Sylvain Willenz, block office

The Block series are made using a glass casting method inspired by the well-known lost-wax technique. Instead of using wax (cast from a mould, itself cast off a master piece), each piece is made and assembled by hand using expanded polystyrene (eps) board as base material. Plaster moulds are made from these eps forms, and then burnt. Hot glass is then transferred into these moulds. Subsequently, each piece resulting from this process is unique. Such a technique allows to cast the eps in glass, whilst retaining the exceptionally fine details that form the surface texture of the original eps board, itself originating from another moulding process of the chemical polymer industry. The fine moulding technique allows its imperfections to be retained in the surface of the resulting glass. Read more

2009 BELGIAN DESIGNER OF THE YEAR

Series

About Sylvain Willenz

Born in Brussels in 1978, Sylvain Willenz has lived consecutively in the US, Belgium and in the UK. Sylvain studied MA Design Products at the Royal College of Art in London, graduating in 2003. In 2004, Sylvain opened his Design Office, based in Brussels, Belgium with an approach to design characterized by a clear inquisitiveness for products, industry and processes.
His work has been acquired by international museums, integrating their permanent collections and archives. In 2009, leading press and institutions nominated Sylvain as Belgian Designer of the Year and the office has been granted some of the most highly considered awards including several iF Awards and Red Dot “Best of the Best” Awards in Product Design.
Running the office full-time, Sylvain regularly takes part in education, participating in graduation jurys or leading workshops. Sylvain has worked with ECAL (CH), ENSAV La Cambre (BE), VITRA Summer Workshop (DE), amongst others and regularly gives conferences about his practice and work.