Robots printing a bridge; furniture emulating the structure of bones; Rococo voxel tables; an array of inventive, digitally fabricated chairs. Dutch designer, inventor, and artist Joris Laarman (born 1979) is one of the most prominent designers of his generation. He graduated from the Design Academy in Eindhoven, Holland, in 2003 and founded the Joris Laarman Lab in 2004—first in Rotterdam and later in Amsterdam—with his partner, filmmaker Anita Star.
Laarman and his team focus on research and experimentation. They are pioneers in a field where design, technology, science, and art meet. The Lab is where they test new technologies and production methods. Here, the collaboration between the worlds of high tech and craftsmanship is of fundamental importance.
Laarman’s methods push the boundaries of the disciplines he is exploring and developing. A prolific producer of more than just ideas, Laarman often includes references to historical art periods, such as Baroque or Art Nouveau, which can be seen through his recurring use of ornament—a signifier of the importance of form and aesthetics with function. Laarman emphasizes these connections to the past in conjunction with his futuristic production methods. His pieces symbolize the ongoing power struggle between tradition and innovation as well as between technology and craftsmanship—current topics in the design world.