Jakub Pollág and Václav Mlynář accept all forms of challenges and wish to expand their frontiers with new and interesting approaches. They are motivated by the urge to find a certain balance between commercial and non-commercial projects.
We introduce the “Factory” project, a diploma thesis at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague by V. Mlynář, which investigates the relationships between classical trades and new technologies such as 3D printing, CNC or laser milling. These devices have recently become much more accessible and popular. This change then brought a huge potential for creative professions, especially designers and artists who are hence becoming independent of other manufacturers or suppliers.
The “Factory” project introduces a production concept where the designer creates a tool (a small, factory one) and works on it, expands it on his/her own. It could be compared to small production lines which can create products from the beginning of the creative process until the final product. The combination of a “hand-made” approach with new technologies gives rise to a new modern craft. Prominent benefits include faster work and, most importantly, the fact that everything is done “on a single table”.
Koski is a luxurious board game which utilizes the digital world in a new and playful manner. It combines real wooden block and a virtual application which evokes digital interactive games. Using a tablet or smartphone, you can breathe life into structures made out of blocks. Once a player begins communicating with the collected blocks, the game starts estimating the hidden worlds, characters and stories behind them. Koski is a multi-generation gaming platform which introduces new and imaginative ideas. The game can be played in single-player and in multi-player.
The designer duo has won a number of prestigious awards. The most luxurious ones include the 1st Young Contract Creations Award 2010 (Frankfurt), the ELLE DECOR international design award (CZ) 2013, the “Young talent” Designblok Award (Prague) for the best studio presentation of 2013, the Premio Giovani artisti del vetro - Cristalleria Riedel 2016, the ELLE DECOR – international design award (CZ) 2017 – “Furniture of the Year” for the Zig Zag shelves, and also the Czech Design Week award for 2016.
The number of their exhibits is also respectable. Their work was presented for instance at the Kikk festival (Belgium) 2016, Designblok 2015, the Diploma collection (Prague), Salone di Mobile Milan, Rossana Orlandi Galerie 2015, the Vienna Design Week – Passionswege, 2014, and also the London Design Festival at 19 Greek Street in 2014.