Crosby Studios: from the Balenciaga couch to a Cyberpunk café

Born in Stavropol, Russia he is now active in Moscow, Paris and New York, creating works that cover versatile design needs like those of public spaces, houses, shops, objects as well as of fashion. His radical style is inspired by the aesthetics of the contemporary consumer and the digital environment that they “inhabit”, like that of Instagram. In the end Harry Nuriev influences the style that social media encourages like very few designers do, causing a media frenzy with each new work of his.

One of the most famous projects of Crosby Studios is the sofa he designed for the popular house of Balenciaga. For this creation, dozens of worn, flawed and unsold pieces of the brand were used, piled and wrapped with transparent membrane, resulting in a very modern looking couch. This piece attracted many onlookers in Design Miami 2019, being a piece that also reused “waste”, transforming it to functional equipment. The message is empowered by the choice of this specific furniture, which is a symbol of the house.

Balenciaga Sofa by Harry Nuriev | Photo. James Harris / ArchiPanic.com

The encompassing feeling of minimalism, influenced by the postmodern style and neo-plasticism, characterise the whole of Crosby Studios’ work. The choice of a certain colour palette, without a great variety of materials, and the regular use of arches, render each work iconic. Harry Nuriev states among his influences Le Corbusier, Japanese architecture and Scandinavian design. In most of his creations pink is prominent while in others royal blue. However, a different intense colour, neon green, was chosen for the project mentioned below.

A cyberpunk café in Mosccow

Despite the cool colours and what is perceived as “cold” functionalistic logic, the studio’s aim remains in creating “warm” and inviting spaces. So, regardless of the broad use of intense green colour and shades of grey, café «2046» provides the warmth that is to be expected from a coffee shop. Inspired by the homonymous movie by Wong Kar-Wai (2004), this café creates a dystopian atmosphere and even though it’s real it also feels virtual.

Café «2046» | Source: 2046.moscow Facebook page

The time in which this café, which feels like a nonspace, was created is not random. During the pandemic, the studio approached a new form of architectural practice, space design, which made browsing on an otherwise non existing space possible, having the buyer browse and purchase products of the studio, viewing them as parts of a visual whole. Besides, «Crosby Studios Home», the flagship store in Moscow, opened months after the “opening” of this virtual showroom.

Inside the café, virtual space is realised as a new form of architectural style. For this to be achieved, furniture and wide surfaces are painted with neon green colour and combined with metallic elements, naked concrete walls and led screens. The equipment of the space is tuned to the architectural design: a lot of seats are part of the walls, blurring the lines between different disciples of design. There is, actually, a virtual art exhibition by Roma Bantik. Looking towards the future, this café can not but use recycled cups for its coffees and beverages, something that without question is part of Harry Nuriev’s sustainable design approach.  

Café «2046» | Source: 2046.moscow Facebook page

In today’s world, sustainability of this sort is essential. Is it however necessary that this be the ultimate defining factor in design? Crosby Studios is proof of the opposite: a palpably powerful design can at the same time be functional, approachable and environmental.