Designer: Wiel Arets

An unusual designer and independent thinker, very much part of the Dutch scene while still being a one-off, Wiel Arets does not follow trends nor is he easy to pigeonhole. A leading exponent of the ontological approach rather than representational design (K. Frampton), his work usually tends towards a regularity of parts but is not minimalist in any negative sense. It incorporates a high level of intellectual complexity but is also extremely down to earth, and takes a careful and humble view of ordinary people. A master in the use of materials, either in their raw form or surprisingly sophisticated, the central theme of his designs is not the sculptural or iconic elaboration of form, unlike many of his colleagues, but tends towards a condensation and intensification that creates the special aura of lightness and consistency which characterises his work.