Born in Arnsberg, Germany in 1978, Maarten Baas moved to the Netherlands in 1979 and graduated from the Design Academy in Eindhoven in 2002. His graduation works were ‘Smoke’, in which he set fire to chairs and tables before coating them in an epoxy resin to preserve the charred remains, along with an ingenious sundial, which displays the time with shadows. ‘Smoke’ is now considered an iconic collection of contemporary design by museums, critics, collectors and the design-informed public.

In 2005 Baas began collaborating with Bas den Herder, who is now responsible for the production of all of Baas’ works, producing them in small series or as unique pieces, handcrafted in the Netherlands. Meanwhile, Baas continues to take on ambitious projects and private commissions from hotels, restaurants, galleries and museums all over the world.