Craft, curiosity and contrast converge in the unsuspecting designs of Obscure Objects

"Craftsmanship and industrial manufacturing techniques converge in our pieces. It is very important to us to have a handcrafted finish for a personal touch," German design practice, Obscure Objects tells STIR. Based in Berlin, Germany, the collaborative design studio established in 2023 crafts furniture and product designs that forefront artisanship. Drawing on the expertise of its founders, German architect and designer Luisa Pöpsel and product designer Moritz Pitrowski, Obscure Objects also practices collectible designs and interior design, 'finding joy in unexpected outcomes'. From small, everyday objects to furniture, the designers explore materials such as stainless steel, aluminium and glass, marrying sleek, minimalist industrial design aesthetics with pure functionality.

Part of the Winged series, the Glass Wing table (2024) features brushed aluminium sheets of 4mm, folded and fastened by hand, with a combination of matte and reflective finishes. Held together by screws, the table design exudes a softness—despite the hardness of the material—complementing the U-profile sheets with a 10mm clear glass top. Another object from the series, the Burning Wing candleholder (2024), relies on the 'system of framing and resting elements' just as the Glass Wing furniture design. The product utilises a cuboidal geometry to house nine candles, featuring two platforms, one to grip the candles and one to rest them on. Meanwhile, the Flight Mode tray (2024)—which can be used as a burning tray or a decorative object—features a brushed aluminium outer surface, while the inner surface of the depression is polished in a mirror finish.

The Kado Bag (2024) is among their most distinguished product designs, where the contrast between industrial and natural materials results in an intriguing dialogue. The folded aluminium shell is crafted by the German designers, while the inner leather bag's craftsmanship is the courtesy of the Japanese designers from NOWHOW. The shell features chamfered profiles that are connected by stainless steel nuts, bolts and chain, brushed and waxed to reduce damage from everyday use. In contrast, the leather components—made from fine lamb leather from France and dark grey pig leather—are cut, stitched and assembled by hand.

In a conversation with STIR, the practice elaborates on the elusiveness of its name, how they explore materiality and bring a sense of softness to their metal designs. Excerpts below:

Bansari Paghdar: Your studio name—Obscure Objects—suggests elusiveness, or perhaps an intention to disrupt familiar perceptions. What inspired it, and how does this idea of 'obscurity' shape your design process, material choices or the experience of encountering your work to find 'joy in the unexpected'?

Obscure Objects: We like to interact with unsuspected proportions and material properties. Most people think steel and aluminium are so hard and cold, but all our pieces have a very soft and sensory side. In addition, the functional use of some of our pieces is not always obvious to understand at first sight; we love it when people react surprised or [are] curious about discovering their function.

Some ask us openly, "Is it a chair?" or "Is it possible to sit on it?" and we love to interact in this in-between space. We as humans are curiosity-driven, and we like to play with people's expectations, as something disruptive is more likely to stay in your mind than something ordinary. On the other hand, metals of all kinds are often overlooked in our everyday lives as they are so omnipresent in many different ways, sometimes hidden and lacquered and sometimes untreated and natural. We like to highlight their presence and their great natural features by giving them a special shape.

Bansari: How do materiality, light perception and shapes converge in creating a 'holistic experience'? Could you share specific examples from recent projects?

Obscure Objects: We have a strong focus on surfaces in all our pieces, as all of them have very minimal details. The way their surface is treated is very crucial to us while still preserving the look of the raw material. None of our objects are heavily coated or lacquered. The matte and shiny surface manipulations react with light in unexpected ways and create an experience on their own. We mostly like to work with very geometric shapes [which] are always underlined by the materiality and surface treatment to guide the light in the right places. Depending on the manufacturing technique, shapes are used in different ways.

Bansari: Can you expand on the making of pieces such as the Chunk Stool, Wing Side Table or Kado Bag?

Obscure Objects: Both the Wing Side Table and the Kado Bag rely on the same system; they are made of industrial folded and laser-cut aluminium sheets. After being cut and folded, they arrive at our workshop and are carefully brushed by hand. All edges are chamfered and cleaned in the end before being assembled and joined by visible nuts and screws.

Bansari: What draws you to materials such as stainless steel, aluminium and glass? Are there new materials or processes you are excited to explore, and what is NEXT for you?

Obscure Objects: Their raw properties are very beautiful, and all of them have a special way to interact with light. They have a long lifecycle and can be reused, melted many times without losing their strength or features. We still like to experiment a lot with the combination of aluminium or stainless steel and other materials like wood, cork or glass. There is still a lot of potential in the way they could be combined, treated or manipulated to reveal different facets.

As we both have a background in architecture and design—and not in handcraft—there are still so many aspects of how metal can be used to discover. It's great to learn about different techniques from a naive, outside perspective. We would love to get more into aluminium casting in the future and still have many more ideas for different kinds of pieces.