This week I visited Object in Rotterdam at their wonderful new location: Air offices, the former V&D warehouse in the middle of town. With over 150 exhibitioners there was a lot to see. I captured some of my favourites in this Instagram Highlight One of the designs that I thought was really interesting was the Cabinet of Curiosities by Marie van der Kroft of Atelier Makr she first showed the cabinet at the Graduation show of Dutch Design Week 2024.
From a young age, Marie was always curious about how things worked and enjoyed building new things. It’s no wonder that at 6, she got my own toolbox as a birthday gift, and by 7 was already under the sink with her dad, trying to figure out how a tap works. This little anecdote made me smile as I myself as a kid loved working with wood and watch my own father doing chores around the house.I still have a small hammer and some other of his tools.
Impress Cabinet
Impress is crafted using oak wood for the planks which are held in position by side walls made of spring metal. The cabinet’s shape changes once in contact with the objects it is destined to embrace. “This cabinet initially reads as a fixed object, but it changes through the interaction between human and material. Playing with our expectation that furniture is static by showing how material can affect the shape of a product” says Marie.
“The seemingly rigid object transforms into a wavy structure, triggered by the weight of items placed on the shelves. Small spacers limit the degree of distortion. If the items are removed, the cabinet returns to its original shape. It’s a play of action and reaction between human and material.”
OBJECT is a unique pop-up platform for design labels as well as limited editions and one-offs from established and upcoming designers / still open for visits this weekend
Images by Makr
Het bericht Marie van der Kroft | Impress Cabinet as seen at Object verscheen eerst op vosgesparis.