VIPP x STUDIO KO
"For us, Vipp represents the North with his design and industrialism, while at Studio KO we bring a different sensibility to the table, drawing inspiration from ancient cultures, as our roots are in the South."
- Karl Fournier, co-founder of Studio KO
Studio KO brought its touch to Vipp's guest house collection
The Danish design flagship Vipp is characterised by words like quality, functionality, timelessness and definitely aluminium. Within the framework of 3daysofdesign, this multifaceted brand invited Marrakech and Paris-based architecture firm Studio KO to design a short-term guest house in a restored garage in the courtyard of Vipp's headquarters in Copenhagen. This is the first venture in Scandinavia for architectural duo Karl Fournier and Olivier Marty.
It's an unexpected rendez-vous that brought tears to our eyes here at Novel, as we are long-time admirers of Studio KO and were looking forward to the results!
More on symbiosis....
Entering the garage, we were teleported to the mystical, spicy world of the Arab world. Born in a mantle of mild smoke, the interior design and decor embodied the contrast between the clean lines of Scandinavian design and the more organic quality of traditional craftsmanship.
The duo's involvement also meant a number of special edition products that took on a studiolook. In the new six, for example, you could find swivel chairs, armchairs, sofas, bins and sofas. Copper was the keyword.
Studio KO describes the material in stark terms: "It's both warm and cold - cold because of the metal, warm because of its colour. It is the tension between these qualities that interests us, as it illustrates the idea of seemingly opposing forces meeting. It is also the material of some of the first kitchen utensils. Copper trash emanates a spark born from the collision between the complexity of Scandinavian design and the primordial nature of our earliest actions."
For those familiar with Vippi's handwriting today, this may have seemed like a 180° change, but in fact Studio Ko was a return to Vippi's roots. For Jette Egelund, the second generation owner of Vippi, seeing copper in her brand's products was like coming full circle. Her grandfather - Vippi founder Holger Nielsen - was a coppersmith who made the material into his own brand.
Studio KO created an ode to the kitchen - a place that is a very central starting point for their imagination.
One of Vipp's heroes, the V1 kitchen, renowned for its precision and materiality and exuding a clean, modern minimalism, is presented in an unexpected copper finish and framed by burnt wood, made using ancient wood-working techniques. Like the cooking, this fire-touched wood represents the archaic beginnings of humanity.
Once again, the legendary French textile designer Pierre Frey has joined forces to create fabrics that evoke an ancient culture. By hand, using traditional weaving techniques!
Who is Studio KO?
Studio KO was founded by Karl Fournier and Olivier Marty.
The duo met at the Beaux-Arts School of Architecture in Paris, followed by the creation of a studio in 2000. Since then, Karl Fournier and Olivier Marty have applied their elementary approach to each of their projects. Drawing on a classical education, the pair approach their profession in a global and engaging way, from architecture to interior, furniture and product design. Studio KO creates contemporary public and residential architecture all over the world, inspired by the individuality of places. Favouring primary and archaic materials - stone, wood, metal and leather - the studio creates spaces of uninterrupted tension.
Studio KO's most remarkable project - YSL Museum in Morocco
Studio KO with its Vipp project 3daysofdesign in Copenhagen 2025
Doos inspired by the work of Studio KO
