From crystal and glass to polyurethane, the design world offers numerous options for creating transparent objects, whether they are furniture, toys, electronics, or even suitcases. We’ve selected 10 items that have nothing in common except their transparency.
Crafting Plastic by Kasper Kyster
During the latest edition of 3 Days of Design, Kasper Kyster presented Crafting Plastic, a collection of furniture made entirely from transparent plastic tubes. To demonstrate the versatility of the material, the collection includes a chair, a floor lamp, a lounge chair, a bookshelf, an armchair, a coffee table, a ceiling lamp, a bench, and a coat rack.
Ombré Glass Chair by Germans Ermičs
Including Shiro Kuramata’s Glass Chair would have been too easy (and cliché), so we decided to feature a tribute to this iconic piece of design by Dutch designer Germans Ermičs. Ermičs reinterpreted Kuramata’s work by adding color gradients to the glass panels that form the chair.
Glass Tea House by Tokujin Yoshioka
First presented in 2011 at the 54th Venice Biennale, this tea house adopts the design of traditional Japanese tea houses, stripping away the textures and typical colors of these small architectures to embrace the transparencies and light plays characteristic of glass.
Coexist by Gio Tirotto
Coexist is the famous transparent globe designed by Gio Tirotto. The idea is that, whether in its Earth or Sky version, the transparency allows you to view the world and the stars in their entirety, eliminating distances and borders.
Valigia Share by Crash Baggage
This one’s for a few daring travelers: we’re talking about Share by Crash Baggage, a model of suitcase made of transparent polycarbonate. Don’t mind if everyone sees what’s in your suitcase, whether it’s tidy or not? Then this is for you.
Board Games by Sunnylife
Sunnylife, an Australian brand leading in the summer lifestyle segment, offers a series of accessories for a colorful summer that keeps up with trends. Among their products, you can’t miss the transparent board game sets. From Jenga to Backgammon, from Tic-Tac-Toe to Connect Four, there’s something for everyone.
Louis Ghost by Kartell by Starck
When it comes to transparent design, the first item that comes to many people’s minds is the chair designed by Philippe Starck for Kartell. Iconic in its crystal-clear color, it is now also available in colored variants. The chair is reminiscent of the shapes of the Louis XV armchair with all the advantages of modern design, from being stackable to being lightweight.
ThinkBook by Lenovo
Unveiled for the first time at the 2024 Mobile World Congress, Lenovo‘s ThinkBook is the first laptop ever produced with a transparent display and keyboard. This product is designed for creatives who work with drawing boards and may want to change surfaces frequently. Need to see how a certain work looks on wood? Just place the ThinkBook on a wooden table and voilà, it’s done.
H-horse by Nendo x Kartell
Japanese studio Nendo, in collaboration with Kartell, designed a transparent polyurethane rocking horse inspired by the shape of steel beams used in the construction of bridges and skyscrapers. In cross-section, they have an “H” shape that gives the structure mechanical strength. Nendo applied this same principle to a minimalist and essential children’s rocking horse.
Crystal Series by Serom Yoon
The Crystal Series by South Korean designer Serom Yoon includes tables, consoles, and coffee tables made entirely from transparent resin. This resin undergoes a dyeing process that gives the objects different shades, highlighted when hit by light.
