In this first monographic work dedicated to the work of Pol Quadens, sketches, drawings, photographs and personal testimonials come together to create a picture of the Belgian designer’s career. This luxuriously illustrated volume features Quadens’ insights on aesthetics, philosophy, technology and design, and displays how his design principles have led to the development of each one of his creations. The reader is invited into the creative process, from inspiration to execution, and passing through technological exploration, as Quadens questions the boundaries between art and functionality. From the lightest chair in the world (1995), through the heel-less shoe (2000), to the purely sculptural works Birds and Vertigo (2013), Quadens’ career has developed into an art that defies material constraints in the pursuit of creating objects that are sometimes useful, but always beautiful.