Sylvain Willenz
The Couple Coffee Table was born out of my research into a traditional and essential piece of furniture — the coffee table. I wanted to come up with a new yet subtle take on its typical materials and typology. I was inspired by the materiality of fired earth like brick and terracotta, finding that a beautiful synergy occurs when it is combined with wood.
Sylvain Willenz: Material and Detail
Sylvain Willenz is a Brussels-based designer whose work is characterised by simple silhouettes, careful detailing and an interest in how objects are made. Since establishing his design office in 2004, he has worked with international brands across furniture and product design, combining an understanding of industrial production with an appreciation for craftsmanship.
Materials and manufacturing processes play an important role in how Willenz develops each design. Rather than adding detail for decoration alone, he uses proportion, surface, construction and material combinations to create character within seemingly simple forms. His early interest in drawing also contributes to the strong lines and defined silhouettes that appear throughout his work.
Willenz's furniture reflects this close relationship between material, production and detail. Timber, ceramic and other materials are used not simply as finishes, but as part of the structure and character of each piece. Through subtle changes in proportion, surface and construction, familiar furniture forms take on a more individual expression.
