We have talked before about talented designers and how they use their expertise in a variety of mediums, and often, fields. Martin Steininger is someone who is regularly referred to as an “architect of his own fortune”. He was born and raised in a handicraft business, so he developed an instinct and feel for design quite literally straight from the cradle. Since the company was founded in Mühlviertel, Austria over 78 years ago, it has stood for tradition, craft, precision and know-how. In 1999, the trained building joiner and cabinet maker with a degree in spatial and design strategies took over the business from his father and developed it systematically into what it is today.
The designs and concepts of the young, ambitious designer are highly regarded far beyond the Austrian borders and have received awards such as the award for the Nicebedtable side table (pictured below), a red dot product award for the Nicetable08 dining table (2009), which stands out with its compact pull-out mechanism achieved while maintaining a seamless table top, and most recently a nomination for the National Design Prize for the concrete kitchen 10 made from just 8mm thick concrete.
But it was this concrete kitchen which caught my eye in Milan. A concrete kitchen made of ultra-thin 8 mm concrete, which is sturdy yet light enough. Its heat resistance and stain resistant, making this concrete perfectly suitable for kitchens. The manufacturing of it, however, requires a certain know-how and commitment to accuracy and as we found out, a large degree of secrecy!
I don’t see many concrete products out in the market place, if you research “concrete benchtops” for instance, you get the whole package, the good, the bad and the ugly, and not a lot of good! I love the distinctiveness and adaptability of concrete but is it used, have you? Does it have a place as a part of your business? Let us know.
For more information on Martin Steininger visit www.steininger-designers.at/
