Jan Plecháč and Henry Wielgus
The prolific Czech design duo on influences, inspirations and combining function with form
Having met while studying at The Academy of Art,
Architecture and Design in Prague several years ago, Jan Plech and Henry Wielgus now work together on various kinds of projects including furniture, lighting, product and interior design. But being in the heart of Europe doesn’t mean it’s all easy breezy, “Prague is a really nice cityeverybody wants to travel herebut for design business it’s not the best place to be. Still we are on the periphery of design production. But on the other hand, production costs are much lower than in rest of Europe and you have really well-skilled craftsmen here.” That said, the duo is prolific and has collaborated with brands such as Nike and Heineken and has created installations for notable galleries and salons.
Like many designers, Plech adores using metalhis thesis furniture collection called “Icons” boasted bright, twisted and tangled armchairs made from the material. The rangeintended for outdoor usewas inspired by designs including Gerrit Rietveld’s Red Blue Chair, Danish designer Verner Panton’s S-shaped Panton Chair and Josef Hoffmann’s Kubus armchair, and acted as a kind of tribute to history of design. “Thanks to my presentation at Salone Satellite in Milan in 2011, my ‘Icons’ collection gained a lot of attention and I received some very interesting proposals later,” says Plech.
A significant moment in Plech’s professional life was meeting legendary Giulio Cappellini who invited Plech and Wielgus to take part in his Milan talent show “Cappellini Next” the next year. “Giulio was a great impulse for us, because we suddenly realized that we can make a piece of furniture and attract a lot of attention,” says Wielgus. The upshot of the event was “Circle,” the duo’s armchair made from of steel wire circles.
With impetus increasing, the studio created new products for iconic Czech glass company, Lasvit. Probably their most famous work to date is the first collection (from 2013) of chandeliers for Lasvit. “Called ‘Neverending Glory,’ the collection traverses the diversity of crystal chandeliers to a simple outline which symbolically creates a never-ending shape in its rotation. It is approaching the phenomenon of specific chandeliers which fulfils the distinct role of cherries on a richly decorated cake,” says the pair. The five stunning, glass pieces were inspired by the shapes of crystal chandeliers of famous concert halls like Milan’s La Scala, Paris’ Palais Garnier and New York’s Metropolitan Opera. This year, the designers presented their second collection for Lasvit called “Moulds.” It includes a series of chandeliers resembling a process of glass moulding and it was on display at Milan Design Week recently.
As well as collaborations with the companies, Plech and Wielgus create their own independent collections. Of particular note is the “Building Kit” series 01 and 02, which are comprised of easily assembled furniture collections made from of wooden balls, sticks and metal connectors. The shelving system from Building Kit 01a simple but striking pieceis now being produced by Danish company Menu.
Their latest in-house collection from the talented couple is “Ondul,” a series of low, metal tables constructed from undulated sheets of metal and glass top. “One of the major benefits of the ‘Ondul’ collection is economyflat-packing; enabling easy storage and, naturally, transport,” say Plech and Wielgus. The design team continues to grow and design, focusing on the practical facets of production and combining them with their desire and need for creative freedom.
Lasvit image courtesy of Filip Slapal, “Ondul” image courtesy of Martin Chumall, all others by Michal eba courtesy of Urban Expedition
