Sylvain Willenz Design Studio

Philosophy

Since setting up his studio in 2004, Sylvain Willenz has given birth to a handful of remarkable designs. A small, yet an early and consistent collection of design objects in which the signature of the young designer is precise and distinct: An experimental approach of materials, but a liking for clear and simple forms, an eye for detail and attention to the finished and manufactured product. Sylvain gets his kick out of trying out and experimenting things, sourcing his inspiration in the most common and unexpected everyday objects and materials. And although some early projects can have an experimental character, Sylvain never forgets the production value and the feasibility involved with real products. These elements taken into account, it is worth calling Sylvain a contemporary designer. Indeed, his first creations haven’t passed unnoticed. In 2002 he was the successful candidate of the international design competition Design for Europe at the Interieur Biennale in Kortrijk, in Belgium. in 2005, he was elected as the most promising designer of the year on the DesignBrussels fair. And since then his work has taken on with international and reputable collaborations. Thanks to his innovative, simple and fair approach to design, and some dry humor, Sylvain is unmistakably an important Belgian talent.

Publications

2009
-BOOK: iF YearBook Product 2009, iF International Forum Design Gmbh Verlag, Publisher. Birkhäuser Verlag AG, 2009, p325
NOWW Magazine, Belgium, Number One, 2009
-Monocle, UK, Issue 24, June 2009, p122
-ID, USA, June 2009, p34
-HOME, New Zealand, June 2009, p32
-The Word, Belgium, Vol2 Issue03 May June 2009, 73
-Established & Sons Magazine, Issue 5, April 2009
-ELLE Decor, Italy, May 2009, p333-34
-DAMn°21,Belgium, "One Roof, Six Voices", April May 2009, p83
-Weekend Le Vif, Belgium, "Talent Spotting à Milan", 17-23 April 2009, p3, p56
-Feeling Wonen / Gael Maison, Belgium, April 2009, p31
-Weekend Le Vif, Belgium, 15-21 Apri l2009, 26, p28

2008
-BOOK: Desire, The shape of things to come, Gestalten, 2008, p215
-Casamica, Italy, n11, November 2008, p47
-Best One Magazine, Belgium, n30, November 2008, p?
-Established & Sons online magazine
-Metropolis, USA, "Sexy Drive", November December 2008, p64
-ID, USA, November December 2008, p62
-DSM, De Standaard, Belgium, 18 Oct 2008, p48
-Financial Times, 18/19 October, House & Home, p10
-The British Design Awards 2008, Brought by ELLE Decoration, UK, Suppl to September 2008, p42
-Abitare, Italy, July August 2008, "7 Yound Designers 08", p98-99
-Damn N°18, Belgium, August September 2008, p156
-Designers’ Workshop, Japan, August 2008, p71
-Beaux Art Magazine, France, June 2008, "Design 2008" p81
-Case Da Abitare, Italy, May 2008, p147-149
-Blacksquare, Russia, May-June 2008, p123-125
-Ten Magazine, UK, May 2008, p68
-Victoire, Belgium, April 2008, p42-43
-VIF Weekend, Belgium, 14-20 March 2008, p54, 56, 58

2007
-BOOK: World Best Design Exchange in Seoul ---2007 Catalogue, Korea, Design Korea 2007, p144
-BOOK: Collections Connections, p118-119, Exhibition Catalogue, Stichting Kunstboek, 2007
-BOOK: Simply Material: Ed. Victionary, Hong Kong, 2007, p84
-BOOK: Artifact: Ed. Victionary, Hong Kong, 2007, p060
-Wallpaper*, UK, December 2007, p65 PDF
-Intramuros, France, November December 2007, p26 PDF
-ID, USA, November December 2007, p79 PDF
-Decors, Belgium, December 2007, p64 PDF
-Gael Maison, Belgium, April 2007, p84
-Zone 02, Belgium, 28 March - 11 April, 2007, p1, p17
-Experimenta, Spain, N 57, February 2007, p183
-Actief Wonen, Belgium, March 2007, p28
-Interior Design Magazine, USA, Feb 2007, p?
-Wallpaper*, UK, “100% Design London Review” December 2007, p.?
-I.D. The International Design Magazine, USA, November - December 2007, p79
-Intramuros N°133, France, November - December 2007, p26
-Gael Maison, Belgium, October 2007, p156
-Gael Maison, Belgium, April 2007, p84
-ZONE 02, Belgium, 28 March - 11 April, 2007, p1, p17
-Experimenta, Spain, N 57, February 2007, p183
-Actief Wonen, Belgium, March 2007, p28
-Interior Design Magazine, USA, Feb 2007, p?
-Wallpaper*, UK, “Wanted for Rubbery” January 2007, p45
-U Magazine, Hong Kong, January 2007 p.?
-House and Leisure Magazine, ZA, January 2007, p.58
-The World of Interiors, UK, January 2007, p12
-Victoire, Belgium, Supplément du SOIR n°25, 13 January 2007, p17

2006
-BOOK: Material Matters, Ed. Victionary, Hong Kong, 2006
-Press 2006 (selection)
-Gael Maison, Belgium, November 2006, p
-I.D. The International Design Magazine, USA, November 2006, p60
-DSM De Standaard, Belgium, 14 October 2006, p45
-Kwintessens, Belgium, N° 02, 2006, p57
-Le Vif Weekend, Belgium, N° 41, 13-19 October 2006, p92
-Atrium, Swiss, N° 05 September - October 2006, p30
-Gael Maison, Belgium, May 2006, p76-77
-Ideales Heim, Swiss, April 2006, p22

2005
-BOOK: LABEL-DESIGN.BE, p314-315, Exhibition Catalogue, Stichting Kunstboek, 2005
-Deco Idees, Belgium, January 2005, p36
-DecoStyle, Belgium, December 2005 - January 2006, p3
-LABEL-DESIGN.BE, p314-315, Stichting Kunstboek, 2005
-Villas, Belgium, October 2005
-Le Vif Weekend, Belgium, March 2005, p132
-Wallonie/Bruxelles, Belgium, June 2005, p39
-Gael Maison, Belgium, April 2005, p112
-Gael Maison, Belgium, October 2005, p157
-DesignBrussels Magazine, Belgium, November 2005, p27

2004
-BOOK: Imperefect By Design, Ed. Design Vlaanderen, Belgium, 2004
-BOOK: The International Design Yearbook, Edited by Tom Dixon, Ed. Thames and Hudson, UK, 2004
-Imperfect By Design, Musée Royaux d’Art et d’Histoire, Belgium, 2004, p194, 197, 255, 263
-Absoluut Architecture, Ed. What if, Belgium, 2004, p406
-Kwintessens, Design Vlaanderen, Belgium, N° 4 2004, p36
-ELLE Decoration, Belgium, May 2004, p22
-The International Yearbook, Ed. Thames and Hudson, UK, 2004, p223
-Kwintessens Design Vlaanderen, Belgium, N° 1 2004
-Deco&Immo, Belgium, October 2005, p19
-Gael Maison, Belgium, April 2004, p6
-Femmes d’Aujourd’hui, Belgium, 25 March 2004, p7
-Textile Magazine, Belgium, March 2004, N°1, p13
-Brussel Deze Week, Belgium, 15 July 2004, p9

Awards

2009 Nominated Belgian Designer of the Year
2009 UK Grand Designs Award Product of the Year (Torch Light Series)
2009 UK Grand Designs Award for Best Lighting Design 2009. (Torch Light Series)
2009 Elle Decoration International Design Awards 2009 for lighting (Torch Light Series)
2009 Red Dot Best of the Best Product Design Award 2009 (Freecom xxs Mobile Drive)
2009 iF Product Design Award 2009 (Freecom xxs Mobile Drive)
2008 Henry van de Velde Prijs Label (Torch Series)
2006 Henry van de Velde Prijs Label (InnerTube)
2006 Henry van de Velde Prijs Label (Stuff)
2005 Most Promising Designer, DesignBrussels Fair
2002 First prize from Interieur, Interieur 02 Design for Europe (Dr.B)
2002 First prize BSI British Standards Institution Awards
1999 First prize RSA (UK) Royal Society of Arts Student Design

Exhibitions

2009
-Established & Sons 4. 16-20 April, La Pelota, Milan 2009
-Galleria Bonaparte, Via Pontaccio 8-10, Milan, Atelier A1 Shows new works, Presetation of Candy collection
-Prophets & Penitents / Confessions of a Chair: Exhibition curated by DAMn Magazine, Galleria Blanchaert, Piazza S.Ambrogio, 4, Milano

2008
-Established & Sons 4. 16-20 April, La Pelota, Milan 2008
-Showcase at the Designed in Brussels Gallery, 10 January - 16 February 2008, Brussels

2007
-Design Korea 29 November - 6 December, Seoul
-World Best Design / Design Vlaanderen Presents Hery Van de Velde Awards 2006 - Design Korea 29 November - 6 December, Seoul
-DesignTide, 31 October - 4 November 2007, Tokyo
-100% Design London, 20-23 September 2007
-ICFF, “101%” Designed in Brussels presents selected works of 6 Designers. 19-22 May, New York
-Collections Connections: 06 May - 26 August - Grand-Hornu Images, Hornu, Belgium
-BetterFood: 29 March - 26 May - Design Vlaanderen Gallery, Brussels, Belgium
-Talente 2007, Selected works, 8-14 March 2007, Munich
-SFEER 17-25 March, Henry Van De Velde Prijs, Presentation by Design Vlaanderen, Flanders Expo, Gent
-IMM Die internationale Möbelmesse. “101%” Designed in Brussels presents selected works of 6 Designers. 15-21 January 2007, Köln

2006
-Henry Van De Velde Prijs, Presentation of Labelled objects, Brussels
-UQAM (Université du Quebec Montreal): “31 Designers flamands contemporains”, 14 September - 22 October 2006, Montreal, Quebec
-Interieur 06, Vlaemsch, 13-22 October, Kortrijk, Belgium
-100% Design London, supported by Bruxelles Export 21-24 September 2006
-TuttoBeNe – Supported by Design Vlaanderen, Presentation of new Light works, Milan 2006

2005
-DESIGNBRUSSELS, Presentation of new works at the new design salon in Brussels, November 2005
-LABEL DESIGN.BE, Design After 2000, Musée du Grand-Hornu, Belgium, 16 October 2005- 16 February 2006
-SIDIM, Salon International du Design et Interieur de Montreal, supported by Bruxelles Export, Canada, May 2005
-Maison et Objets, Vlaemsch () presents Brackets Included in Paris, 2-6 September 2005

2004
-Imperfect by Design, Musées Royaux d’Art et d’Histoire, Brussels, December 2004 – February 2005
-Biennale de St Etienne, France, Dr. Bamboozle & Snottebel, supported by Design Vlaanderen, November 2004
-Henry van de Velde Award for Best product 2004, Presents Snottebel lights, Design Vlaanderen, Brussels, November –December 2004
-Intérieur 04 Vlaemsch ( ) presents Brackets Included, Kortrijk, Belgium, October 2004
-Oeuverture, Design Circuit in Gent - Design Vlaanderen & ProMateria present new works, Belgium, September 2004
-De Nieuwe Oogste, New selections by Design Vlaanderen, Brussels, Belgium, July-August 2004
-Dr. Bamboozle presented by Extremis, SuperStudio Piu, Milan, April 2004

2003
-The Show Part II, Design Products, Royal College of Art, London, June-July 2003
-Dr. Bamboozle presented by Extremis, SuperStudio Piu, Milan, April 2003
-Expositions 2002 (selection)
-22 Objects for Intérieur 02 World Exclusives, presentation of Dr. Bamboozle Kortrijk, Belgium, October 2002 Intérieur 02
Design for Europe, Kortrijk, Belgium, October