Michael Anastassiades
Michael Anastassiades is a London based designer, he is best known for his minimalist approach to lighting and product design. His work focuses on the interplay between light, form and materials creating a simple elegance. He focuses just as much on visual impact alongside function meaning his pieces often blur the line between art and design.
Anastassides first studied industrial design at the Rhode Island School of Design in the USA before completing his studies in London at the Royal College of Art where he earnt a masters degree in industrial design in 1990. By experiencing an education in both the USA and UK he was exposed to a wide range of design philosophies and different approaches to work.
His designs have appeared in many galleries and museums across the world and his collaborations with renowned brands such as Flos and B&B Italia have made him one of the most important designers in his generation.
His design philosophy is centered around the idea of simplicity whilst also focusing on precision and clarity creating an elegance and timelessness in his designs. Preserving the natural qualities of the products he uses is also an important factor in his philosophy. In his lighting models we can see his fascination with the relationship between light and space as he explores how light can be used as a sculptural element and not just for illumination. He combines balance, geometry and contrast to create these unique designs. The combination of simple materials such as marble, glass and metal with clean lines and geometric shapes elevates them into something extraordinary.
Flos - Italian lighting brand
Work with Flos
Michael has worked extensively with Flos who commissioned him to produce a range of lighting that would be more cost effective to produce and therefore lower priced than his own Michael Anastassiades lighting brand. It has proved to be a very successful partnership and has allowed many more people to enjoy the beauty of his designs.
He has a magical touch and often his designs play on the mind and seem to defy gravity. The IC range has been the most commercially successful and this year celebrates its 10th anniversary with some extra special anniversary editions.
An Interview with Flos
A lovely insight into the design worlds of legendary designers Edward Barber, Jay Osgerby, Michael Anastassiades & Formafantasima as they playfully discuss their lives as lighting designers during Milan Design Week 2024 at Palazzo Visconti.
B&B Italia - Contemporary Italian design
Work with B&B Italia
For B&B Italia, Michael designed the stunning Jack Shelving system. A very elegant storage solution that we have on display in our gallery in Hessle. Michael has also designed the Parallel Structure large dining table for this leading Italian brand.