Jan des Bouvrie

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Jan des Bouvrie (né 3rd August 1942) is a famous Dutch interior & product designer. His own vision on design was developed at the Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam, where he started his professional career . With his unique and progressive ideas the young Des Bouvrie has made a huge impact on the design world.

His vision was further developed by working with several manufacturers, including Linteloo, Dutch Originals and Gelderland. The latter, in 1969, was the first to produce a design of Des Bouvrie's; the kubusbank sofa, which is now recognised as a design classic. The Shell collection has been specifically created for FueraDentro by Jan des Bouvrie, and is the first time that he has designed a collection of outdoor furniture (up until this time, he had designed lighting, wallpaper, window decorations and furniture).

In 1993 Des Bouvrie moved his design studio to Bussum Naarden-Vesting. Together with his partner, Monique, he transformed the iconic 'Het Arsenaal' building into a leading interior design institute of unprecedented influence in the field of interior architecture and product development.

Des Bouvrie not only creates furniture with attractive looks; his design ethos ensures that they are very comfortable too. Over the years, Jan des Bouvrie's designs have won many awards and distinctions, including the Culture Prize of 1974, the Style Prize in 1990 and the Furniture Prize in 1999.

Des Bouvrie's vision is also clearly reflected in the numerous interior design books he has published. Jan des Bouvrie is also active as a distinguished lecturer at various design academies, as well as having design college being named after him (Jan des Bouvrie Academy, based in Deventer).

"A piece of furniture must serve people before all else, it must be comfortable, you have to feel good in it." ..Jan des Bouvrie

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