Sculptural design: when art inspires product design

1. Sculptural forms have been gradually gaining ground in terms of the interior design of our living spaces. As designers, what are your thoughts on this trend?

The trend definitely exists. It’s all about expansive pieces of furniture that have a very strong sculptural appearance. Personally, I’m a big fan of furniture that’s underpinned by a strong concept – the concept can be functional in nature, but it can, of course, also be purely formal. In our work as KASCHKASCH, we usually strive for a balance between aesthetics and function and try to harmonise the two aspects.

2. When designing furniture, the main considerations are usually comfort or how the piece will ultimately be used. What is the process for developing a piece of furniture that is intended to have an artistic benefit?

Good question. I think a chair, for example, that a person can’t sit on would have to be an unbelievably fantastic sculpture to convince me :)

3. You designed the 908 clothes stand for Rolf Benz. The project is an homage to Pablo Picasso and his single-line drawing technique. How did the idea come about?

I’m a big Picasso fan and, for the 908 project, we took inspiration from his one-line drawings – a wonderful project and also a good example of how art can inspire product design.

4. How did you go about developing 908? Was it important to you from the start of the design process that the clothes stand would also work as a stand-alone product in a space?

We made sketches first, then very quickly moved on to create the first small models with bent wire. Then we progressed from 3D designs on the computer to the first 1:1 prototypes. It was also important to us here to achieve a good balance between sculptural appearance and functionality. Each level of the valet stand has a function – to hang clothes.

5. Sculptural design is often associated with very striking lighting solutions. You designed Bolita for Marset – a table lamp that looks like a miniature work of art. How did you come up with this unusual dimming system?

We happened on the dimming process by chance. Two round objects that slide over each other, replicating the way light fades in an eclipse – dimming. A really great project with a truly special company. The Bolita lamp is an excellent demonstration of our philosophy and way of working.

6. Furniture and objects with a timeless design are particularly long-lasting, as they often pass from generation to generation. Does sculptural design go against this?

Yes, I think the majority of purely sculptural furniture pieces have a limited half-life, so they merely serve a trend that will one day be over.

7. And one last question to finish: a designer is also a kind of visionary when it comes to product design. Which furniture trends will fade away in 2025, and what new ones will emerge?

Sustainability is a very big issue at the moment. There are more and more sofas, for example, that can be dismantled and reupholstered. The fact that the components can be separated and recycled is incredibly sensible and important. A lot is happening right now, but there’s still plenty of room for improvement. It’s a topic that also influences us a lot in our daily work.
And I eagerly anticipate the end of the beige/greige trend :)