Interior Design
The Gutsy Designs of Konstantin Grcic
Konstantin Grcic's exploration of material technologies, logical design approach and respect for craftsmanship show in his varied work
German designer Konstantin Grcic (1965) takes the responsibility of being a designer very seriously. In his well-considered, aesthetically appealing and highly comfortable furniture, his attention to detail is evident. However, that’s certainly not to say he doesn’t love the process. He seeks results that are logical and rational – both visually and functionally – as he adheres to an honesty of materials and respect for production methods.
“Design is something quite serious, therefore I think design should be done by designers, because only designers have certain kinds of skills,” Grcic once said in Interview magazine. “Skills, for me, mean a way of thinking, but they also mean very real talents in terms of craftsmanship and experience and so on.”
Here’s what you need to about Konstantin Grcic and his award-winning pieces of contemporary design, which combine abstracted forms with practical comfort.
“Design is something quite serious, therefore I think design should be done by designers, because only designers have certain kinds of skills,” Grcic once said in Interview magazine. “Skills, for me, mean a way of thinking, but they also mean very real talents in terms of craftsmanship and experience and so on.”
Here’s what you need to about Konstantin Grcic and his award-winning pieces of contemporary design, which combine abstracted forms with practical comfort.
His work is known for displaying his logical thought process. He undertakes thorough research into the history of design and architecture, as well as indulging his passion for technology and materials. His pieces are pared down, simple and minimalist while still retaining a humanistic quality.
Let’s take a look at some of Grcic’s key pieces, as featured in the interiors on Houzz.
Let’s take a look at some of Grcic’s key pieces, as featured in the interiors on Houzz.
Chair_One
Grcic’s Chair_One, designed for Magis, bucks the trend for soft organic shapes in seating without losing any semblance of comfort; its angular and inventive design was an adventure down unexplored pathways. Using 3D computer modelling and a large die-cast, he broke up seat surfaces into thin branch-like sections to let the aluminium material flow through the mould. It was a pioneering process, and certainly a turning point for Grcic’s studio.
The result can be described as a basket or a grid, and very three-dimensional. This seat was then powder-coated, and the base types or legs attached. These include standard extruded aluminium legs, swivel mechanisms or a concrete base.
Grcic’s Chair_One, designed for Magis, bucks the trend for soft organic shapes in seating without losing any semblance of comfort; its angular and inventive design was an adventure down unexplored pathways. Using 3D computer modelling and a large die-cast, he broke up seat surfaces into thin branch-like sections to let the aluminium material flow through the mould. It was a pioneering process, and certainly a turning point for Grcic’s studio.
The result can be described as a basket or a grid, and very three-dimensional. This seat was then powder-coated, and the base types or legs attached. These include standard extruded aluminium legs, swivel mechanisms or a concrete base.
Chair_One is now a design icon and examples reside in the permanent collections of many prestigious museums including MoMA in New York and Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris. The seat cushions are usually in Kvadrat fabric or in leather.
Stool_One
Using the same technique and strong abstracted form, Grcic designed Stool_One, also for Magis. His intention was to make a comfortable stool, even though it might not look it; a statement about furniture that looks comfortable but isn’t. Like the chair, the stool is modelled from die-cast aluminium – an unusual material for seating.
Using the same technique and strong abstracted form, Grcic designed Stool_One, also for Magis. His intention was to make a comfortable stool, even though it might not look it; a statement about furniture that looks comfortable but isn’t. Like the chair, the stool is modelled from die-cast aluminium – an unusual material for seating.
Chair B
Chair B, designed for BD Barcelona, is a stackable wood and aluminium chair that is like a modern update of classic mid-century Scandinavian furniture. The legs are X-shaped and the seat, which is available in a range of colours, folds to allow for horizontal stacking.
Here it is featured in the cable-car station restaurant at the top of Switzerland’s Chäserrugg mountain. The restaurant required a stackable wooden chair that could be easily moved, stacked and stored away.
Chair B, designed for BD Barcelona, is a stackable wood and aluminium chair that is like a modern update of classic mid-century Scandinavian furniture. The legs are X-shaped and the seat, which is available in a range of colours, folds to allow for horizontal stacking.
Here it is featured in the cable-car station restaurant at the top of Switzerland’s Chäserrugg mountain. The restaurant required a stackable wooden chair that could be easily moved, stacked and stored away.
Waver Chair
The Waver deliberately departs from conventional armchairs. It is the first collaborative project between Vitra and Grcic and it offers a new take on the armchair: it has an aesthetic that incorporates materials and construction principles derived from outdoor sports gear. It surprisingly offers seating as comfortable as traditional upholstered furniture and yet its colourful elements clearly articulate the connecting and functional elements that give Waver its sporty look and feel.
The Waver deliberately departs from conventional armchairs. It is the first collaborative project between Vitra and Grcic and it offers a new take on the armchair: it has an aesthetic that incorporates materials and construction principles derived from outdoor sports gear. It surprisingly offers seating as comfortable as traditional upholstered furniture and yet its colourful elements clearly articulate the connecting and functional elements that give Waver its sporty look and feel.
Venus Chair
Grcic created a new type of chair in 2006 when he designed the sculptural Venus Chair for ClassiCon. Breaking conventions of what a chair typically looks like, it combines two rounded wooden elements, one on top of the other.
Grcic created a new type of chair in 2006 when he designed the sculptural Venus Chair for ClassiCon. Breaking conventions of what a chair typically looks like, it combines two rounded wooden elements, one on top of the other.
May Day Light
Grcic’s May Day utility light designed for Flos is portable in order to bring additional illumination wherever it may be needed. It is designed to stand freely on a table or to hang from a hook. The wire neatly winds around the handle so the exact amount of cord can be unspooled.
TELL US
Do you have Konstantin Grcic furniture in your home? Upload a picture to the Comments section below.
Grcic’s May Day utility light designed for Flos is portable in order to bring additional illumination wherever it may be needed. It is designed to stand freely on a table or to hang from a hook. The wire neatly winds around the handle so the exact amount of cord can be unspooled.
TELL US
Do you have Konstantin Grcic furniture in your home? Upload a picture to the Comments section below.
He established his own practice, Konstantin Grcic Industrial Design (KGID) in Munich in 1991 and has since developed furniture, products and lighting for some of the world’s leading design companies, including Flos, Nespresso, Mattiazzi, Lamy, Magis, Moroso, Muji, Plank and Vitra, among others.