About
MŪVEK is a furniture design studio based in Cape Town, South Africa.
The word MŪVEK, Hungarian for works, carries multiple connotations that capture some of the principles at work in our designs. MŪVEK can refer to the works in a word like artworks. At the same time, it carries the industrial associations in a term like engineering works. It is at once an individual, artistic expression used to describe fine products and industrial manufacture.
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MŪ16181 Low Shelving
The first MŪVEK collection consists of thirteen designs which all speak of an interest in structural refinement, the utilitarian yet sensitive treatment of materials, and the beauty of simplistic forms. Made of natural materials, these designs emphasise their method of assembly through refined and ingeniously designed joints. These intersections are expressed rather than hidden, allowing the construction of the items to become the aesthetic.
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MŪ11 Bed
We believe that the objective of good design is to elevate the recurring, often mundane functions of daily life. Rooted in this simple idea, our approach to production is informed by the aim to create designs of true functional and aesthetic merit. The pieces of this first collection were developed between 2016 and 2022, working closely with a select group of skilled craftsmen and manufacturers in South Africa.
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MŪ311 Coffee Table
Journal
Monocle Design Special
"Design studio Mūvek finds inspiration in cultures across the globe. A case in point is its MŪ11 bed, inspired by the torii gate often seen at the entrance of a Shinto shrine. “There’s that sense of a spiritual gateway from one way to the next, of entering into...
Mountain House on Dezeen
"Cape Town-based architect Chris van Niekerk has completed Mountain House, a minimalist retreat in the rugged landscape of South Africa's southernmost city. The house is located in the foothills of Steenberg Ridge, a group of mountain peaks to the south of Cape Town."...
Sunday Times 28 May 2023
"Cape Town-based furniture brand MŪVEK’s pieces find expression at the confluence of art and industrialism. It’s unsurprising then that the Hungarian word “müvek” means “works”, as in industrial or art works. With function the driver, its bold designs are laden with...
House and Garden May/June 2023
"MŪVEK's multidisciplinary roots give its pieces versatility and artistry, while never straying too far from their intended function. The arts have always benefitted from a little overlap – the magic that happens when mediums meet and each gains from the other. MŪVEK,...
Sight Unseen Yearbook 2022
New York-based design dealers Aric Yeakey and Jared Heinrich from Love House picked MŪVEK as the best up-and-coming designer of 2022. The feature was published in the "Superlatives" section of the 2022 Sight Unseen Yearbook, where design tastemakers choose their...
House and Leisure Vol. 8
A design studio (and couple) made their Cape Town inner-city loft apartment work as the ultimate textured canvas against which to showcase and juxtapose their first range of sleek modern furniture. Volume 8 (Create) profiles Chris van Niekerk and János Cserháti, in...
An article on brutalist design in VISI Magazine
A great article on brutalist architecture and design in South Africa and beyond featuring the MŪ61 lounge chair. Words by Jo Buitendach. Read the full article here. AboveThe MŪ61 in VISI Magazine
Mountain House in Wanted Magazine
The February 2023 issue of Wanted Magazine features the Mountain House, a private dwelling in Cape Town, designed by architect and MŪVEK co-founder Chris van Niekerk. In addition to the many thoughtful bespoke solutions of the house, all three bedrooms feature...
Mountain House in VISI Magazine
The October/November 2022 issue of VISI Magazine features the Mountain House, a private dwelling in Cape Town, designed by architect and MŪVEK co-founder Chris van Niekerk. In addition to the many thoughtful bespoke solutions of the house, all three bedrooms feature...
Please direct any press requests to studio@muvekstudio.com.
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MŪ61 Lounge Chair
Team
As an owner-run studio, we were able to develop and test this collection by allowing time for the evolution of each design, as well as afford attention to detail during the manufacturing process. Each MŪVEK piece that leaves our showroom is made to order and is created with the intent to be appreciated and used for decades. All of our furniture carries a marker with an individual number and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity, attesting that the item in your possession has been approved by the designer.
Chris van Niekerk
Co-Founder and Designer
János Cserháti
Co-Founder
