Werner Aisslinger | Nesting Hexagons

Werner Aisslinger’s Nesting Hexagons make reference to two points of inspiration: the ease and comfort of a picnic in the grass, and Joe Colombo’s tube chair from 1969. The design consists of a series of tube modules and plaids, which form a set of easy to carry, upholstered rolls. The rolls can be connected together by special buttons to create loungers or used separately like cushions.

Aisslinger explains: “Our concept came from the idea of a picnic, with a blanket in the grass and pillows around. The hexagons are ideal for lolling around or relaxing on the ground, both indoors and outdoors.”

He has created four sets of hexagons using the Divina fabric, sticking to the goal of not using any other visible material. The colour concept came from Nicole Losos, who worked alongside Aisslinger in his studio. He continues: “The fitting plaid was created to show off the full intensity of the possible colour combinations available within the fabric. I imagined people reading or lounging in a park and out in nature.”

Werner Aisslinger runs studios in Berlin and Singapore where he works in architecture and across various design fields. His research into materials has introduced new technologies and production processes into the design world.

Aisslinger’s work can be found in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum in New York, the V&A in London, and the Neue Sammlung in Munich. In 2013 he created his first museum show ‘Home of the Future’ in Berlin, and in 2014 he was awarded the prestigious A&W Designer of the Year award in Cologne.

The works of the designer Werner Aisslinger include everything from experimental and artistic works to industrial design and architecture. Aisslinger delights in making use of the latest technologies and has helped introduce new materials and techniques to the world of product design in instances such as his Soft Cell collection for Zanotta that utalised a unique gel material and the Juli chair for Cappellini which was the first item of furniture to use polyurethane integral foam. The Juli chair became the first German-designed chair to be included as a permanent exhibit at the MoMA in New York since 1964. Innovation is also at the heart of Aisslinger's architectural projects: In particular, the Loftcube; a modular and transportable housing project, has inspired much debate around modular building solutions.

Aisslinger is the recipient and awards such as Milan's Compasso d'Oro, the Design Prize of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Red Dot Award and the FX Award in the UK. His work is exhibited in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the Metropolitan Museum in New York, the French Fonds National d´Art Contemporain in Paris, the Museum Neue Sammlung in Munich and the Vitra Design Museum in Weil, Germany. Aisslinger has produced furniture for brands such as Cappellini, Zanotta, Magis, Porro and Vitra and worked on product designs and architectural projects with brands like interlübke, Mercedes-Benz, adidas, IC-Berlin, Marc´o Polo, Bombay Sapphire, FSB, thonet, flötotto, berker, Hugo Boss and Younicos i.e. Werner Aisslinger lives and works in Berlin.