The art of simplicity

Konstantin Grcic (born 1965) was trained as a cabinetmaker at The John Makepeace School in Dorset, UK before studying Design at The Royal College of Art in London. Since setting up his own practice in Munich in 1991, he has developed furniture, products, and lighting for leading companies in the design field.

Grcic defines function in human terms, combining formal strictness with considerable acuity and humour. Each of his products is characterised by careful research into the history of design and architecture and by his passion for technology and materials. Known for pared-down pieces, Grcic is often called a minimalist, though the designer himself prefers to speak of simplicity.

His work has received international design awards and forms part of the permanent collections of the world´s most important design museums. Solo exhibitions have been shown at the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen (Rotterdam, 2006), Haus der Kunst (Munich, 2006), The Art Institute of Chicago (2009) and the Vitra Design Museum (2014).

The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) appointed Grcic Royal Designer for Industry, and in 2010, he was a fellow at Villa Massimo in Rome.