Deniz Aktay’s desk accessories are containers of fun, function and imagination

Design, in its unvarnished definition, is something that serves a purpose, caters to a function, or presents a solution. This characteristic pragmatism is a nuance that differentiates design from art, a form of creativity that exists free from the shackles of rationale. However, oftentimes, functional entities, such as furniture design and product design, are approached largely, if not solely, through the lens of feasibility, in the process, renouncing the leeway to experiment and play around. As much as designers pursue usefulness, they equally find themselves captivated by the countless possibilities—some too bizarre, others attainable—it presents. Amidst a plethora of ideas that populate a consumer-driven market, can some dare to embrace imagination with temerity? Can design be created for a purpose without compromising play, and not necessarily with the aim of production (yet)?

German designer Deniz Aktay conceptualises pieces that embody a knack for peculiarity—presenting functional solutions with an abstract vein. One of his recent projects that expands his kaleidoscopic oeuvre, encompassing furniture design and objects, is a whimsical series of desk accessories. Foregoing the trite and often dreary language of pure function and minimalism associated with desk objects, Aktay resorts to twisting and turning simple forms to obtain unusual pieces. “This desk accessories series is a fun, whimsical twist to simple shapes that convert into functional designs. It is a very playful approach to create something useful and versatile with the most minimal, basic shapes,” the designer says.

Based in Stuttgart, Germany, Aktay completed his studies in Architecture and Urban Planning from the University of Stuttgart in 2012. All through his years as an architect, he considered forming and designing an intrinsic part of his creative work. His inclination towards furniture and objects only grew with time, in tandem with his enthusiasm for the same. Currently, Aktay’s body of work is a diverse repository of innovative designs that seek harmony between proportion, material and functionality. The new series of desk accessories reiterates a similar flair. “With every design, we tried to manipulate these common, ‘ordinary’ shapes to make them more exciting and more functional at once. Each piece is created to surprise [its] users with its own characteristics,” the product designer explains.

At first glance, these objects that come across as idiosyncratic and ‘out of the box,’ reveal a thoughtful simplicity when examined closely. Simple and plain cylindrical forms are punctured, bent, twisted, cut, chiselled and fused to give way to surprising personalities that seem to narrate stories. The Fatman, witty pencil storage, is a subtly bent cylinder with an extra holder in its centre— further accentuating its bowing design. The Speaker, on the other hand, features a sharp, triangular aperture on top, offering space for both pencils and post-its at the same time. The semicircular punctures piercing through Balance provide ample space to contain small objects while making a creative statement.

While some product designs in the series are defined by rifts and cuts, others are characterised by a harmonious fusion. Pipe, for instance, is a consequence of simple geometries, cylinders, in this case, coming together. When the two cylinders intersect perpendicularly and meld into one composite, separate storage areas—vertical and horizontal, —are generated. The concept of integrating two perpendicular tubes is replicated in Wizard, the slight difference being its visual symmetry, unlike the uneven silhouette of Pipe. The semi-cylindrical cutouts in the design offer two storage areas and a playful optical illusion. Semi-cylindrical volumes can be observed impaling the hollow cylinder of the Loop as well. The crisscrossing volumes invite the user to store their pens and pencils in unique ways—straight up, sideways, in the top void or at the bottom.

A clique partaking in this series epitomises fluidity and movement through compositions on the brink of a two-step, a waltz, or a flight. Dancers, as the name suggests, is a design that evokes an image of a dancing duo immersed in practice. Splitting a cylinder down the middle, one half is rotated to achieve the final outline. Stability in the design is the outcome of adding weight to the bottom of the upright half. In Reunion, these halves assume a more sinuous form, hooked in the middle, almost as if in a joyful embrace. The two semi-cylinders that, in the designer’s words, are “happy to see each other,” provide two compartments for storage. The Ladybug, with its wings angled towards the sky, cannot wait to take a flight. The minimal design culminates in two storage areas on top and under its ‘wings.’ The designer contrives the expressive frame of Tucan by peeling off a hollow cylinder’s skin upwards, laying bare its innards, in this case, the storage spaces. The playful pencil holder can accommodate objects in both the bottom section and its lopsided upper body.

Employing 3D-printing and recycled plastics, Aktay aims to ensure that the accessories can be produced fast, are cost-efficient and the production process abides by the tenets of sustainability. Through his creative escapades, the designer remodels the formalised notions attached to furniture and products that can be sold. Simplicity and authenticity envelope the lively pieces that transcend the quotidian—yielding products that not only give users something to be amused by but also exude the sheer excitement that fueled their making.