Novel, versatile and functional: modular designs that made more from less

The contemporary world relentlessly pursues novelty, whether in larger experiences and adventurous escapades or in smaller objects and gadgets that populate the mundane. In this unwavering search for the new and the next, trends surge, die down, are replaced and pushed into oblivion in a matter of days. Consumerism is at an all-time high and a plethora of objects labelled 'waste' make their way to landfills day after day, as their erstwhile relevance dissipates. How, in this vicious cycle of disposable use, can one design objects that stay—offering the essential utility and the gratification of novelty in tandem?

For many designers, an answer emerges in modularity. Composing a design in modules becomes a two-pronged solution: one set of modules can be (re)configured into umpteen objects that serve a variety of functions, optimising utility; at the same time, users can indulge in the process of creating something new frequently, making the design immune to boredom.

Looking back at the Best of 2024 in modularity, STIR enlists inventive global designers who wove the fundamentals of modular design with their creative ethos.

1. Enzo collection by Livia Lauber

Paying homage to Italian modernist artist and furniture designer Enzo Mari's rich legacy, London-based Livia Lauber breathed life into the Enzo collection—a minimal troupe of aluminium shelves. The Enzo book display, the collection's first piece, is a two-sided wheeled shelf with a simple arrangement of horizontal brackets and vertical supports, shapeshifting even as a room divider. Several variations of the modular shelf—the Enzo small wall shelf, Enzo shallow wall shelf, Enzo shoe shelf and the Enzo side table and shelf—make up a sleek yet contemporary repository.

2. Plus collection by Goux Studio

How many functions can the plus-shape (+) possibly serve? Brooklyn, New York-based furniture design and hardware practice Goux Studio develops an entire series of wall-mounted nightstands, shelves, hooks, mirrors and planters, revolving around this shape. These modules can come together to hold bedside essentials, books and other objects apart from supporting planters and mirrors. "The Plus pieces are not engineered to disappear into anonymous bits of hardware," shares Steven Gertner, founder of Goux Studio. "They are designed to have their presence, point of view and hopefully, beauty," the architect and product designer adds.

3. Stacked Formations by Rino Claessens

Eindhoven-based designer Rino Classens often explores the concepts of modularity in his product designs, emphasising principles such as adaptation and flexibility. His collection titled Stacked Formations reiterates his fascination with modular designs. Encompassing eight pieces of mahogany wood that can be assembled and reassembled in numerous ways, the collection can yield coffee tables and side tables in sizes and shapes that the users prefer. "I was interested in the idea of an object that isn't static but can be rearranged into multiple forms. Working on a modular system before inspired me to apply it in a new way," Classens tells STIR.

4. CABINET+ collection by SKNYPL

This vibrant ensemble of LEGO-like modules can achieve a spectrum of forms and functions—stool designs, coffee tables, cabinets and even shelving units. "If the space spontaneously changes, can the piece adapt? Will it continue to look aesthetically pleasing in the new space?" These were the questions that Russia-based practice SKNYPL, founded by Skrylnik Aleksandr, Nyrov Azamat and Plotkin Aleksandr, contemplated while conceiving the CABINET+ collection. Envisioned as 'LEGO for adults', the units can be easily combined both vertically and horizontally to revamp and brighten indoor spaces.

5. Souper Connect by Souper Studio

In times when the global population is moving towards being socially, economically and politically isolated (in all likelihood more than ever before), Souper Connect comes as a reminder of the strength of human interdependence. Developed by New York-based Souper Studio, the product design features modular, human-shaped blocks with round feet and a hole in the centre, where the units are unable to stand by themselves and attain stability only when yoked together. The blocks, with their unique geometry, expand the possibilities of configuration through different opportunities for interconnection.

6. Form-Functional Archi-Furniture by Studio SMA

Architecture, much like musical compositions, stems from a fixed set of structural building blocks—columns, beams, slabs—et al. Seoul-based design practice Studio SMA minimises these alphabets of architecture to the human scale, bringing to life Form-Functional Archi-Furniture. The studio crafts small building-like entities mirroring the structural semantics of the joinery tectonics of wood architecture. The grids and modules, accentuated by vivid hues, can be combined, expanded and customised to accomplish furniture pieces such as stools, bookshelves, benches and table designs.

7. AŠ-ŠĀRQIA by Thomas Egoumenides

Operating at the intersection of sculptural design and social design, Tunis-based architect and visual artist Thomas Egoumenides' collection called AŠ-ŠĀRQIA is an extension of his material experimentations. Contrived as a grid-like system using discarded threaded spools and threaded rods, the furniture series reveals an aesthetic that is neither purely artistic nor completely functional. The modular system employed by the designer allows users to reconfigure all individual pieces to suit different requirements. Resorting to salvaged materials and upcycled design, Egoumenides' objects intend to speak of a future where resources are scarce and people have to make do with what they have.

8. Polli by Karim Rashid

Organic movements permeate furniture in this collaboration between United-States-based designer Karim Rashid and Chicago-based brand Zachary A. Polli, drawing from the word 'polliwog', is a modular furniture system with units resembling a tadpole, with a head and a tail and seemingly in incessant motion. Two modular designs are mirrored to create four stools, versatile on their own yet capable of fitting together like puzzle pieces. Two pieces embrace each other while three pieces adhere to form a perfect circle. The possibilities with four units are many.

STIRred 2024 wraps up the year with curated compilations of our expansive art, architecture and design coverage at STIR this year. Did your favourites make the list? Tell us in the comments!