In his work, Milan-based designer Daniel Nikolovski often tackles themes from the past, but coaxes their meaning into the present by virtue of materiality. His Dragon series consists of a low-slung bench and shelf made from a wood seen often in classic Italian homes: black walnut. Nikolovski took inspiration for the pieces’ unusual shapes from baroque mirror frames and classical Italian stucco ornamentation, but modernized them using digital manipulation. He then added bases that recall structural pillars used in contemporary architecture. Though they are 3-D rendered here, the bench and shelf were originally devised in collaboration with a craftsman in Bergamo, Italy, where they will eventually be produced. Project supported by the Istituto Europeo di Design, Milano

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