Beirut's best: meet 'retrofuturistic' design studio david/nicolas

Young Lebanese duo david/nicolas deal in timeless retrofuturist design
Young Lebanese duo david/nicolas deal in timeless retrofuturist design. Pictured: ’Chaise Maurice’ for Nilufar Gallery, 2015.
(Image credit: Nilufar)

David Raffoul and Nicolas Moussallem, founders of the Lebanese design studio david/nicolas, met while studying architecture at Académie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts in Beirut. In 2010 they both embarked upon a masters in product design at Milan's Scuola Politecnica di Design before joining forces to set up an eponymous studio in their native Beirut in 2011.

Describing their aesthetic as 'retrofuturistic' – a mash-up of influences from different periods in design history – the duo create timeless objects that are at once totally new yet reassuringly familiar.

They like to think their divergent opinions are what give their designs a unique character - Moussallem is a detail obsessive while Raffoul is more of a freethinker. 'We have a different approach when starting to design, one is very narrative while the other starts sketching 'chunks' of objects, it just adds up to every product we ever created.'

The studio's breakout year came in 2014 thanks to a busy Milan Design Week that saw the duo launch the bespoke 'Artichoke' safe with Agresti for Wallpaper* Handmade and the luxurious 'Dualita' chaise for Nina Yashar's Nilufar Gallery. In addition they presented their first solo show in Beirut, 'Loulou/Hoda', at the city's Art Factum Gallery, and last but not least, at Maison & Objet they introduced the 'Orquestra' tableware collection for Vista Alegre – the studio's first industrial product.

In 2016, david/nicolas will complete their first interior for a private apartment in Paris and are currently in the process of kitting out a restaurant project in Downtown Beirut that includes the design of everything from the walls and floors to the cutlery.

’Artichoke’ with Agresti, for Wallpaper* Handmade 2014

’Artichoke’ with Agresti, for Wallpaper* Handmade 2014

(Image credit: press)

’Dualita’ series for Nilufar Gallery, 2014.

’Dualita’ series for Nilufar Gallery, 2014. 

(Image credit: Ryu Teixeira)

’Orquestra’ for Vista Alegre, 2014.

’Orquestra’ for Vista Alegre, 2014

(Image credit: Vista Alegre)

’Digital Love’ for Vista Alegre, 2014.

’Digital Love’ for Vista Alegre, 2014.

(Image credit: david/nicolas)

INFORMATION

For more information, visit david/nicolas’ website

TOPICS

Ali Morris is a UK-based editor, writer and creative consultant specialising in design, interiors and architecture. In her 16 years as a design writer, Ali has travelled the world, crafting articles about creative projects, products, places and people for titles such as Dezeen, Wallpaper* and Kinfolk.

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