2_2_DiscoverGermany_June2014_Issue15:Scan Magazine 1
15/5/14
14:37
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Discover Germany | Design | Werk Nussbaumer
Dare to be different Striving towards perfection or maximum profit has never been their thing. Instead, Werner and Katja Nussbaumer decided to play with radical ideas to create truly original furniture. In the long run, this has certainly paid off. TEXT: SONJA IRANI | PHOTOS: WERK NUSSBAUMER
don’t take risks anymore.”Inspired by this Travelling was definitely one of their priormentality, the Nussbaumers ditched their ities when Mr and Mrs Nussbaumer first fear of making mistakes and started to take launched their own furniture business risks. After all, you cannot discover new WerK – a combination of their forenames possibilities if you don’t try something comWerner and Katja – 25 years ago. Back then, pletely different every now the Viennese couple often and then. delivered their products personally, a chance to see the Even today, this is still world en route. New York, their motto. “Our clients for example, was a turning often have a long list of repoint in their career.“For the New Yorkers, the only thing quests and measurethat counted was your curments,” they explain.“We rent work, not your title or like to just leave all of that background,” the creative aside and instead develop unusually created pieces of pair remembers.“In Europe, furniture that win over our you need to establish a repclients’hearts.This way, we utation first, and out of fear WerK founders Katja & Werner Nussbuild furniture that people of losing that reputation you baumer
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Main image: The cantilever chair is made from original seats of the Viennese tramway Top: Small originals Middle: The Floating Table Below: The Metal Box
just feel really comfortable living with.”This refreshingly playful approach has produced a range of utterly unique furniture items. There is, for example, the cantilever chair made from original Viennese tramway seats, book shelves styled in a flatliner design or with a bridge on top, the convex dinner table or the versatile metal box – a very plain sideboard made from thin, black metal plates and a wooden underframe, which changes its appearance according to how it is filled. While innovation is vital, so too is ensuring the high quality of their products. The parents of two are still avid travellers. “Even though we run a small workshop in Vienna, we deliver personally to Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands, France, New York or London…”the Nussbaumers say with a smile. www.werknussbaumer.at