 70
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02
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01 a chess game made out of copper within
the galvanisation bath
02 a copper-plate during the process
in a basin full of copper-sulfate
03 part the exhibition at Schloss Pillnitz
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2014 | process, installation & series of objects | commissioned by Kunstgewerbemuseum Schloss Pillnitz
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biography
Katharina Mischer
* 1982 in St. Pölten | Austria
2006-2008 IM-Master course (conceptual
design in context) at the Design Academy
Eindhoven| NL
2003-2006 1st class BA (hons) in Product
& Furniture Design at Kingston University
in St.Pölten | A and Kingston | UK
Thomas Traxler
*1981 in Linz | Austria
2006-2008 IM-master course (conceptual
design in context) at the Design Academy
Eindhoven | NL
2003-2006 BA (hons) in Product &
Furniture Design at Kingston University in
St.Pölten | A and Kingston | UK
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01 work in progress
02 copper-sulfate bassin in the studio
03 on-off-project for ignant blog
04 working on ‘limited moths’
05 speaking at a talk
06 desks in the studio
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03
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awards (selection)
2013
“Mastering Design”, MUDAC, Lausanne |Switzerland
“Lightopia”, Vitra Design Museum, Weil am Rhein|
Germany
“Nomadic Furniture 3.0”, MAK, Vienna | Austria
“similarly unique” - mischer’traxler in the box,
Lynfabriken, Aarhus | Dk
”Food Project -the shape of taste”, Mart Museum,
Rovereto | Italy
“Contemporary Perspectives in Middle Eastern
Craft”’, Katara Art Center, Doha |Qatar
“DOS - designing sound object”, Auditorium Rome
| Italy
2014 BE-Open - Young Talent Award (winner)
2012 Wu Guanzhong Art & Science
Innovation Award (winner)
2012 Icon-Awards: nomination emerging Designer of
the year (nomination)
2011 W-Hotel’s Designer of the
future Award 2011 by Design Miami/Basel
2010 Brit Insurance – Designs of
the Year 2010 (shortlisted)
2009 Austrian Prize for the
Advancement of Experimental
Design (first price)
2009 Prix Ars Electronica (honorary
mention - Hybrid Arts)
2009 DMY-Award (first price)
2012
“Reflections on form”, Helmrinderknecht/ Barbara
Seiler Galerie, Zürich | Switzerland
“the 3rd art and science international exhibition
and symposium”, Science and technology museum,
Beijing | China
“shape your life” MAXXI museum, Rome | Italy
“Cocoo Syndrome” , Kunstraum NOE, Vienna |
Austria
“the mirror” , Okolo, Prague | CZ
“BIO 23” , MAO, Ljubljana | Slovenia
“the machine’, C-Mine, Genk | Belgium
“mischer’traxler at Clerkenwell Design Week”,
London | UK
“Kavdrat Hallingdal 65-Projects”, Milan | IT
“Design Days Dubai”, performance, Dubai | UAE
collections
Art Institute Chicago | USA
Vitra Design Museum | Germany
MAK Vienna | Austria
Hofmobiliendepot Vienna | Austria
KGM Hamburg | Germany
KGM Pillnitz Dresden | Germany
Philadelphia museum of Art | USA
and private collections
2011
“o´clock - time design, design time” Triennale Design
Museum, Milano | Italy
“New Energy in Design and Art” Museum Boijmans
van Beuningen | NL
“W-hotels designer of the future”, Design Miami/
Basel, Basel | CH
“This is my forest: The harvest cycle”, Festarch,
Perugia | Italy
“Industrious Artefacts - the evolution of crafts”|
Zuiderzeemuseum | NL
“mischer’traxler & Raw Color “, Otrascosas de Villarrosas, Barcelona | Spain
“Hyper Links” , Art Institute Chicago | USA
“Chvala Vidne” , Krehky Gallery | Prague | CZ
exhibition overview (selection)
2014
“Perrier-Jouët presents Ephemerā, a project by
mischer’traxler” , Design Miami 2014 | Miami | USA
“The future is not what it used to be”, Istanbul Design
Biennial 2014 | Istanbul | Turkey
“Trame - Copper Crossing”, Triennale Design
Museum, Milano | Italy
“The main dish“ , Philadelphia museum of art,
Philadelphia | USA
“Designing Scarcity“, Het Niewe Instituut, Rotterdam
| Netherlands
“Castling – designer meet the collection“, KGM
Pillnitz, Dresden | Germany
“Designlabor“ , MAK, Vienna | Austria
“Design Shanghai 2013 - Aesthetics City”, Power
Station of Art, Shanghai | China
2010
Artissima - Design exhibition, Turin | Italy
“2000-2010 Design in Wien”, Wien-Museum Vienna
|Austria
“design&crime”, MAK - Museum of applied arts,
Vienna | Austria
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“reTHINK” ! Textile Museum | Tilburg, NL
“Brit Insurance Award 2010” , Design Museum |
London, UK
“The idea of a tree”, Architecture/Urbanism Bicity
Biennale, Hong Kong, Shenzhen | China
“Art Review”, #58, april, 2012, UK
“Flash Art Design” , dec./jan. 2011 , Italy
“Vienna Review” Newspaper, dec. 2011, Austria
“Design Report” #5, 2011, Germany
“Frame” #80, may/june, 2011, NL
“axis” , no 151 , june 2011, Japan
“derStandard – Rondo 457”, nov. 2009, Austria
“pen magazine 10/15”, oct. 2009, Japan
“DesignIndaba Magazine #04/09”, okt.2009, South
Africa
“Falter – No.40-09””, oct. 2009, Austria
“Metropolis”, sept. 2009, USA
“Art Magazine”, aug. 2009, Germany
“Viewpoint#24”, may 2009, United Kingdom
2009
“Passionswege” , Vienna Design Week | Vienna,
|Austria
“Cyber Arts 09” , OK Centrum | Linz | Austria
“DMY award Exhibition” , Bauhaus Archiv,
Berlin | Germany
“design that thinks” , Lecce | Italy
online interviews
- klat-magazine: interview by Valentina Ciuffi
- it’s nice that - studio portrait
- domus - long article of mischer’traxler’s work by Maria
Cristina Didero
- sightunseen studio portrait
- abitare - mischer’traxler in interview with Marco
Petroni and Giovanni Innella
publications overview (selection)
books & catalogues
* ‘Dit is Design?’, Junte J., 2013, Terra Lannoo bv,
Houten | the Netherlands
* ‘Lightopia’, Dr. M Kries; Kugler J. , 2013, Vitra Design
Museum, Weil am Rhein | Germany
* ‘Material Matters – New Materials in Design’, P.
Howes, Z. Laughlin, 2012; Black Dog Publishing,
London | UK
* ’Cause and Effect – Visualizing Sustainability’,
S. Ehmann, S. Bohle, R. Klanten, 2012; Gestalten,
Berlin,| Germany
* Catalogue: ‘o’clock - time design, design time’
Triennale Design Museum , Milano, 2011 | Italy
* ‘Precursor - the creativity watchlist’ , Gestalten,
2011, | Germany
* ‘A touch of code’ , Gestalten, 2011 | Germany
* ‘love earth’, Victionary, 2011, HongKong
* ‘2000-10 Design in Wien’, Metroverlag, 2010 |
Austria
teaching and talks (selection)
Since 2014 program-leader of the master course
„European Design lab“ at the IED Madrid in Spain.
- talk at TEDx Berlin | Germany
- workshops and talk at Domaine Boisbuchet | France
- workshops at IED Madrid | Spain
- workshops at University for applied arts Vienna |
Austria
- talk at Experimenta Design | Lisbon | Portugal
- talk & workshop at Riot Studio, Naples | Italy
- workshop at InResidence-Design Dialogues, Turin |
Italy
- guest-term teaching , New Design University, St.Pölten
| Austria
-talk & workshop at University of Art & Design, Burg
Giebichenstein, Halle an der Saale | Germany
- talk at RCA | London | UK
- talk and workshop at Krabbesholm |Skieve | DK
- workshop at Art University Linz | Austria
- workshop at University Luzern | Switzerland
- talk at Vitra Design Museum
articles
“Wallpaper” dec, 2014, UK
“die Presse - Schaufenster”, no23 . june 2014, Austria
“Arty”, issue 26, 2014, China
“Damn-magazine”, no.41, jan. 2014, Belgium
“Domus”, #970, june 2013, Italy
“Rum”, july 2013, Denmark
“Aishti magazine”, #65, april/may 2013, Lebanon
“ 360° Design”, #47, sept. 2013, China
“Azure”, #219, oct, 2012, Canada
“Elle Decoration”, aug, 2012, China
“Wohnrevue”, june, 2012, Switzerland
“Icon”, #107, may, 2012, UK
“TL Magazine”, #14, apr.-jun. 2012, UK
“Case da Abitare”, april, 2012, Italy
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imprint
studio mischer’traxler are:
Katharina Mischer & Thomas Traxler
& a great team of interns and /or
freelancing friends
(depending on projects and season)
foto credits:
most of the images: mischer’traxler
except:
Angela Moore (framed)
Julian Heckel (trapped flies)
Eva Engelbert (work in progress / mothlamp)
Martin Robitsch (studio photo)
Oliver Manzi/Dezeen (ephemera mirror image)
Gesi Schilling (ephemera main image & Miami
image)
mischer’traxler
Sechshauserstrasse 28/1
1150 Vienna
Austria
phone:
Katharina Mischer
0043 - (0)660 6833331
Thomas Traxler
0043 - (0)660 3124512
layout :
Benedikt Steiner
print:
our fabulous studio printer
© mischer’traxler 2014/ 2015
all rights reserved
reproduction without permission prohibited
we@mischertraxler.com
press@mischertraxler.com
www.mischertraxler.com
pdf:
spreading welcomed, re-editing not!
printing for private use only
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www.mischertraxler.com