Minimalist, flexible, transparent: RGB by burgbad

The RGB capsule collection from burgbad is based on two materials: tinted glass and coloured metal. In the current update of his concept study, designer Stefan Diez turned it into an ultra-flexible, minimalist furniture system that creates storage space in the form of transparent volumes in front of the wall – and provides coherent design options for all areas of the home.

In 2019, RGB became the first in burgbad’s new series of capsule collections, each of which aims to implement unusually progressive ideas by a prominent designer.It was for this project that Munich-based designer Stefan Diez took the classic furniture concept of closed carcasses apart and put it back together in a new way.

The result was not a collection of freestanding furniture but a system of vertical mounting rails; this allows glass side panels to be attached securely to the wall and combined with inserted glass shelves to create floating volumes that turn the wall and architecture into part of the design.The colour of the glass subtly overlays both the wall and the contents of the furniture, giving rise to a monochrome effect that creates harmony and order without concealing anything.

Its openness and transparency make the RGB capsule collection an interesting alternative for furnishing all sorts of spaces.The sets that are now available in two colours can be used to create a wide variety of solutions based on a grid system: tall or low shelving units with and without metal drawers for any area of the home or the office, sideboards for the living room, bedroom or bathroom, base units, shelving and open storage for the kitchen, consoles for the living room, solutions for the guest or office bathroom, coat racks and dressers for the hallway, or even bureaus and make-up tables for the home office and dressing room.And it’s just as easy to take the furniture apart again, reinvent it, add to it or reconfigure it.“In my opinion, what makes a good system is being able to extend it whenever you want without having anything left over once you’ve rearranged it.And that’s definitely true of RGB,” says Stefan Diez.“We’ve deliberately designed RGB as furniture, and it remains furniture, even if it’s mounted on the wall.That also means it’s suitable for people who don’t own their own home and want to furnish a rented apartment.”

An innovative system of wall-mounted rails, glass panels and metal boxes

The innovative mounting and construction system of extruded aluminium profiles developed by Stefan Diez permits extremely flexible use of the furniture modules.While this system-based idea is reminiscent of classic furniture ranges, its uncompromisingly vertical orientation gives the furniture a clearly defined, solitaire-like character.The material defines RGB as a transparent volume: the modules are assembled out of semi-transparent, coloured panels of laminated safety glass and bring a whole new aesthetic to interior design.

The key idea behind the system is the panels of coloured glass, which are attached to vertical mounting rails with a simple twisting motion.The use of glass surfaces as structural elements is innovative too: the coloured glass shelves and side panels are attached to the mounting rails individually. Rather than creating closed cabinets, this results in open and transparent volumes and shelves that look as if they’re floating in front of the wall and merge with both their contents and their surroundings.Open and closed drawers, baskets, tilting containers and other practical elements made of coloured metal add the finishing touches to a minimalist system that permits maximum creative freedom.

Planning certainty thanks to a grid system, sets and mix-and-match options

The width and depth of the modules are determined by the shelves and drawers available, which come in sets of wall rails and shelves, sets of open compartments, sets of complete drawers and sets consisting of rails, shelves and drawers, all available in different heights and configurations.The overall width is determined by the 40, 60 and 120cm sets or by combining several sets.

Sets of 2 to 4 rails in heights between 32.5 and 192.5cm and sets of 2 to 4 side panels in 2 heights (32.5 and 64.5cm) and depths (20 and 35cm) permit individual solutions for vertical end panels, partitions and much else besides.

Because the RGB shelves come in two depths (20 and 35cm) and different heights and depths can be combined, it’s also possible to create very dynamic-looking arrangements with recesses or staggered heights.What’s more, the individually available glass shelves in widths of 40 and 60cm and the same depths can be used to create projecting top panels that are deep enough to be used as a desk or work surface.

Two pre-assembled components are also available: a washbasin unit and a metal wastebin that can be combined with a paper towel dispenser and glass shelves to create a guest bathroom in a purist industrial style or an intriguing mix-and-match look.

The RGB capsule collection opens up new interior design options for professionals and consumers

The total absence of back walls means the existing architecture is incorporated,turning the tiled, wallpapered or plastered surfaces, as well as their colour or pattern, into part of the RGB design concept.The overlapping colours mediate between the wall and the furniture, creating harmonious secondary colours and unique colour chords.

RGB simplifies all sorts of things: besides minimising the risk of disappointing colour combinations, its system-based concept guarantees flexibility, expandability and longevity, ensures simple assembly and opens up a wide range of applications.What’s more, the furniture’s material, origin and compact packaging all have a positive impact on its sustainability.

RGB is highly individual and is individually assembled on site.In addition to preconfigured sets, customers can also buy key elements of the system separately.The burgbad capsule collection is mobile right down to the last detail: it’s designed for simple disassembly and optimised for e-commerce.All the collection’s components are made in either Germany or Austria.