Media Contacts: Samantha Nestor/Carol VanderKloot Chrysanthemum Partners pr@chrysanthemumpartners.com 646-247-5459 13&9 Design Background Information About 13&9 Design Founded in January 2013, 13&9 Design is an interdisciplinary design collective from Graz, Austria that celebrates the unique talents and partnership between award-winning architecture firm INNOCAD and product and fashion designer ANASTASIA SU. 13&9 s beginnings were an immediate success after winning the international competition for the renovation and redesign of the historic Zeughaus building for the City of Graz. The multidisciplinary team received the top prize and international notoriety for its ROLLING STONES project following the opening of re-designed Kanonenhalle. 13&9 and INNOCAD received more accolades after Graz was designated as an official UNESCO City of Design in 2013, which solidified the city as a beacon of creativity. The ROLLING STONES project also received first prize in Berlin s noted LEAF Interior Design Awards in 2013 for as public building and was honored in 2014 by Contract Magazine at their Annual Interiors Awards. 13&9 s work has also been acknowledged at the Architizer A+ awards and at the FX International Interior Design Awards in 2014. Rolling Stones - redesign of the KANONENHALLE Zeughaus Graz, June 2012, Paul Ott 13&9 first presented their work in the US market at WantedDesign in May 2013. Immediately the brand received praise and attention for its eclectic and highly varied product collections and original design philosophy. Their work has appeared in top design, news and architectural publications, including: ABC News, Azure, Architectural Digest- Italy, Directors Notes, 360 Design Magazine, Interior Design, Metropolis, Core 77, Design Boom.
About 13&9 Design Founders The 13&9 Design Founders Anastasia Su & Martin Lesjak Markus Mansi (MOMA) Born in Banja Luka, Bosnia in 1984, Anastasija Sugic, arrived in Graz initially with plans to study medicine. While Sugic finished requirements for her degree in 2012, she had already made a name for herself as an independent fashion designer. Her brand ANASTASIA SU is influenced by Sugic s extensive knowledge of the human body and its workings acquired from her background in studying medicine. This result in creating designs and products that are not only aesthetically pleasing but that are also compatible with the human body s form. Martin Lesjak, born in Judenburg, Austria, in 1972, is an architect and founder and CEO of INNOCAD. Established in 1999 in Graz, the firm has won numerous competitions and received design awards both domestically and internationally. ** In addition to his practice, Lesjak has taught at the Technical University of Graz since 2003. He feels strongly that in addition to creating and designing product, that his designs provide comprehensive solutions and a meaningful context. 13&9 Design Philosophy The creative community at 13&9 not only work as a design studio for international companies such as VITEO OUTDOORS, XAL and ARTIFORT/LANDE but also produces and sells products under its own label. Production is completed by trusted manufacturers based in the Graz region. The interdisciplinary team s successful cooperation with specialist partners has led to outstanding achievements in furniture, fashion, accessories, lighting and art objects, as well as for industrial design and audio installation projects. Their work relies on the interplay between architecturally-inspired forms and fashion. The work explores the contrasts between qualities such as masculinity and femininity as well as permanence and transience. This encourages interdisciplinary thought in every project and gives the brand the flexibility to be extremely creative when developing new products and concepts.
13&9 s designs seek to create a unique dialogue between the individual and the environment, by expressing through design how we all are connected and impact one another. The concept is that these designs also reveal us as a society while we interact and live with these products. Such issues as modularity, compatibility, flexibility and transformation are key in 13&9 s development of new products, particularly in the attempt to allow consumers to create individualized uses for products that adapt them to how they live. Finally, 13&9 is fully committed to producing product in partnership with small-scale and local manufacturers to support production in the collective s immediate area and encourage responsible environmental practices across the board. Our aim is to strengthen the bond that exists between the product and the individual; further, we seek to transmit the label s creative energy in each product, which we hope, provides a window into 13&9 Design s core values as a group and what we stand for individually and collectively, says Martin Lesjak, Founder and Partner. 13&9 Design Highlights Since it s founding in 2013, 13&9 has had a keen awareness of what is relevant, important and impactful. This was abundantly evident during the presentation of their video. A striking 13&9 Design video by Studio Super+ that presented the label highlighting artistic and technical synergies resulted in creating more attention for the collective internationally. A specially produced sound track accompanying the video followed with the album The Soul of Sound adding a new dimension of music to this interdisciplinary work. Current Product Designs The LOW COLLECTION for VITEO OUTDOORS is an outdoor furnishings line first launched in 2013 that brings a new perspective to this product type through a direct relationship with the ground. The LOW LOUNGER & SIDE TABLE received the if Product Design Award 2014. The fashion and jewelry GEOMETRIC COLLECTION embodies the union of architecture and fashion. The WOOD LIGHT collection is dedicated to the material wood - bringing together Austrian handicraft tradition, the aesthetic standards of a fine design product and the functional qualities of the latest in lighting technology. HEX-O is a SOUND ABSORBING AND LIGHTING SYSTEM designed by 13&9 Design for XAL. The hexagonal shape of fixture makes it a unique, space-defining element. The HEX-O system was first presented at Light+Building 2014, the world s largest trade show for lighting and building-services technology in Frankfurt. HEX-O surface mounted or suspended pendant fixtures can be used in singular or multiple groupings to create eye-catching configurations for the ceiling. In addition to incorporating lighting system, the HEX-O series incorporates sound-absorbing design elements. HEX-O is well suited for areas with high noise levels, such as hotel lobbies, shopping centres, open plan offices or conference rooms.
WOOD LIGHT I GEOMETRIC COLLECTION HEXAGON DRESS I LOW LOUNGER designed by 13&9 Design for VITEO OUTDOORS Paul Ott HEX-O ABSORBING AND LIGHTING SYSTEM designed by 13&9 Design for XAL, Light+Building 2014, Frankfurt Paul Ott
13&9 Design Graz, New York and Beyond 13&9 places great emphasis on conveying a clear statement about the importance of Graz as a City of Design and communicating the creative and economic effects of the interdisciplinary approach at a regional and international level. Following the successful New York debut, the label was featured in the Graz Design Month 2013 and also went on to represent Austria in Istanbul Design Week 2013. 13&9 Design was officially representative of Graz as a City of Design at the first Shenzhen Design Award for Young Talents 2014 attracting more than 2,000 designers from 16 UNESCO creative cities network around the world. 13&9 was selected from the 17 leading designers and teams to present their designs (furniture, lighting and fashion) during the Awarding Ceremony and Exhibition Opening in March 2014 at the OCT Art and Design Gallery in Shenzhen, China. In March 2014, 13&9 was also invited to exhibit at the designforum Steiermark in Kunsthaus Graz. 13&9 The Soul of Design presented a complete cross-section of its product collections through April 27 2014. The brand won the if Product Design Award 2014 for the LOW LOUNGER & SIDE TABLE of the LOW COLLEC- TION for VITEO OUTDOORS by 13&9. The same collection was also part of a special exhibition at Confession of Design in Milano, April 8-13, 2014. Also in 2014, 13&9 will produce a special live DJ Session of The Soul of Sound by 13&9, for the opening ceremony of the Designmonat Graz, one of the world s most interesting design festivals which runs from April 30 to June 1. UNESCO City of Design, Graz, will bring top designers from all Styrian creative disciplines into the spotlight during the festival and also feature 13&9 Design exhibitions. For more information go to www.13and9design.com **INNOCAD AWARDS 2014 Contract Magazine s 35th Annual Interior Awards for Rolling Stones best architects 14 label für FLUR 20 Nominations: 2nd Annual Architizer A+ Awards 2013 LEAF Interior Design Award, category Public Building of the Year for Rolling Stones LEAF Interior Design Award 2013 Overall Winner for Rolling Stones Contract Magazine s 34th Annual Interiors Awards for XAL cc and HQ Microsoft Vienna 2012 Gerambrose12, LKH Feldbach Nomination Bauherrepreis12, XAL corporate architecture best architects 13 label for HQ Microsoft Vienna and Rose am Lend, category Housing AIT-Award 2nd price category trade fair XAL Bubbles AIT-Award selection category healthcare LKH Feldbach AIT-Award selection category Next Generation 2010 Nomination ecola award, Rose am Lend 2008 Nomination Architecture Prize of the province of Styria 2008, Rose am Lend 2007 Nomination Mies van der Rohe award, Golden Nugget 2006 International Velux award, Golden Nugget 2005 TECU Architecture Award, Golden Nugget