Werkbericht / Nils Holger Moormann

Werkbericht presents 51 pieces of furniture from the current collection of Nils Holger Moormann, one of the leading protagonists of “New German Design.” This book is not a mere product catalog, but rather a focused exploration of each piece showcased within. The presentation of the products—consequently disassembled into their individual parts—is a stylistic device that directs the attention of the reader to precise individual solutions and concise formal expressions. Details truly come to the fore. Nils Holger Moormann’s furniture is inspired by the central themes of intelligence, innovation, simplicity, and mobility. It can, for the most part, be disassembled and is designed for assembly without tools. Thus, the individual connecting elements gain an even greater significance. Werkbericht (literally “work report”) also highlights their functional and aesthetic form. The 200-page book is comprised of two parts, which differ not only in their graphic presentation, but also in the type of paper and typeface used. The first section in full color on uncoated paper focuses on the abstract presentation of the furniture in its individual parts. While individual components are shown on one side of a double page, the complete presentation can be found on the other. The second part of the book consists of detailed explanations of the products in five languages. The black and white print, lightweight paper, and small pictures of this section indicate that it can actually be considered an appendix. The foreword of Werkbericht was written by Professor Dr. Florian Hufnagl, who served as the chief museum director of the Neuen Sammlung, Munich until February 2014. For his lifetime of achievement, Nils Holger Moormann was recently presented with a highly coveted design award: the German Design Award 2015 in the Personality category. “This passion between design, chaos and play can together produce an essence that is so strong that it speaks its own, clear language. For me, that is fun. I like that.” – Nils Holger Moormann