Designer Werner Aisslinger thinks of himself as a curator and collagist, a creator of dynamic space that speaks to both individual and communal experience: “the designer has to link the diverse dynamics and energies, the objects’ different stories without simply eliminating disparity.”

This philosophy necessarily broadens the aesthetic: Aisslinger’s ethos is not so much that of the auteur but rather of the “DJ, Curator, and Conductor.”

Accordingly, Aisslinger’s portfolio is exceedingly eclectic. He works with multiple materials in a variety of contexts, designing spaces and products that tell stories across various locales. The Token Stool, for instance, is contextualized as an organic entity emerging from a forested wood. It’s resemblance to a mushroom is perhaps no accident. Neither, presumably, is the similarity of its name to that of the author of the Lord of the Rings saga.

The characterization of product within a defined narrative context speaks directly to Aisslinger’s philosophy, manifesting in different ways across his oeuvre. Here’s the Pin Sofa. Designed for his own Aisslinger Studio, Pin is a modular piece that sets up and breaks down easily into a variety of configurations. Its rectangular blocks evoke everything from piano keys to computer circuitry. The different color options offer a unique personality, equal parts whimsy and high-tech.

The eclectic sensibility applies to the bath as well. The Tricolore Tub for Kaldewei is an imaginative and functional piece that pushes aesthetic strictures into new territories. This piece is a literal collage: the tub is enameled in two colors, while the third is achieved via a supportive steel structure.

Lastly, the Bench Sofa is a sedate yet stylish piece custom-made for the 25hours Hotel Langstrasse in Zurich. Conceived as an integral element to Aisslinger’s re-imagining of the hotel lobby (“combining the casual chic of a living room and the cosy atmosphere of a coffee house.”), the Bench Sofa is an elegant combination of texture and materiality, evoking both formal simplicity and the vast potential of re-contextualization.

Werner Aisslinger has designed for and collaborated with Cappellini, Zanotta, Magis, Porro, Vitra, Foscarini, and Moroso, in addition to creating products under his own brand, Studio Aisslinger. His interiors and architecture are found across the globe, from locales as diverse as Beirut and Brussels, brands as distinct as Bugaboo Strollers and Mercedes Benz. He is the recipient of the Compasso d’Oro, the Design Prize of the Federal Republic of Germany, and the Red Dot/FX Award. His work is also in the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum, the Fonds National d´Art Contemporain, and the Vitra Design Museum.

To read more see Studio Aisslinger.