Moscow, Russia
Suprematist Bureau reimagines Russian avant-garde principles in a functional furniture prototype, crafted by Maxim Kashin Architects for Hettich, the German fittings leader founded in 1888.
Avant-Garde Fusion
Maxim Kashin draws parallels between Bauhaus rationalism and Soviet VKHUTEMAS suprematism, transforming a simple chest of drawers into a three-dimensional homage to Kazimir Malevich’s geometric abstractions. Influenced by Malevich’s “architectons”—volumetric forms that pushed suprematism beyond canvas into space—Kashin explores pure shapes like the square, infused with horizontal and vertical movements. This ideological bridge highlights Hettich’s fittings as enablers of unconventional design, blending form, function, and industrial precision.
Mechanical Symphony
At its core, the bureau leverages Hettich’s FurnSpin pivot mechanism for fluid rotation, paired with AvanTech YOU drawers on Actro YOU runners and Sensys hinges. These allow endless transformations: drawers slide, pivot, and reconfigure, revealing new geometries with each motion. Constructed in walnut veneer, interiors mix bright red paint—evoking revolutionary Russian art—with subtle illumination, while the fittings remain invisibly integrated. Kashin emphasizes that superior mechanisms should enhance, not distract from, aesthetic purity.
Cultural Revival
Suprematism, once suppressed in Soviet Russia, finds fresh life here as an interior design catalyst. Kashin applies textural contrasts and suprematist motifs to showcase Hettich’s versatility, starting from seven key fittings to unlock infinite possibilities. Exhibited across Russia, the one-of-a-kind piece heads to Hettich’s German museum, inspiring global designers—including Ikea—with its proof that avant-garde ideology endures through modern functionality.
This prototype proves suprematism’s relevance over a century later: not just visual, but alive in motion and utility, marrying art with everyday objects.
About:
Maxim Kashin Architects is a Moscow-based practice known for concept-driven interiors that explore geometry, light, and shadow to shape experiential spaces. The firm develops distinctive environments for bars, restaurants, commercial venues, and offices, as well as public spaces, exhibition halls, and private residences.
Founded by architect Maxim Kashin, a graduate of the Moscow Architectural Institute and member of the Russian and Moscow Architecture Unions since 2018, the studio evolved from his earlier practice, MONOLOKO Design, into its current form unveiled at ArchMoscow 2019. Kashin’s work has received numerous international awards and extensive coverage in leading design and architecture publications.
