Krusin Side Chair

Marc Krusin: “The chair has a particularly traditional framework — arm at a certain height, back at a certain height — and it has to do certain things, it has to be a robust chair. Within that framework, we worked tremendously on the proportion. Both proportion in the macro sense — the height of the arms with relation to the height of the back and the height of the seat, and also proportion on the micro scale —the angles of each rail of wood, you know, they’re not just square blocks.

“We spent a lot of time making changes that were not only aesthetic, but also structural and made a difference from an ease of fabrication point. It was actually very interesting, a lot of the time we’d be cutting something off, or taking an angle out, and what I found was that it actually gave something back to the design, it simplified it.

“I see it as being a design that can fit into a lot of scenarios. To me, there is something very noble about an object, a chair, whatever it may be, that sits within a space not shouting for your attention, but blending into it. The outcome is absolutely contemporary, but at the same time absolutely classic and absolutely timeless.”
 

Marc Krusin began his career in Italy where he worked tirelessly at the heart of the Milanese design scene for more than 13 years. He became Piero Lissoni's right-hand-man and associate, leading all types of projects from product to interior design for clients of international reputation. He played a fundamental part in helping the studio grow from 15 employees to over 60 and from being a studio with mainly Italian clients to being a studio with clients all over the world. 

He now has his own practice in London and continues to design spaces and products for clients in several countries around the world. Among these is Knoll for whom he created the Krusin Chair and Table collection, and more recently the Anchor storage system, both of which have become very successful ranges for this internationally renowned company. Krusin's latest introductions with Knoll are Pixel™, a portfolio of performance tables for the entire office with a focus on training and classroom spaces, and Pixel™ Lounge, a modular lounge collection designed for office spaces, campuses, airport lounges and beyond.

In addition to designing, Marc has taught and lectured at universities in Europe and Australia and regularly speaks about his experience at events and conferences.

“My intention is always to create visual silence, to create objects which are unobtrusive and which harmonise with their surroundings rather than shout for attention. One thing that has dramatically changed the way I work is simple awareness. Awareness of what is being asked and of what needed, and the realization that wonderful things can happen when we stop thinking!”