May 22, 2008
Grcic on Grcic
Konstantin Grcic’s revamped Web site is a virtual monograph of the designer’s prolific career.
On Chair One (2004): “I think my approach was a mixture of naivety and bluntness.”
If you haven’t dropped by Konstantin-Grcic.com lately, now would be a good time to check in. The prolific Munich-based designer–and creator of the much-feted new Myto chair–has revamped the site with a chronological list of projects accompanied by a wealth of photos, videos, and first-person descriptions.
On Mayday (1999): “I have one next to my bed for late night reading.”
The latter is a fun addition to what was previously a bare-bones site with only the most basic facts about Grcic’s work. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the guy is so articulate. Whereas many of his peers speak and write in overblown pronouncements or weirdly flat business jargon (see Steven Heller’s recent post on embarrassing design patois) Grcic is unpretentious and precise. (It also helps that his English is excellent.)
On the ES shelf (1999): “This must be the simplest piece of furniture I‘ve designed.”
On Chaos (2001): “I decided, in a slightly reactionary way, to design an uncomfortable upholstered chair.”
Some of the online anecdotes come from the 2006 monograph KGID (Konstantin Grcic Industrial Design), but others are new for the site. And the list of projects also includes some little-publicized installations and quirky one-offs not normally associated with the “Utility Man“. Does anyone remember, for example, that Grcic designed a beach towel in 2000? Or that he created a series of glassware for Absolut last year?
Can’t get enough Grcic? Be sure to check out Matt Steinglass’s 2000 profile for Metropolis.
