Friends: Philippe Malouin
Unconcerned with passing trends, designer Philippe Malouin distils objects to their essential form, creating pieces that are both radical and timeless. Malouin’s work spans furniture, lighting, and objects, yet a single, guiding principle runs through it all: a commitment to clarity. His designs are stripped of excess, leaving only what’s necessary. Born in Canada and based in London, Malouin studied at the Design Academy in Eindhoven, the École Nationale Supérieure de Création Industrielle in Paris, and the University of Montreal. He has collaborated with some of the most interesting brands of the industry.
Interview and text by Maria Cristina Didero
His latest project, HUM, a collection of taps for QuadroDesign, began with a simple moment of intuition. Holding a stainless-steel cylinder in his hand, he was struck by its permanence and purity. He then introduced a single contrasting curve – a gesture that shaped the entire collection. QuadroDesign, a company built on precision, sustainability, and material honesty, was a natural partner for Malouin. Conversations with Enrico Magistro, whose family runs the company, provided insight into the legacy of stainless steel. The material’s durability, resistance, and timelessness became the base of the design. The challenge was to strip away any unnecessary detail, allowing the material’s qualities to speak for themselves.
While Malouin is no stranger to working across disciplines, water mechanics was an entirely new area. Collaborating with QuadroDesign’s team meant navigating a highly technical space where precision is non-negotiable. Every decision had to balance aesthetics with engineering, ensuring the taps not only looked effortless but functioned flawlessly. The process refined Malouin’s approach even further, pushing him to design with an even greater sense of purpose. His work is often described as a process of editing – removing elements until only the essential remains. With HUM, that moment of resolution came when he saw the first prototypes. The slender curve of the spout, the precisely machined controls – everything was in balance. Further refinement would have been indulgent. It was complete. The whole collection shows his ability to refine an idea – an exploration of material, form, and function that feels as natural as water itself.
Interview by Maria Cristina Didero
Your HUM collection for QuadroDesign feels like a thoughtful gesture – precise yet poetic. What was the first image or instinct that sparked this project for you?
PM: It actually started with a very simple gesture: holding a cylinder of stainless steel in my hand. I was drawn to its clarity and the sense of permanence it held. This cylinder was to become the base of a deck mounted tap. As a contrast, I drew a curve against it, as it was the opposite of the stark cylinder. The curve in question became the spout, the spout influenced the whole hum range. The curve in question can be found throughout the whole range, and a version of the simple cylinder has become all of the handles and dials, even the hand shower. The word “hum” is inspired by “hummingbird”, its beak resembles the curve I drew for the spout..
QuadroDesign has built its identity around precision, sustainability, and a deep respect for materials. How did their approach – and their commitment to stainless steel – shape the way you tackled the HUM collection?
PM: QuadroDesign’s ethos aligned perfectly with my own interest in honest, materially driven design. Enrico Magistro and I had many discussions about his family business. He explained the material’s qualities, why it was chosen, and its significance to their legacy—a practical insight that influenced my design decisions.. The conversations we had definitely shaped the entire collection. It made sense to minimize adornment and allow the durability and timelessness of stainless steel to become the focal point. This is how, I believe the Hum collection belongs well with the QuadroDesign offering.
Collaboration always leaves a mark on the process. How did working with this company, with their minimalist ethos and attention to longevity, influence your creative thinking and the final expression of HUM?
PM: There was much I needed to learn from Enrico and his team—especially when it came to water mechanics, a realm entirely new to me. Collaborating with QuadroDesign instilled a rigorous discipline that compelled me to refine my design language further. Their meticulous production process and clear vision guided my decisions, making it a truly collaborative effort. In the end, QuadroDesign’s guidance allowed me to craft a coherent and elegant range.
You’ve often described the process of designing as a kind of editing – reducing, refining, almost chiselling away at an idea. Was there a moment, during HUM’s development, where you knew: “This is it. I shouldn’t touch it anymore”?
PM: Yes, there was. It came when we stripped everything down to just the slender curve of the spout and the sharp precision of the controls. I remember looking at the prototype and realizing that any further refinement would be indulgent. The balance was already there—between the utility of the object and the sculptural elegance I was aiming for. It was that moment of restraint, of knowing the design was resolved by its spareness, that I felt it was complete.
Stainless steel is a material loaded with connotations – industrial, durable, sometimes cold. How did you manage to give it warmth, sculptural presence, even sensuality?
PM: For me, the warmth comes from proportion and gesture. Stainless steel can be clinical if it feels over-engineered, but when you introduce subtle curves, fine tolerances, and a graceful silhouette, it becomes tactile and inviting. The key was in the balance: keeping the forms elemental, almost monolithic, while introducing human-scaled interactions—the precise motion of the handle, the soft reflection of light off the brushed steel. That’s where the sensuality emerged: not in decoration, but in the quality of touch and presence.
There’s often a sense of rhythm in your work which walks the line between utility and sculpture – objects that quietly command space. How did you see this collaboration and how does it fit within your broader design practice?
PM: I’ve always been interested in the tension between utility and sculpture—finding beauty in objects that serve a clear purpose. The HUM collection fits into my practice by maintaining that dialogue. The whole exercise was a real challenge, I really believe it made me a better industrial designer. Enrico’s input has made every model even better than the next. I’m extremely proud of each model of the collection. The hand shower is an incredible feat of manufacturing and simplicity.
You’ve spent your career exploring how objects shape the way we live. Can you articulate this sentence?
PM: Good design is, at its essence, about crafting objects that seem inevitable—quiet presences that, without demanding attention, subtly enhance our interaction with the space around us. It means designing with empathy, where each detail is measured and refined, so the object speaks softly yet profoundly through its simplicity and precision. I’ve certainly embarked on projects that are more overtly expressive, but with this work, it was crucial for me to create something timeless and intriguing, a design that gently resonates rather than shouts its existence.