Jonathan Muecke designs furniture that is both simple and inscrutable. But before settling into his current practice, the 31-year-old designer received a B.Arch. from Iowa State University and worked for Herzog & de Meuron in Basel. His desire to create at a smaller scale led him to study at Cranbrook in Michigan and then establish a studio in Minneapolis, where he now produces furniture as one-off pieces and in small editions.
His objects use a limited palette of familiar materials and typical furniture typologies but combine them in unusual, sometimes willfully awkward ways that make them difficult to read at a glance. A bench from 2011 made from carbon fiber and epoxy works the usually molded industrial materials into what looks like a hand-formed sculpture made from wet fur. His aluminum Mezzanine table from 2013 demands that sitters consider the structure holding up its elongated oval surface as they navigate its five staggered legs.
Muecke’s latest project is a temporary entry pavilion for the Design Miami/ fair (December 3–7). The annual event, which celebrates its 10th iteration this year, brings a roster of design dealers—including Chicago’s Volume Gallery, which represents Muecke—to the city to set up shop during Art Basel Miami Beach. Architectural Record spoke with Muecke about his design for the installation as well as his path from architecture to furniture and (at least temporarily) back again.
Your Design Miami/ pavilion has two arcing steel walls enclosing a circular space that is 45 feet in diameter. The walls are high, but very thin and painted in vivid colors, so that their material recedes into the background, leaving a series of abstract colored planes. How did you arrive at the design?
You have 0 complimentary articles remaining.
Unlimited access + premium benefits for as low as $1.99/month.