Luzon organic shelving unit
Luzon is an organic shelving unit, and at the same time an object: a framework of interconnected compartments that invites you to give it meaning.
What fits inside
With an open shelving unit with a free-form design, you consciously choose what goes inside. Each Luzon has at least one horizontal shelf where a lamp, vase, or plant can be placed. And there is always a compartment with an angle of approximately 90 degrees, in which books and magazines stay in place by themselves due to the slope. The remaining compartments? Empty for a clean look, or a place for cherished items that deserve to be seen.
Part and whole
Why spiral phyllotaxis? The pattern in the head of a sunflower is the question I keep returning to. As a whole, it is visible in designs like the Baguio table lamp: you can recognize the spirals there immediately.
Luzon is based on a fragment of this pattern. You recognize the shapes from the scales of a pineapple, which follow the same structure: diamonds, hexagons, and intermediate shapes. What qualities does a cluster of interconnected cells have?
That question is the basis for an ongoing form study. From an initial series of digital designs, I developed a number into scale models, and a number into the furniture objects on this page.
The Luzon system
A Luzon is always modular and grows or shrinks with your needs. It consists of two elements: solid wood shelves and 3D-printed connectors made of recycled PETG.
I wanted to limit the woodworking so that the shelf remains a shelf. The connectors handle the complexity of the shape. Two basic forms, a two-legged and a three-legged piece, connect all shelves in any configuration. Because the angles differ for each junction, every connector is unique. That is why I print them, just like my lamps.
Shelves from Leiden
The Circular Warenhuis in Leiden makes the boards. Discarded furniture is selected there, manually taken apart, and sawn into strips of standard width. They glue these strips into furniture panels using PVA wood glue, so that the environmental impact is limited during sawing. For the first furniture items, 18 mm thick oak was chosen.
What is possible
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Ten compartments, 2.10 meters high. The first Luzon. On display at Galerie Zone, Leiden.
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Four compartments, 1.15 meters high. Part of Field and Fragment, the exhibition at Piet Hein Eek during Dutch Design Week 2026.
How a commission works
You can first request a consultation to discuss the possibilities. If you already know what you want, please specify the number of compartments or the dimensions. In either case, I will then send you a design proposal along with a corresponding quote.
As standard, the shelving unit is water-treated and oiled to protect against stains, damage, and aging. Other finishes are also possible upon consultation.
The shelving unit is delivered assembled. Pickup is possible in Leiden; delivery can be arranged upon consultation. Spare parts can be ordered later. Each shelving unit is expandable, and the possibilities vary depending on the shape. Do you already know how you would like to expand the shelving unit in the future? If so, I will take that into account in the design.
Tell me what's on your mind.
Frequently asked questions
Can it be done with doors or drawers?
The compartments are open. In the future, I will be working with the Circulair Warenhuis to explore a system for doors and drawers.
What happens to (parts of) the cabinet that are no longer being used?
I take the parts back. Connectors that are still in good condition are reused. The others are recycled. The Circulair Warenhuis sands the shelves and treats them again, or cuts them down into new furniture panels.