After his name popped up seemingly everywhere throughout 2016, it was no surprise to see Vincent Van Duysen crowned Biennale Interieur’s Designer of the Year. Since last spring he’s launched a slew of beautiful pieces with top brands like Flos, Paola Lenti, and Poliform, and in April he took over as creative director at Molteni & C.
The architect was also announced as the winner of the Flemish Culture Prize for Design last week in Kortrijk – a fitting end to a whirlwind year for the designer. To celebrate, we’ve rounded up a few Van Duysen highlights of the past 12 months.
Van Duysen is the designer behind two of the year’s biggest launches from top Italian lighting brand Flos. He also created the booth they debuted in, at German lighting fair Light + Building this past March. Textural concrete-look walls provided the perfect backdrop for both the more polished cast-concrete Casting outdoor lamps, and the industrial grid of Infrastructure.
2 Paul, Jan and Quinten, for Molteni & C
The following month, Van Duysen was named the new creative director for Molteni & C, as well as sister brand Dada Kitchens. The announcement was made just in time for Salon del Mobile, where the architect and Molteni launched a trio of new furniture pieces, including the Paul sofa, short table Jan, and a sideboard dubbed Quinten.
3 Portofino For Paola Lenti
Also debuting in Milan, this dining table was added to a collection that already included a dining, deck and armchairs, as well as a footstool. Made from solid locust wood, the series’ frames are inspired by the form of a classical director’s chair.
4 Marlon for Poliform
A lot of personality is packed into this simple armchair, introduced earlier this year by Poliform. The low and leaned-back seat is upholstered in wool or leather and sits on distinctive, black wood legs.
5 DRD penthouse interior, in Knokke, Belgium
Completed this year, after three years in the works, this weekend retreat exhibits Van Duysen’s signature minimalism with its surprising warmth. The duplex penthouse features muted, natural tones, and dark accents; the floors and furniture are all chosen to complement the apartment’s stunning views of the sandy Belgian coast, and sparkling sea beyond.
6 Totem for Pastoe
Now one of the designer’s classic pieces, these swivelling storage units, originally launched in 2010, were updated with a new palette in 2016.