The Design Duo Putting the Middle East on the Map

David/Nicolas are the critically acclaimed designers to know

Famed for their “retrofuturistic” designs, Lebanese design duo David/Nicolas opened their studio in 2011. Since then, the studio’s namesake founders, David Raffoul and Nicolas Moussalem, have been shaking up the design scene both locally and internationally. On 6 September, they’ll be opening their latest show entitled Supernova, an exhibition that’ll see the duo showcase some of their never-seen-before creations at the Carpenters Workshop Gallery in Paris.

 

As an exploration in to the many facets of their multidisciplinary work, Supernova will centre around two concepts entitled Constellation and Monocle: a retrospective study of the celestial phenomenon of supernovas and black holes. “The death of a star translates into a black hole or a supernova.” The duo emphasise in a statement, “In that case, death is only a transformation. This phenomenon eclipses everything else and develops into a new form of life. To us, this idea evokes Beirut, a city that doesn’t cease to be reborn from its ashes: a place where time and space are different, where beauty is found in small things, even in the memory of these small things”.

 

 

Influenced by a variety of inspirations that confront both the past and present—such as oriental geometry, robots and even Daft Punk—David/Nicolas’ design objects embody the beauty of revival.

 

To celebrate their new exhibition, MILLE rounds up 5 of their best designs to date.

 

Univers Table – Wood Edition

 

Chaise Maurice for Nilufar Gallery

 

Cabinet 82 in collaboration with Morelato

 

Slice coffee table

 

Service Station for Kaléo Beirut

 

Supernova opens 6 September – 6 October at Carpenters Workshop Gallery, Paris

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