Picnik

Founder, main designer and Big Boss of Extremis Born Belgium, May 9th 1964, son of a cabinet maker. Formation Interior and furniture design in the architecture institute Sint-Lucas / Gent, Belgium. Career Involved in the distribution of international design brands until he establishes Extremis in 1994 with own furniture designs for outdoor use. Managing director and main designer, but also working closely together with other internationally renowned designers. Design awards * Henry van de Velde Award, Belgium 2001 * Interior Innovation Award, IMM Köln 2003 * les Best of NOW! design à vivre, Paris 2003 * Henry van de Velde Award, Belgium 2003 (nomination best product) * FX international design award, London 2003 (best residential furniture) * IF design award, silver, Hannover 2003 * Interior Innovation Award, IMM Köln 2004 (nomination) * Good Design award, Chicago 2004 * ID magazine, Annual Design Review, New York 2004 * FX international design award, London 2004 (best residential furniture) * Design Award of the Province of West Flanders, Kortrijk 2004 * Interior Innovation Award, IMM Köln 2005 * Red Dot Award, 2005 * FX award, 2005, product: DoNuts Management Awards * Independent Entrepreneur of the Year, Belgium 2001 * Hermes Award, Belgium 2002 * Leeuw van de Export Award, Belgium 2002

There is a physical connection between people and the objects around them. This delicate and not easily measured relationship may sometimes reach a level that lies beyond the (important) considerations of comfort, price and robustness. A piece of furniture may give a pleasure or spark an emotion that is linked to the idea of beauty. Innovation is a key aspect of the genuine character of any creation. There should be innovation in appearance as well as in technical and functional design. My creative approach is to try to steer clear of the designer’s usual stumbling blocks by evolving production systems that result in objects with innovative volumes. Longevity is a quality that relates to the wear and tear not only of the object but also of the user. By this I mean tiring of an object which once had an identity, but which is no longer in tune with the trend of the day. The ideal design would be one that is unaffected by the passing of time and comes closest to being self-evident, “just right” and beyond time. Born on 27.08.1969 in Brugge (Belgium), he graduated from the “Institut St Luc”- Brussels in interior design in 1992. Furniture design: Since 1990 he has been designing interiors , furniture and accessories oriented to innovation, industrial production, functionality, affectivity and commercial viability on his own (Elixir) or in collaboration with leading furniture companies such as MDF Italia, è De Padova and Extremis. Among his notable works: -1999 : invention of a new technique of (de)formation for metal sheets -”4P” chair 6’ 1999 Elixir -”T chair” chair 12’ 1999 Elixir -”Le Banc” bench 1 ‘ 2000 MDF Italia -”Le Miroir” swingmirror 2000 MDF Italia -”File Box” storage 2000 Elixir -”4U” chair 2000-2001 Elixir -”The office” office furniture 2000-2001 Elixir -”Stool” stool 2000-2001 Elixir -”Chair 6” chair 2000-2001 Elixir -”Finder” wallstorage 2001 DePadova/Zoltan -”Lounge Sofa” sofa 2000-2001 MDF Italia -”La table basse” low table 2001 MDF Italia -”La grande table” table 2001-2002 MDF Italia -”La chaise” chair 2001-2002 MDF Italia -”Tetra” table 2001-2002 Elixir -”Star & Pear” chair 2002 Elixir -”PicNik®”(design X. Lust & D.Wijnants) outdoor table with 2 seats - 2002 Extremis -”Credence” chest 2002 De Padova -”Rainy day in Switzerland” umbrella stand 2002 DePadova/Zoltan Interior design: - 1994: shops, offices, restaurants disco & private interiors. - Since 1999, projects & development of kitchen concepts - 2001-2002: TANDEM press communication office (Brussels) - 2001-2003: Bibliothèque adulte de Watermael-Boitsfort (Brussels) - 2003 : NEWS: Mode showroom in Via Morosini, 32 Milan (I) Other collaborations - 1997: start of collaboration with Tradix - 1998: L’éclaireur Rue des Rosiers, 3ter - Paris (F) - 1999: The Apartment, Crosby Street, 101 - New York (USA) - 2000: Start of collaboration with MDF Italia ; Milano - 2001: Start of collaboration with De Padova - 2001: Sempre, Tokyo Design Center (Japan) - 2002: SFMOMA San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (USA) Awards - 2001 “1st prize for the seat: “all around favourite” prize awarded by “Le Vif - l’Express” for “Le Banc” - 2002 “Le Banc” is Winner of the 13th Design week Awards “for the best furniture design” at the Grosvenor House Hotel in Mayfair (London ; UK) - 2003 Cologne (IMM - Internationale Möbelmesse) The PicNik module was awarded a first prize for ‘Best Item’ (Interior Innovation Award Cologne 2003) - 2003 Paris (Maison & Objet - Now! Design à vivre) - The PicNik module won “Les best of NOW!” first prize by a panel of purchasers. - 2003 Henry van de Velde 2003 Awards (Belgium) Young Talent - 2003 ADI INDEX. (Italy) Mention for “La Grande Table” edition MDF Italia.