Winner
German Design Award 2015
The FELIX SCHWAKE desk was nominated for the German Design Award in 2015. The project exemplifies a design approach that understands function, materiality, and spatial calmness as interconnected architectural tasks.
At the center of the design stands the question of how concentrated work can be enabled without visual unrest. The project therefore follows a consistently reduced geometric order within which all technical functions are fully integrated.
Beneath the extendable writing surface are integrated storage areas as well as connections for power, network, and USB interfaces. Technology and cables consequently remain organized within the interior of the object and visually recede into the background without limiting their immediate usability.
The project deliberately avoids any technical staging. Instead, it creates a working environment in which open surfaces, clear proportions, and spatial calmness support concentration. Architecture and furniture are understood as a background for thinking and working — not as a permanent visual assertion.
The reduction to clear forms does not serve formal rigor alone. It creates a calm spatial order in which materiality, light, and use can enter into a balanced relationship. Functions remain present without dominating the atmosphere of the room.
Materiality and craftsmanship are of central importance within the project. Surfaces, proportions, and details influence the perception of the object just as much as its function. The desk is not understood as an isolated design object, but as part of a larger architectural atmosphere.
The nomination for the German Design Award particularly recognized this connection between reduced design, technical integration, and enduring spatial quality.
The work of Felix Schwake consciously positions itself between architecture, interior design, and functional art. Design is understood not as a short-lived visual appearance, but as a lasting spatial experience within everyday life.