Brussels Sprouts

Forget waffles, Trappist ale, and Jan van Eyck. Belgium has a new cultural export to be proud of: a corps of talented young industrial designers based in its capital. A new addition to this year’s fair, 101% Designed in Brussels showcases three individuals and two collectives. Much of their work puts a clever twist on everyday objects through unorthodox materials and playful touches, like:

Sylvain Willenz’s flexible rubber pendant lamp, which takes its shape from the circular light tube inside.

Charlotte Lancelot’s stamped-steel clothes hooks, with a petal shape inspired by orchids.

The furniture is equally original: Christiane Högner, for example, has created Sandbank, an outdoor sofa made of—you guessed it—sandbags.