functional design
JBNG draws from product design, architecture, craftsmanship, and graphic design in equal measure
Product designers Birkan Gülöz and Jonas Nussbaum met as students at Aachen University of Applied Sciences. After collaborating on several projects, they discovered a shared vision for design. Both are drawn to materials and form, and both embrace a holistic approach to creation. So when they graduated in 2019, establishing a joint design studio in Cologne felt inevitable: JBNG, named after their initials. Since then, they've built a design practice for international clients, offering design strategy, concept development, and product innovation. Among the prototypes emerging from their Cologne-Ehrenfeld studio is Apart—a mirror crafted from a single sheet of stainless steel. Inspired by curiosity and the desire to explore, Apart invites viewers to see themselves and their surroundings from unexpected angles and novel perspectives. The Toca table lamp embodies their mission to unify multiple lighting functions in one refined object. As a mobile luminaire, Toca adapts to different spaces and positions, creating varied lighting atmospheres to suit any room's needs. Parat is a series of mobile table bases designed for flexible, adaptable workspaces that maximize spatial efficiency. The Parat base assembles with just four screws and expands with optional understorage trays and modular drawers—perfect for evolving spatial demands.
Photography Credits:
JBNG
Jara Reker
(Featured in CUBE Cologne Bonn 01|22)
Naturally expansive views
A minimalist villa's garden dissolves gracefully into the Rhine floodplain landscape.
Distinctly Renewed
A home in northern Cologne rediscovers itself through thoughtful renovation
Sculptural Integration
A residential complex in Nippes that bridges the gap between urban street and suburban green.
Dynamic city gateway
A new parish residence completes the St. Hippolytus ensemble in Troisdorf.