2017 Unfold / Claire Warnier & Dries Verbruggen
Claire Warnier and Dries Verbruggen form the design duo Unfold. Their designs combine craft with high end technologies and digital tools. According tot the jury, they have found a way to ‘find a perfect balance between the digital and the traditional’. Claire and Dries both studied at the Design Academy in Eindhoven, starting their own studio in 2002.
Their focus lies on process, research and experiment. The technologies they use, the materials they choose and their conceptual approach: Unfold is always questioning the classical division between designer, producer and consumer. They are on the lookout for innovation and don’t hesitate to incorporate new technologies, but never lose sight of tradition and the human aspect of design.
That approach also raises international acclaim: their Artisan Electronique, a 3D ceramics printer with a virtual turntable, has been around the world and the Skafaldo side table is can be seen in the Centre Pompidou. If there is one design studio that embodies today’s zeitgeist, it is Unfold. Their critical approach and original take on tradition and technology make them the perfect example of what it can mean to be a designer in this day and age.
