It's not uncommon for creative individuals to branch out to other design mediums and trades. Therefore, it is no surprise that some of the world's most well-known architects and designers have segued into crafting products and, more specifically, furniture. Like Le Corbusier and Charlotte Perriand before them, these seven architects have collaborated with furniture manufacturers to design products that are reminiscent of their architectural aesthetics.
VIA57 Lounge Chair, Bjarke Ingels for Republic of Fritz Hansen
Inspired by his newly completed Via 57 West residential building in New York, this lounge chair by Danish architect Bjarke Ingels mimics the form of the towering geometric design. VIA57 can be used as individual seating, or pushed together to form a small sofa. fritzhansen.com
Eva, Foster + Partners for Lumina
Conceived out of the design for a concept luminaire for an architectural project that never came to be, Eva is a tabletop LED fixture that radiates an almost otherworldly glow. Its single LED source directs light upward onto a reflective cone that appears to float. A grooved, free-moving wheel wraps the bottom of the cylindrical luminaire, which features integral infrared sensors for dimming. lumina.it
Double Zero Settee, David Adjaye for Moroso
A chromed steel base provides an Art Deco frame for four circular cushions on this two-seater sofa. It is part of a collection for Italian furniture maker Moroso that includes an armchair and a barstool. The settee's base comes in chrome black or chromed gold. moroso.it
Mew Table-Desk, Zaha Hadid for Sawaya & Moroni
One of the last products designed by the late architect, the Mew Table-Desk is classic Zaha with its sinuous lines, fluid forms, and bold monolithic color. Molded from polyurethane plastic, the piece can be used as a dining table or office desk. It is available in red, black, and white. sawayamoroni.com
Time Maze Clock, Daniel Libeskind for Alessi
Libeskind deconstructs, and then jumbles, the concept of time in his stainless steel Time Maze Clock for Italian housewares manufacturing and design company Alessi. The Polish-American architect represents "time [as] a labyrinth of abstract connections and playful interactions," according to Alessi, resulting in a sharp-angled disruption of the linear form. The clock comes in red, black, and stainless versions. libeskind.com
Notch, David Rockwell for Rich Brilliant Willing
A simple rectangular prism is elevated with a cube-shaped cutout at its center, revealing a hollow interior from which a hidden LED light source provides illumination. The fixture, designed for Brooklyn, N.Y.–based lighting upstart Rich Brilliant Willing, is housed in powdercoated steel with a brass interior. It comes in 2700K with a CRI of 80. richbrilliantwilling.com
Nod, Nendo for Marsotto Edizioni
This quirky side table, by the Japanese architecture firm Nendo, appears to have encountered high winds. The slanted Nod, made of white Carrara or black Marquina marble, comes in two sizes: 14" wide by 18.2" tall, and 15.5" wide by 13" tall. edizioni.marsotto.com
