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Nortstudio’s bench URBAN SHAPES is a comment on life in the city. “Finding harmony throughout an enormous variety is a daily challenge. But a growing city is also a constant source of inspiration. Rough forms and materials scattered around various construction sites waiting to be used and to obtain a specific function. By taking these materials and forms out of their context and combining them in a completely different way, a special tension is created.” Inspired by urban shapes, Nortstudio designed a new type of public bench that uses three shapes derived from primary forms, linked together by a grid.
Nortstudio’s acrylic study GRAPHIC side tables are the result of an experiment with acrylic resin. All colours of these side tables are made by using only red, yellow, blue, green and ochre pigments. The studio never uses black in any of the mixes, so the final colours remain incredibly bright and vibrant. The end result is an interplay between graphic elements and tone – a translation of a two-dimensional visual composition into a three- dimensional object.
Antwerp-based Nortstudio focuses on the design of small furniture and lighting pieces through an exploration of new techniques and interesting colour combinations. Unafraid to experiment and push boundaries, always in search of the possibilities and limitations of materials and techniques, the studio is driven by curiosity and the pursuit of innovation and discovery, forming the backbone of their practice.
Nortstudio was founded by Jef De Brabander and Kathleen Opdenacker in 2016. “After working on our individual projects, we decided to team up and start working together. We immediately experienced the advantages of working as a couple. Complete trust, understanding each other and never blaming one another, made it right from the start,” shares the enthusiastic duo.
Nortstudio’s research project FORM demonstrates an interplay between colour and form. A hollow cylinder forms the basis for a seating composition. Different shapes are obtained by varying how the hollow cylinders are put together. The bases have a colour that’s complementary to the tint used for the top, creating a harmonious.
Kathleen’s approach is rooted in graphic design, an eye for detail and a broad interest in materials, while Jef’s stems from industrial engineering, profound knowledge of techniques and various craftsman’s skills. “The interaction that takes place between us plays an important role that leads to the outcome of the final product.”
As an essential aspect of their practice, Kathleen and Jef never stop wondering about materials. “It is the notion of transformation during the process that gives direction and is in part what makes the outcome so exciting”.
The concept of colour is another aspect that influences the studio’s output. “Why are some colours considered ugly? Why are some seen as appropriate at all time? We find it fascinating to combine colours and to see what happens.”
Colours, materials and techniques are ultimately incorporated into their designs in unusual and surprising ways. We can’t wait to see what they cook up next.
[Images courtesy of Nortstudio.]
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