Luxembourgish Craftsmanship moves into the Luxembourg Pavilion
The presence of a country at a World Expo is the result of the collaboration of many individuals and entities, including political institutions, economic partners, creators, and makers.
It is brought to life by people from the participating countries and aims to showcase innovation, talent, and creativity, among other things.
This also applies to design, which finds its way into the Luxembourg Pavilion.
Through a call for proposals, the GIE Luxembourg @ Expo 2025 Osaka openly approached Luxembourg based designers and craftspeople by inviting them to submit their furniture designs for use in the VIP area of the pavilion.
The goal is to promote Luxembourgish design and craftsmanship while showcasing innovative concepts rooted in circular and resource-efficient economies.
Candidates were encouraged to propose original and innovative designs of high-quality material and creations that embody the principles of circularity, emphasizing reuse, recycling, and material sustainability. An important objective is also to raise awareness about the importance of preserving natural resources.
Due to the outstanding quality of submissions, the jury decided to select multiple designers / design companies, as listed below.
- Table SPECTRUM and chairs PANORAMA designed by Geckeler Michels (Luxembourgish co-founder and designer Frank Michels with David Geckeler), produced in Japan, less than 200 km away from Osaka.
For the lounge chairs in the VIP area :
- Arm chair LOOM by Luxembourgish designer Julie Conrad, made of a wooden structure produced by the Luxembourgish carpenter BrakoN!er (Norbert Brakonier)
- Arm chair EL SANTO by Dante Goods and Bads (Luxembourgish co-founder and designer Christophe de la Fontaine, with his partner Aylin Langreuter).
For low side tables in the VIP area :
- Table Oh! By Luxembourgish designer Georges Zigrand
About the designers in alphabetic order:
Julie Conrad Design Studio and BrakoN!ier have teamed up to create the LOOM chair with a refined wooden frame and a soft textile seat knotted and woven using natural cotton. Julie Conrad is a Luxembourgish designer, graduated in Art Design at Créapôle in Paris with work experience and projects across the globe.
BranoN!er, founded by Norbert Brakonier, is a well-established Luxembourgish carpentry business specializing in custom furniture and woodworking since 25 years.
Dante Goods and Bads is an internationally operating furniture and accessory brand, founded in 2012 by contemporary artist Aylin Langreuter and industrial designer Christophe de la Fontaine from Luxembourg, with a network of well-known designers.
However, the chosen chair EL SANTO, an armchair featuring a seat made of a single piece from upcycled leather, was designed by de la Fontaine himself. For this occasion, Dante Goods and Bads has designed an ‘Osaka Edition‘ featuring a tatami-like, locally sourced cover.
Geckeler Michels is a design studio based in Luxembourg and Berlin working worldwide for and with multiple renowned brands. Areas of work include furniture, lighting, products and spaces.
David Geckeler and Frank Michels established their business in 2013. Their table SPECTRUM as well as the chairs PANORAMA were designed for the Japanese brand Karimoku New Standard and are all made of Japanese oak.
Georges Zigrand is a Luxembourg-based designer who settled in the Grand-Duchy after having worked more than a decade in London based design studios, primarily focusing on 3D design.
His custom-made table Oh! featuring plinths crafted from three different locally sourced natural stones was selected, because of its strong link to Luxembourg heritage and a timeless quality.
These natural materials and its textures at the forefront convey a quality that is also cherished in Japan.
