Frans Schrofer
| Frans Schrofer | |
|---|---|
Frans Schrofer, 2012
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| Born |
August 15, 1956 Voorburg |
| Residence | The Hague, Netherlands |
| Nationality | Dutch |
| Alma mater | Design Academy Eindhoven |
| Occupation |
Furniture Designer Product designer |
| Years active | 1984–present |
| Known for |
Scudo chair (for Young International) Formi (for Leolux) Prometheus and OlympiQ firespace (for Safretti) |
| Style | Sculptural, practical |
| Website | www |
Frans Schrofer (born 15 August 1956) is a Dutch furniture designer and industrial designer based in The Hague, Netherlands. He received a technical education in Leiden and then studied at the Design Academy Eindhoven, graduating in 1983 and founding his own design studio, Studio Schrofer, in 1984. He is known for a sculptural approach to furniture design, conscious use of materials, practicality, ergonomics, technical knowledge and for pioneering a modern, design-led approach to garden furniture styles.
Schrofer's early education included metalwork, auto mechanics, electro-mechanics and mechanical engineering. Supplementing his formal education, from the age of 12, Schrofer was mentored by the sculptor, Frans de Wit. During this time the young Schrofer acted as de Wit's artistic assistant, developing an awareness of sculptural style in the process. "Frans de Wit taught me to focus on form, materials and emotions," Schrofer said in an interview in 1995. After his technical education in Leiden, he went on to study at the Design Academy Eindhoven, graduating in 1983. After graduation, Schrofer's first job was as a packaging designer with Stadium Design in Hillegom. It is during this time that he learned the importance of emotive shape, color association, hand-feel textures and consumer product testing.
In 1984 Schrofer set up his own design studio in The Hague, Netherlands. Studio Schrofer received its first commission from the Dutch firm, Young International, an association that would last for several, productive years and bring Schrofer widespread recognition as a rising young talent in the Netherlands. By 2000, Schrofer designs in lighting, office furniture, and indoor and outdoor furniture were being sold internationally. As of 2012, Studio Schrofer designed products sell in 126 countries.
As well as sculptural quality, Schrofer's furniture designs are known for their practicality, conscious use of materials and ergonomic principles.
One of his most well known early designs is the Scudo chair (for Young International). Inspired by slow relaxed movement and shape of turtle ('scudo' means 'shield' in Italian), the reclining armchair was one of the most commercially successful for the manufacturer. Schrofer explored bending, stretching, pulling materials and forms in self-expressive shapes and multi-functionality for Scudo. The paws of Scudo use natural materials, like wood, and the headrest is magnetically attached.
The Formi chair, first launched in 2002 for Leolux, is another key design of Schrofer's. It is based on the structure of a working bee and a few years later, for Formi Phase II, Schrofer further innovated the design to incorporate a rotary continuous passive motion (RCPM) industrial seating mechanism (used for spinal rotation).
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Wikipedia