Justus, your studio places a strong emphasis on handcrafted creations. How do you ensure that traditional craftsmanship techniques are preserved in your contemporary designs?
Craftsmanship is very important to us, as it needs to be preserved and highly valued. Therefore, we work with artisans who truly understand their craft. When selecting materials, we naturally try to choose as sustainably as possible. Metal is a great raw material - whether bronze or steel, metals are fantastic to work with and can be easily recycled and separated. Some things can only be built with machines, while others require a human touch. When you find someone who makes a product look as if it was machine-made, you have found an artisan. The design and form language are central but are always influenced by external factors like the feasibility and possibilities of the craft, as well as the raw material.
Can you describe the process of creating the "Duo Simplicia" side table? What are the key steps involved in its craftsmanship?
It all starts with a vision, a picture in the mind, influenced by things encountered, like the spire of Cologne Cathedral, the surface of an armrest on an old metal chair, or simply the play of clouds reflected in water. Suddenly, you connect elements encountered in everyday life or things that inspire you. The initial image is quite sharp - the form language, haptics, and material are fixed and then drawn. Sometimes, chance also plays a role in the creation process. When working with artisans, you must trust them; it‘s a collaboration. We need to understand and harmonise with each other. There are certain things you cannot control. I provide the form and feel, the weightiness of the materials, and the surface. In the workshop, everything is then implemented.
DUO SIMPLICIA is one of the most elaborate products JKS has produced so far. Each sheet was invisibly welded. Precision work is necessary. First, the sheets are fixed, and then a small piece is cut out and filled with a seam to hold the sheets together. For each of the 16 seams, the sheets must be cut at regular intervals of about 1cm and then filled again before polishing. It takes 10 working days to make a side table like DUO SIMPLICIA.
The effort is enormous, and the result is more than perfect. You have to work very carefully; even in the pre-selection of materials, each sheet must be inspected closely. Each metal sheet must be examined carefully because even slight waves in the sheets can prevent the final pieces from meeting at the exact height. Since the object consists of two parts, both sides must be precisely crafted. Sheets warp when welded, so welding must be done in small steps and the sheets must be as flat as possible. Therefore, this is by far the most elaborate piece JKS has ever produced.
The "Duo Simplicia" side table is crafted from brushed steel and finished with wax. What inspired the use of these specific materials and finishes for this piece?
The idea behind DUO SIMPLICIA was to design an object as honest and simple as possible- not in production or execution, but in form language, and materiality. It was about mono-materiality and simplicity, so we chose steel instead of stainless steel. The wax finish is there to capture the honest surface, not to preserve it, but to offer slight protection. It‘s a gesture of respect for the material. In the end, wax never protects as strongly as, for example, a powder coating, allowing a patina to develop over time. The object is meant to grow and live with its owner. Additionally, using a powder coating would not have been consistent with the statement of preferring monomateriality. In the end, it is a noble product, meticulously and precisely crafted with a more or less sensitive surface. It is up to the owner how they handle the object.
The "Morocco Replica" tray has a unique bronze patina finish. What was the original found object that inspired this design, and how did you transform it into the final product?
The Morocco Replica tray is originally a stone bowl carved by a stonemason in the mountains near Tagherat Anekrim, Morocco. The shape was as simple as it could be: an oval captured in a rectangle. The whole piece, the object, attracted me-the hand-carved surfaces, the form, and the old man in his small hut producing the bowls himself. It inspired me to immortalise this bowl in bronze.
It was about archiving the craftsmanship and story by casting it in bronze to make it enduring and to tell the story of the journey. Before this bronze work was created, ACIES CIRCUM was developed, capturing the simple form again - an oval in a rectangle. This form was perfected and implemented mechanically, and then I wanted to return to craftsmanship to continue the story. The bowl was cast in bronze by artisan Martin Schweitzer, the son of Hans Willi Schweitzer. The Schweitzer family has been working in the fifth generation, exclusively with artists, and they understand their craft of metal casting. Together with Martin Schweitzer, we cast the found object in bronze and finished it with a green patina, giving the bowl an old character, perhaps as a tribute to the old man and the ancient crafts of casting and stone carving by hand.
Casting bronze is a complex process that requires many hours and a precise hand. Not everyone has the chance to be present during production, but those who do will understand how breathtaking this process is and how fascinating the craft truly is.
Each "Morocco Replica" tray has a distinct patina finish. How do you achieve this uniqueness in each piece, and what challenges do you face in this process?
The patina is induced through a chemical process. Bronze naturally develops a patina over time, but this can take dozens of years. We have accelerated the process, which is not toxic or dangerous, but it forces the bronze to react. Each patina is different and cannot be controlled. The material dictates where the oxidation process is more pronounced and where it is less so. The natural colour that bronze develops is incredibly beautiful; it is always astonishing to see the vibrancy of colours nature allows, and each tray is a small artwork in itself.
ACIES CIRCUM II (AC II) is an evolution of your popular acrylic bowl. What are the key differences between AC II and its predecessor, and how do these changes enhance its design and functionality?
ACIES CIRCUM II is the continuation of the AC series. It is essentially the same design with the same radius, just a bit smaller, making it suitable for holding jewellery or other small objects. We also designed a limited edition as a homage to Roni Horn‘s glass objects. The frosted look is achieved by hand.
As a Personal Assistant to designer Mike Meiré, what are some of the most valuable lessons you learned that have influenced your own design practice?
I‘m not sure if it directly influences my work, but it very likely does in some way because everything influences us in some way. Working with him, the way he connects different themes is just impressive to see. The numerous references and the intercultural threads he weaves are quite impressive and influence me in some way. I have learned to perceive my environment differently. The work and approach of a creative person are probably about connecting things feelings, shapes, colours, raw materials, thoughts, words, images, objects, or experiences - to create something new. My work in Mike Meiré‘s studio trains my eye but also gives me the ability to implement what I‘ve learned in my environment.
It is wonderful to learn from someone who has tried many things, and developed his taste but never stopped learning. Mike Meiré is always open to new things and tries out new ideas, and even at a point where most would be satisfied, he goes the extra mile and explores further. This inspires me.
Looking ahead, what are some new materials or techniques you are excited to explore in your future designs?
I would like to learn more about sustainable materials. What new innovations are there? What possibilities does the technological progress we experience today offer us? We are creating houses with 3D printers. What else is possible, and what materials can we modify so that we can soon print everything?
How do you envision the future of furniture and interior design, especially in terms of integrating sustainability and craftsmanship?
I believe that we have already arrived at the future regarding our innovations and techniques. I think we just need to understand as a society to accept them. Furniture should inevitably be sustainable in that we can easily recycle it. No more composite materials that cannot be separated. We need no raw material that uses 50% less asbestos; we need 0%. But ideally, it shouldn‘t even be noticeable that everything is now sustainable. It should simply become the norm.
I believe that sustainability already belongs to good practice today. We should not be distracted by greenwashing but should produce truly honestly and sincerely without having to make a big deal out of it. If soon everyone does it, we won‘t be bothered by the strange aftertaste that we don‘t trust many companies. Beautiful design can be sustainable. We don‘t have to bend ourselves for this but should be open to new innovations and manufacturing techniques.
