Konstantin Grcic

Konstantin Grcic is a German industrial designer known for creating mass-manufactured items, such as furniture and household products. He has participated in leading design shows and his work can be seen in major museums. Described as having a pared down aesthetic, his functional designs are characterized by geometric shapes and unexpected angles.

Grcic studied cabinetry making in the Arts and Crafts tradition at the John Makepeace School for Craftsmen in Wood in London, starting in 1985. In 1988, he began his graduate studies in Industrial Design at London's Royal College of Art. Grcic worked with British designer Jasper Morrison in the late 1980s until 1990, when he began designing furniture for SCP, one of London's largest design stores. He credits his time in London for helping develop his individual style.

In 1991, Grcic founded his studio, Konstantin Grcic Industrial Design (KGID), in Munich, Germany. Working with a staff of five, he creates pieces that have been described as both revolutionary and intelligent.

With an emphasis on usability, Grcic is known for having a spartan approach to design, relying on geometric forms, unusual angles and hard edges. He has created installations and developed products such as furniture, lighting, watches, tableware, espresso makers, and even umbrellas. Grcic became recognized for his 1995 Refolo trolley, 1997 Wanda dish rack, 1998 award-winning Mayday lamp, 1999 ES shelf and 2001 Chaos chair.

His iconic 2004 Chair One and 2006 Miura stool are both described as being comfortable to sit on, despite their oddly shaped compositions. Grcic has a philosophical approach to design, especially when it comes to seating products, his favorite objects to tackle.

Grcic has used cutting edge technology, such as high-tech ceramics and 3D modeling software, to create his mass-produced items. Advanced engineering plastics were the basis of his award-winning Myto Chair, launched at the Milan Furniture Fair in 2008. Grcic also relies on low-tech solutions to advance the design process, manually creating and deconstructing rough paper models. An engineering-oriented approach and extensive research make up his methodology, something attributed to his upbringing.