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Designers and artists imagine the future of furniture at NYC's Swiss Institute

Take a spin around the site Behance to see that designers have some of the most revolutionary, if not altogether practical, ideas about how everyday objects could be transformed. At the Swiss Institute’s second annual architecture and design exhibition, Pavillion De L’Esprit Nouveau: A 21st-Century Show Home, some interesting takes on the futuristic home were on display.

Named after Le Corbusier’s 1924 Paris exhibition, the installation was curated by Felix Burrichter, the editor of Pin-Up magazine. “All featured pieces bear key elements in either fabrication or material that highlight industrial progress made in the last 15 years such as laser cutting, 3D printing, advanced LED-technology, non-woven textiles, and ultra-light carbon-fiber,” according to Swiss Institute. It also explores “the blurred lines in a culture of digital escapism and surveillance,” as evidence by the combination gym and office.

Because it’s a furniture show, much of the futuristic aspects deal with the materials and the technology that may be used to create our living spaces in the decades to come. But technology will obviously be present in home, too. The bright color that dominates the installation was meant to mimic a green screen. “In essence, we have designed the 21st-century home as a parallel entity accessed through many digital windows,” exhibition designer Shawn Maximo tells All Day.

Some of the unique pieces include the Med-Bar by Nanu Al-Hamad, which was created using hospital furniture. Dandelion seeds and LEDs mingle in a lamp called Fragile Future from Piero Lissoni and Paul Kobkau. And of course, this being the future and all, there’s a Soylent-dispensing machine. Artist Sean Raspet created a new flavor of the meal-replacement beverage.

The exhibition runs through Nov. 8 at the Swiss Institute in New York City.

Jenny McGrath
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Jenny McGrath is a senior writer at Digital Trends covering the intersection of tech and the arts and the environment. Before…
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