VOLOKNO Design Gallery introduces Neman, the first collection by 55°45′ Studio, marking the beginning of a design trajectory rooted in geography, proportion, and material clarity. With this debut, the Moscow-based studio founded by Lesya Grishina and Andrey Skobinov presents a body of work that positions furniture at the intersection of product design and contemporary art. The collection takes its name from Neman, a town in the Kaliningrad Region, where land meets water and where, conceptually, clarity of form meets respect for material.
FURNITURE
The philosophical framework draws from minimalist principles associated with Robert Morris, where simple geometric volumes carry meaning through structure and proportion. In Neman, form follows intention. Each object speaks through measured dimensions, disciplined lines, and the tension between weight and lightness. Steel and veneer become the primary narrative tools, representing the cold horizontality of the Baltic and the warmth of sunlit amber and forested landscapes. Neither material dominates; instead, they establish equilibrium.
The NemanB01 Bench stands as the collection’s origin point. Two stainless steel cubes, each 36 × 36 × 36 cm, support a soft upholstered seat measuring 120 × 56 cm. With an overall length of 170 cm and a height of 44 cm without cushion, the piece balances structural solidity and textile comfort. Produced in an edition of 1/8, the bench introduces the recurring motif of the cube as both architectural unit and sculptural anchor.
This geometric logic continues in the NemanST01 Nesting Tables system. Available in stainless steel or walnut veneer, the modular set includes four cube-based tables that slide within one another like matryoshka dolls. The top table measures 50 × 50 × 50 cm, accompanied by progressively smaller volumes. In steel, the system reads as a sequence of reflective blocks; in walnut, it becomes a study in depth and warmth. Both versions remain open edition, reinforcing adaptability and repetition as core principles.
The Neman P01 Pouffe refines the rectangular volume into a compact 43 × 43 cm base with softly beveled edges. Offered in steel or walnut veneer and topped with a removable cushion, the pouffe functions as a standalone object or compositional element within a larger arrangement. Its height of 30 cm preserves the grounded scale that defines the collection’s visual language.
A circular steel tabletop resting on three 35 × 35 cm cube legs defines the NemanT01 Coffee Table. With a 100 cm diameter and 8 cm thickness, the top hovers above its cubic supports, merging circular and orthogonal geometries. The material pairing of stainless steel and walnut veneer introduces balance through contrast, where reflective surface meets tactile grain.
Mirrors and storage elements extend the vocabulary. The NemanM01 Mirror, measuring 130 × 70 cm with a substantial 12–13 cm edge thickness, echoes the bench’s proportions while softening its presence with rounded walnut corners. The NemanBr01 Bar, produced as a unique 1/1 piece in its finish, encloses walnut-lined shelves and mirrored interiors within a stainless steel shell, creating depth through reflection.
Lighting completes the collection’s spatial narrative. The NemanL01 HOPE table lamp pairs stainless steel with a vintage glass shade, standing 60 cm tall. The NemanL02 Wall Light splits a pyramid into paired sconces, while the NemanL03 Floor Lamp positions a cubic luminaire between two vertical steel plates, emitting light from within its rigid geometry.
