In her latest book, Judith Gura, a specialist in the history of interiors and furnishings explains the important movements (Bauhaus, Postmodernism, High Tech, and Green Design), forms, and furnishings from the 1950s to the present. Design After Modernism captures the range of influences that have spurred new ideas in design and illustrates many of the most characteristic and most innovative objects in this diverse mix.

With the first decade of the twenty-first century behind us, it is time to reassess the concept of "modern," a term that dates to the Middle Ages, when it signified current or recent events. Not until the eighteenth century did it become a stylistic term; more recently it has generally referred to the aesthetic that evolved from the Bauhaus and flourished in the mid-twentieth century. Though proclaiming freedom from the limitations of style, it became as formulaic as most of its predecessors, as Modern architecture and furnishings conformed to prescribed specifications: geometric forms, industrially fabricated, unadorned, and studiously ahistorical. 

Curiosity Kitchen, Alexander Pelikan (Netherlands) 2010
Annie, Reestore (United Kingdom) 2001 Repurposed shopping cart

Those guidelines are no longer relevant. As Midcentury Modernism has receded into history, Modernism has been redefined, reenergized, and in the process transformed. Today it embraces a cornucopia of design in an almost limitless range of materials: design studios are laboratories for experimentation; design concepts can be as important as finished objects; and furniture has crossed barriers to become a new art form. Tools and technologies never before possible have provided new approaches to decoration, and may incorporate influences from the past. The design profession has broadened its horizons; interiors and furniture are being created by architects, interior designers, furniture makers, industrial designers, artisans, artists, and even fashion designers.

Nomos Dining Table, Norman Foster (United Kingdom) 1989
Lounge Chair, Fabio Lenci (Italy) 1970

Design After Modernism offers an overview of developments in design over the past four decades-some evolutionary, some expected, and some extraordinary. It identifies the diverse influences that have generated new directions in design and illustrates many of the most characteristic, most noteworthy, and most innovative objects in this rich and variegated mix. All are representative of their time, and many of the earlier designs have already gained iconic status. Of the more recent ones, whether or not they will be admired in decades to come is something that only time will tell.

Hanging Lamp, Model SP1, Verner Panton (Denmark) 1969
Sushi III Chair, Fernando and Humberto Campana (Brazil) 2002

Book: Design After Modernism: Furniture and Interiors 1970-2010
Author : Judith Gura
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company

The Belgian company Behave was founded recently by Marie Querton and Amélie de Borchgrave. For some of their creations, Marie and Amélie worked with Marc Hotermans, a well-recognised expert in 20th century furniture.

The idea of Behave was born in a simple and intuitive way: to reinvent "vintage" in more sober and more contemporary lines.
"We started from a simple observation: vintage furniture pieces often have that extra touch of charm but can be very difficult to find and are often at high prices. In addition their condition is sometimes disastrous! Thus the idea of Behave! Furniture with a pure design, reinterpreting classics from the Fifties, but with a contemporary feel, which allows them a perfect integration in today's interiors."

be happy
This box is one of the central pieces of the collection. Its sober and elegant line emphasizes all the force of the materials used: oak, aluminium, steel and formica. It was designed with the collaboration of Marc Hotermans. It is manufactured in Belgium in a workshop, which confers it a unique and environmentally friendly character.

be cool
Sobriety of the details and smoothness of the lines characterize this shelf in walnut and ash.

be fun
This sideboard clearly inspired from the Fifties, can also be suspended on the wall.

be smart
This desk in birch has its top covered with a lino. Its simplicity gives it its character. It was entirely conceived by Marc Hotermans.

be easy
This piece of furniture can be used either as a bench or as a coffee table.

Ziegert | Roswag | Seiler Architekten Ingenieure was founded in 2003 and is based in Berlin. Their core competency is the use of natural materials, especially earth, in construction. Their projects range from a timber firehouse in Brandenburg, a white earthen home in Berlin's Westend and a bamboo-and-earth school in Bangladesh to historical monuments in the Arabian Peninsula and school projects in Africa.

This project, financed by VEBS – Verein für Entwicklung, Bildung und Selbsthilfe e.V. (Society for development, education and self-help) is an extension of a school building out of earth and bamboo to meet the increasing space requirement due to the rising number of students.
2 earthquake-resistant and climate adapted bodies have been planned, consisting of a heavy earth cube in the ground floor and a light bamboo structure in the upper floor. The construction works have be done by local craftsmen who have been trained in the specific techniques.

This construction has received the Holcim Awards Gold 2011 Asia Pacific.
Comment of jury: "The jury commended this project because it contributes to all of the competition’s “target issues” in a convincing way. Through engineering and design, a traditional building technology has been upgraded with effective low-tech measures. Bamboo is used in an innovative way, demonstrating the potential in construction of this fast-growing and widely available material, which also counters deforestation. The propagation of the new construction methods amongst the local population aids the establishment of local businesses and improves the economic situation in this rural area. All materials are locally sourced and can be processed with low energy requirements.
The new construction approach shows the rural population an affordable, high quality and durable alternative compared to widely-used, but higher-cost and less environmentally-compatible construction materials. The combined earth/bamboo structure allows two-level buildings which reduces land use. The low-tech but sophisticated approach creates the potential to develop a unique local architecture, and transfer the approach to many other regions, particularly in less-developed countries."

The earth was mixed with straw by water buffalos and made usable. The first layer of cob was piled up and cut. The second layer was built, with window recesses.

Half of the bamboo poles, needed for the bamboo ceiling spanning over 5 metres, were pierced. In doing so, all inner walls of the poles were pierced with a metal bar.
Afterwards, the tubes were put up straight und filled with Borax – a salt solution.
It stayed within the poles during 14 days. This kind of treatment is known as the least harmful one for the environment.

The lintels for windows and doors was made of 5 bamboo poles wrapped with straw and formed part of the fourth cob layer.

The ceiling structure consists of a triple-layer of bamboo culms with the central layer arranged perpendicular to the ones above and beneath. They were fixed with steel dowels and laces. An overlay of planking made of split bamboo culms was placed on the central layer and filled with a straw-earth mixture as the floor finished of the upper level.

The bamboo elements were constructed in special mounting devices that allowed a measure of pre production and meant the components only required assembly. The beams forming the veranda were already complete and most of the first floors structural elements were prefabricated.