‘Alice’s Wonderland’ in the VitraHaus
India Mahdavi transforms the loft into Alice’s Wonderland in the new installation in the VitraHaus, Weil am Rhein
The floors at VitraHaus are regularly refurbished. For these remake projects, Vitra works together with reputable designers, such as Ilse Crawford and Antonio Citterio. In March 2016, the loft at the top of the building is being redecorated. Vitra was able to attract the expertise of architect and designer India Mahdavi for the design of the space.
India Mahdavi transforms the VitraHaus loft into a brand new world, drawing inspiration for this from the story of ‘Alice in Wonderland’. The Paris-based designer has developed an imaginative interior using a combination of fresh colours, extraordinary decorative elements and various materials, which puts the classic and contemporary Vitra products on centre stage. Pink materials and surfaces, yellow notes and bright wood tones characterise the floor’s design. The exhibited furniture includes classics such as the Freeform Sofa by Isamu Noguchi and the Standard Chairs by Jean Prouvé, as well as contemporary designs such as the Mariposa Sofa by Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby.
Following the dream-like theme of Alice’s Wonderland, India Mahdavi plays with size proportions in her installation. In her Wonderland, Alice drinks a shrinking potion enabling her to fit through the doors in the rabbit hole or to hide in a teapot. Visitors should get a similar shrinking feeling to Alice as they explore the loft. India Mahdavi achieves this by integrating oversized decorative elements, such as huge edelweiss flowers into her design. Moreover, visitors can sit inside a big teapot, which makes them feel as if they have arrived in Alice’s fantasy world. Stepping out onto the balcony, visitors will experience the same feeling Alice had after she ate the slice of cake: The use of miniature furniture makes the outside world appear to have shrunk and the visitor feel like a giant.