The work of Belgian designer Jean-François D’Or is solid proof that there is poetry in simplicity. Involving detailed analysis and in-depth study that leaves nothing to chance, D’Or’s designs are simple, unpretentious and embody a clear intent that simply cannot be misunderstood. Through his designs, he sets out to enrich our environment with two apparent aims: to form a link with the user through functionality and to make an emotional connection.

A graduate in industrial design at ENSAV La Cambre Brussels, D’Or set up his design studio, Loudordesign, in 2003. A decade later, he was voted Belgian Designer of the Year. Domani’s In/Out, a zinc outdoor piece that merges a sitting bench and a planter in one, is an example of D’Or’s ingenious yet simple conceptions.