ABOUT SYLVAIN WILLENZ

Born in Brussels in 1978, Sylvain Willenz has lived consecutively in the US, Belgium and in the UK. Sylvain studied MA Design Products at the Royal College of Art in London, graduating in 2003. In 2004, Sylvain opened his Design Office, based in Brussels.


ABOUT SYLVAIN WILLENZ DESIGN OFFICE

Established in 2004, SYLVAIN WILLENZ is an industrial design office based in Brussels. With an approach to design characterized by a clear inquisitiveness for products, industry and processes, Sylvain Willenz and his team, work on various projects ranging from lighting to products, IT electronics and furniture.

Valuing most and for all a good understanding of the producer's or manufacturer's needs and an enriching relationship, the services provided by the office are characterized by a simple and relevant design approach which endeavors in always offering innovative and strong solutions.

SYLVAIN WILLENZ works internationally with renowned clients such as Cappellini, (IT), Established & Sons (UK), Freecom (NL/DE), Hay (DK), Tamawa (BE), Karimoku New Standards (JP) amongst others.

Works by SYLVAIN WILLENZ have been granted some of the most highly considered awards including several iF Awards and Red Dot "Best of the Best" Awards in Product Design. In 2009, the Torch light series were nominated Best in Lighting and Overall Best Product of the Year at the UK Grand Designs Awards. Several works have also been acquired by Museums, integrating their permanent collections and archives.

In 2009, leading press and institutions (The Vif/Knack WE Magazines, The Interieur Foundation, The Design Museum Gent and the Museum of Grand-Hornu Images) nominated Sylvain as Belgian Designer of the Year.

Team
Sylvain Willenz works with partner Johanna Van Daalen and Assistant Valérian Goalec.

Assistants: Robbie Van Nieuwenhove (2006-2010), Julien Renault (2009-2010)

CLIENTS, PRODUCERS AND PARTNERS

VICTOR HUNT DESIGNART DEALER (BE)
producer of SHIFT, SPOT, BLOCKS

HAY (DK)
producer of the SHAPES mirrors

CAPPELLINI (IT)
producer of CANDY tables

STATTMANN NEUE MOEBEL (DE)
producer of PROFILE chair

CHEVALIER EDITION (FR)
producer of the FOLK rugs

OBJEKTEN (BE)
producer of the MATT office accessories

FREECOM (DE/NL)
producer of hard Drives such as XXS, XS, NDXS, CLS

ESTABLISHED & SONS (UK)
producers of TORCH, LANDMARKS and PRINT lights

KARIMOKU NEW STANDARD (JP)
producer of the HOMERUN chair and TONES stools

FELD (BE)
producer of the uCHAIR

TAMAWA (BE)
producer of LOCK, RAY and PIFF

CIRVA (FR)
Centre International de Recherche sur le Verre et les Arts Plastiques de Marseille

Summer VITRA Workshops / Vitra Design Museum / Boisbuchet (DE/FR)
workshop host summer 2010

RECOGNITION AND AWARDS

Permanent Collections
Musée du Grand Hornu Images, Belgium (CANDY original collection pieces, 2009)
CNAP, Centre National des Arts Plastiques, France (Freecom Mobile Drive CLS, 2010)
Musée du Grand Hornu Images, Belgium (Dr.B Bench & Stools, 2002)

2013
WALLPAPER Award for Best Accessory 2013 (BLOCKS for Victor Hunt)

2011
Red Dot Best of the Best Product Design Award 2011 (Freecom Mobile Drive CLS)
Nomination for the Brit Design Awards / Designs of the Year 2011 / Design Museum London (Freecom Mobile Drive CLS)
iF Product Design Award 2011 (Freecom Mobile Drive CLS)

2010
Henry van de Velde Label (Freecom Mobile Drive CLS)
Nomination for the Smart Urban Stage / Future Mind Award, by SMART, Daimler-Chrysler (Freecom Mobile Drive xxs)

2009
Henry van de Velde Label (Freecom Mobile Drive xxs)
Belgian Designer of the Year 2009
UK Grand Designs Award Product of the Year (Torch Light Series)
UK Grand Designs Award for Best Lighting Design 2009. (Torch Light Series)
Elle Decoration International Design Awards 2009 for lighting (Torch Light Series)
Red Dot Best of the Best Product Design Award 2009 (Freecom Mobile Drive xxs)
iF Product Design Award 2009 (Freecom Mobile Drive xxs)

2008
Henry van de Velde Label (Torch Series)

2006
Henry van de Velde Label (InnerTube)
Henry van de Velde Label (Stuff)

2005
Most Promising Designer, DesignBrussels Fair

2002
First prize from Interieur, Interieur 02 Design for Europe (Dr.B)
First prize BSI British Standards Institution Awards

1999
First prize RSA (UK) Royal Society of Arts Student Design

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

2011
Established & Sons 7, Teatro Versace, 11-17 Apri 201l, Milan
Karimoku New Standards, Galleria Suzy Shammah, 11-17 April 2011, Milan
Tamawa, New items, Loggiato della Pinacoteca di Brera, 11-17 April 2011, Milan
Achille is watching us 11-17 April 2011, Milan
SCP Spazio Botta / via Botta 8 / Porta Romana, 11-17 Apri 201l, Milan
Brit Insurance Design Awards 2011, Design Museum, 16 February - 07 August 2011, London
Prijs Beesten / Award Winners 2010, Design Vlaanderen, 28 January - 13 March 2011, Brussels
Henry Van de VeldePrijs 2010 / Design Vlaanderen, De Loketten, 18 January - 26 February 2011, Brussels

2010
Belgium is Design, Musée du Grand-Hornu Images, November 2010 - March 2011, Belgium
Fighting the box, Centrale Electrique June-October 2010, Brussels
Belgian design at the red dot design museum: Multiple Plan – Design Crossroads in Belgium, 29 October - 21 November 2010
Feel Home, Centre Culturel Strombeek-Beveren, 9 April - 10 May 2010, Belgium
Established & Sons 6, La Pelota, 16-20 April 2009, Milan
Karimoku New Standards, Galleria Suzy Shammah, 16-20 April 2009, Milan
Design Korea 29 November - 6 December 2010, Seoul

2009
Open Grounds for Designer of the Year 2009, 14 October 2009 - 03 January 2010, Grand-Hornu Images, Belgium
Established & Sons 5, La Pelota, 16-20 April 2009, Milan
Galleria Bonaparte, 16-20 April, Milan, New works, Presentation of Candy collection Via Pontaccio 8-10 2009, Milan
Prophets & Penitents / Confessions of a Chair: Exhibition curated by DAMn Magazine, Galleria Blanchaert, Piazza S. Ambrogio, 4, Milan

2008
Established & Sons 4, La Pelota, 16-20 April, 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 Mobelmesse. "101%" Designed in Brussels presents selected works of 6 Designers. 15-21 January 2007, Koln

2006
Henry Van De Velde Prijs, Presentation of Labelled objects, Brussels
UQAM (Universite 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

2005
DESIGNBRUSSELS, Presentation of new works at the new design salon in Brussels, November 2005
LABEL DESIGN.BE, Design After 2000, Musee 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, Musees 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
Interieur 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

2002
22 Objects for Interieur 02 World Exclusives, presentation of Dr. Bamboozle Kortrijk, Belgium, October 2002 Interieur 02
Design for Europe, Kortrijk, Belgium, October