Designer Johan Viladrich Uses Bolts, Straps and Joints In His Essentialist Furniture Pieces

Viladrich has adopted an essentialist ideology in his practice, working with shapes reduced to their simplest form, with a sleek industrial style in grey, silver, bronze, and black. Viladrich’s biography explains that he “aims to reveal the inherent beauty of materials through refined surface treatments and subtle combinations.” This philosophy is apparent in ‘Ratio’, a piece that works as a shelf, bench, and a console made from steel, aluminium, and a rubber band. “‘Ratio’ is a project exploring primary ways to assemble materials together and create versatile structures”, explains Viladrich. The bench appears to be held together by the rubber band, forming a fundamental part of its design. Another series of note is ‘Elder’, which includes contemporary renditions of product designs such as a kitchen knife and a shoe horn. Made entirely of steel, the ‘Elder’ products were created in order to break down stereotypes surrounding old age, “by proposing transgenerational designs meant to provide the user with more pride and sensory joy”.