Formed in 2014 by Jeppe Christensen and Michael Andersen, Reform is a Copenhagen-based company that aims to push the boundaries of the kitchen industry with award-winning, yet affordable kitchen design. Over the years they have collaborated with acclaimed designers and studios such as Cecilie Manz, Studio David Thulstrup, Norm Architects and Note Design Studio. Now, they present an incredible new kitchen, Reflect, by Pritzker Prize-winning architect, Jean Nouvel.
The new kitchen design marries time-honoured Danish design tradition with storied French architecture, with a tight and minimalist, yet characteristically dazzling and lasting kitchen. Harbouring a timeless, understated extravagance with an iconic art deco feel, the kitchen by Jean Nouvel comes with the lauded architect’s gift for conceptualizing light through a reflective, monochrome design available in black and untreated metal, featuring vertical ridges.
The Paris-based architect Jean Nouvel is one of the 21 century’s most prolific creative minds. With an unparalleled list of achievements to his name that includes winning the prestigious Pritzker Prize in 2008 as well as architecture like the Arab World Institute, The Torre Agbar in Barcelona, Louvre Abu Dhabi and the Danish Concert Hall, Jean Nouvel transcends the present moment with lasting, thought-provoking buildings that look set to remain relevant in this century and beyond.
In the kitchen design, the globally acclaimed architect applies his characteristic ability for telling stories and evoking imagery through design. Made from sturdy steel imbued with vertical ridges, the monochrome kitchen fronts are available in black and metal with a high gloss, reflective surface, adding Jean Nouvel’s signature experimentation with light and atmosphere to the kitchen’s surroundings. The countertops come in stainless steel and gray and black Fenix laminate that complement and accent the charming reflectivity, created by the kitchen design’s radiant aesthetic. The kitchen sees one of the most important architects of the modern era bridging the scale from architecture to kitchen design while channeling his prize-winning creativity into a kitchen designed to be functional, durable and iconic.
Jean Nouvel and Reform occupy different ends of the design spectrum. Where Jean Nouvel concerns himself with creating ‘visual landscapes’, Reform is dedicated to delivering extraordinary, yet accessible kitchen design. What the two parties have in common, however, is empathy with their audiences — a deep-seated need to create pleasant environments where human beings are stimulated and feel at ease. The kitchen is the manifestation of those similar sensibilities converging in a lasting kitchen with a vibrant and inviting atmosphere.
Sharing further insight into the collaboration, here is a Q&A with Reform CEO and co-founder Jeppe Christensen...
How did the collaboration with Reform come along?
”France is a great market for Reform so in our search for a new collaboration it was natural for us to look in the direction of France and since we are long time admirers of Jean Nouvel and his work it was natural for us to reach out to him and his studio and start a dialogue. We met the first time back in 2018 and we have been working on this design for more than three years. We're very happy with the final result.”
What was the nature of the collaboration?
”To be honest the process has been quite long and longer than normal - and that’s mainly because of two things - first of all, COVID made it really difficult to travel to Paris and meet up in real life, which is something that is super important in the design phase and prototyping phase - you always need to work with the details together. You need to see and discuss it in real life. Second, it’s quite a complex kitchen design to manufacture - there are a lot of small details that need to be perfect, so there were a lot of fittings and adjustments to hit the right expression, but most importantly the high quality that we always strive for.”
What are the characteristics?
“The grooves in the material that the kitchen fronts consist of giving it a silent, but yet a clear characteristic expression. The grooves in the shiny metal reflect and throws the light in a characteristic and playful way.”
What kind of “domestic life” does it inspire?
”The kitchen is minimalistic, but yet super expressionistic - I think that’s what Jean Nouvel does so well - so it inspires to live a life of expression without drowning out everything else - which I think is quite sympathetic and beautiful.”
Images courtesy of Reform
