“It’s a mixture of mass-market and couture that characterizes my design.”
Industrial Designer Jan Habraken (born in Eindhoven, the Netherlands) studied architecture at the Design Academy Eindhoven, where he met fellow student Maarten Baptist. Following graduation the two started WATdesign in 2002.

The collaboration proved to be a success in the Netherlands and across Europe, which led to the opening of a New York office. Within months after Jan arrived in New York WATdesign began working with clients Kikkerland and Target. Inspired by the New York design scene, Habraken set out to launch his own design studio in 2007. The studio (under his own name) spans various disciplines from furniture and product design to exhibit and architecture. Jan conjures up the cleanest designs that work?that has function.His lines are clear and the geometry is very simple. He uses less and less material which makes the work easier to produce and has a longer life. Jan is involved not just in form but also in the refining of manufacturing and the optimization of production.

Habraken’s functionalist approach stems from his socially conscious viewpoint. His work has a reputation for quality, precision and practicality that has come to be what is expected from Dutch design.Studio Jan Habraken in New York is set to hunt out international manufacturers and put its multifunctional creations on the world stage. From household products to furniture, his approach is guided by his social conscience. His objects have to fulfill their function; the result is a smart product that people enjoy using. He believes that design should bring the most of the best to the greatest number of people. 

The success of his designs is attributed to his combination of the classic and the quirky and his understanding of his roles as designer, manufacturer and retailer.