Kooij

Studio Kooij was founded in 2010 by Dirk van der Kooij (b. 1983, Purmerend, NL). Holding the attitude of craftsman-inventor, Dirk set about producing durable furniture objects from unlikely source material: namely, recycled plastic. In marrying machine and had, Dirk was able to foster honest ornamentation in plastic-a material so often condemned for its ability to imitate. Success came in the form of elephant skin: a process which sees plastic sheets wrinkle and retract, before being moulded by hand into tables and stools. The results were organic and hard-fought. In marrying machine and had, Dirk was able to foster honest ornamentation in plastic-a material so often condemned for its ability to imitate. Success came in the form of elephant skin: a process which sees plastic sheets wrinkle and retract, before being moulded by hand into tables and stools. The results were organic and hard-fought. In the decade that has passed, the studio has grown to include a team of 13 makers, developers, finessers and fans. All elements of the design process, from research to production to communication, are carried out our Zaandam factory, 5km from the centre of Amsterdam. Together, we give purpose to over 29 tons of recycled plastic every year. In the design of chairs, tables, vases and light fixtures Dirk combines tradition and technology, craft and digital robot techniques. Every piece is an industrially produced ‘one-of-a-kind.’