KONSTANTIN GRCIC

The designs of Konstantin Grcic are characterized by a careful research and a great passion for technology and materials. Konstantin Grcic defines function in human terms, combining formal strictness...

...with considerable mental acuity and humour. Regarding the minimalist design of his products, Grcic himself prefers to speak of simplicity.

Grcic was born 1965 in Munich and was trained as a cabinet maker at The John Makepeace School (Dorset, England) before studying Design at the Royal College of Art in London. In 1991 he founded his design studio Konstantin Grcic Industrial Design (KGID) in Munich and since then is developping furniture, products and lighting for some of the leading companies in the world of design like Authentics, BD Ediciones, ClassiCon, Flos, Flötotto, Magis, Maharam, Mattiazzi, Muji, Nespresso, Plank, Serafino Zani, Thomas-Rosenthal and Vitra.

Work by Konstantin Grcic forms part of the permanent collections of the world´s most important design museums, including the MoMA in New York and the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, and his work has been shown internationally in important design exhibitions for example at the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen (Rotterdam, 2006), Haus der Kunst (Munich, 2006) and The Art Institute of Chicago (2009). With "Konstantin Grcic - Panorama" the Vitra Design Museum (Weil am Rhein, Germany) is now presenting the largest solo exhibition on Konstantin Grcic and his work to date.

Besides his work as designer Grcic also curates exhibitions. In 2012 he was responsible for the exhibition design of the German Pavillon at the 13th Architecture Biennale in Venice.

Regarding the cooperation with Laufen Konstantin Grcic is espacially attracted by the possibilities offered by the revolutionary SaphirKeramik. Aim of his work is to bring out the values of an industrial precision that has the flavour of tailor-made work. Until now, a collection of rectangular and circular washbasins with textures has come about, which seem like jewels thanks to the filigree ceramics.

Konstantin Grcic: „What makes the washbasins made of SaphirKeramik so extraordinary is the subtle reduction of materials offered by technological innovation, as well as the geometrical rhythms that shape the surfaces."