Philipp Mainzer

German architect and product designer Philipp Mainzer (b. 1969) is globally celebrated for pioneering the contemporary aesthetic of solid-wood minimalism. Studying product design at Central Saint Martins and architecture at the Architectural Association in London, Mainzer co-founded high-end furniture brand e15 in London in 1995. Mainzer achieved design immortality with the iconic Backenzahn Stool (1996)—a monolithic, sculptural stool crafted from four solid oiled European oak heartwood blocks that celebrate natural seasoning cracks and timber shrinkage. His portfolio includes the solid-oak Bigfoot dining table and the refined Kollektion Ferdinand, alongside contract furniture and lighting for e15. His work rejects synthetic veneers, prioritizing raw unlacquered woods, marble, and brass that age with grace.