These Sneakers by Norm Architects Might Have You Reconsidering Your Shoes-Off Policy
The Danish firm partnered with footwear brand Koio to create a minimal shoe with maximum design clout.
A squeaky clean Barcelona residence by Norm Architects is the backdrop for the firm’s latest collaboration, a shoe with luxe footwear brand Koio. The shoe combines an Oxford’s classic lines with the comfort of a sneaker, and an added touch, a folding heel flap, turns them into house slippers. The versatility will appeal to the minimalist at heart, but so will the honest display of materials.
Norm Architects let the quality of the materials shine in its collaboration with footwear brand Koio.
Courtesy of Norm Architects
"The main idea was to nearly deconstruct the shoe and turn it inside-out, showing how everything is attached by putting the construction elements on the outside," says Norm.
The black leather model matches the window frames of a home Norm designed in Spain.
Courtesy of Norm Architects
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The suede color echoes furnishings throughout the residence.
Courtesy of Norm Architects
A heel flap collapses to turn the shoe into a slipper, playing on design that serves multiple functions.
Courtesy of Norm Architects
Two colorways with exposed stitching and vamps bear the hillside home’s detailing: one in black leather that matches the steel frames of the windows, and another in a brownish-gray suede that mirrors softer elements—carpets, curtains, oak cabinets, and a bench Norm created with Japanese furniture maker Karimoku Case Study.
A dark-stained oak joint in the bench mirrors the stitch in the vamp of the sneaker. "They’re not just ornamental, they’re functional elements, defining the designs in an understated manner," says Norm.
Courtesy of Norm Architects
"We want to create minimalist designs defined by natural materials and honest construction," says the firm. "Designs that stand out and blend in at the same time."
Courtesy of Norm Architects
Karimoku shares an affinity with Norm’s "soft minimalism," where craftsmanship and the honest, inherent qualities of the materials shine. Made of solid oak and topped with a beige suede cushion, the bench falls in step with the design approach of the shoes—and the home.
Courtesy of Norm Architects
"There should always be a strong connection between the site, the space, the materials, and all the details," says architect and Norm cofounder Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen of the firm’s holistic outlook. "That’s how our designs are born. They’re created by a real need for a real place."
Pick up your own pair of Koio and Norm Architects sneakers here.
Koio x Norm Architects Men's Suede Sneaker in Cliff
Norm Architects is one of the world’s most celebrated architecture and design firms. Like us, they’re renowned for their sleek and minimal—but always-functional—creations. An embodiment of our shared design philosophies, this Italian suede shoe features minimal visible stitching and has a collapsible heel so you can style it upright or folded down. No matter how you wear it, it’ll elevate your look to a whole new level.
ShopKoio x Norm Architects Women's Leather Sneaker in Black Timber
This sneaker is designed in collaboration with Norm Architects, one of the world’s most celebrated architecture and design firms. Embodying our shared belief that great design is at once sleek, clean, and multi-functional, it has an Italian leather upper with minimal visible stitching and a collapsible heel so you can style it upright or folded down.
ShopKoio x Norm Architects Bench in Oak
Part of our collaboration with renowned architecture and design firm Norm Architects, this bench is crafted in Japan by the master craftsmen at Karimoku Case Study. It has a solid oak base and luxuriously smooth Sørensen Royal nubuck seat cushion. At each corner are walnut spline joints—a functional detail that nods to the stitching along the sides of the Koio x Norm Architects sneakers.
ShopCourtesy of Norm Architects
Courtesy of Norm Architects
Courtesy of Norm Architects
Courtesy of Norm Architects
Related Reading:
A Look at Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen’s Luxuriously Minimalist Kitchen
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