Douglas Burton, the co-founder of Apartment Zero, has always been deeply connected to the world of art and design. Growing up in Houston, Burton’s weekends were spent exploring museums like the Menil Collection, the Museum of Fine Arts, and the Contemporary Arts Museum. These early experiences sparked his imagination and fueled his passion for creative expression. Even as a child, Burton felt a sense of escapism in the art exhibitions he visited, which ignited a hunger for design that would stay with him throughout his life. This foundational love for art and design eventually led him to co-found Apartment Zero in 1999 in Washington, D.C., where he and his partner, Christopher Ralston, set out to champion emerging voices and perspectives in industrial design. Over the years, Apartment Zero has become a celebrated advocate for bold and innovative design, collaborating with museums and cultural institutions around the world. Burton’s journey from a curious child in Houston to a leader in the design world is a testament to the enduring power of art to inspire and transform lives.
As Apartment Zero celebrates its 25th anniversary, Burton and Ralston have marked the occasion by donating a selection of contemporary design pieces to three esteemed museums: the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; the Indianapolis Museum of Art; and the High Museum of Art, Atlanta. These donations reflect Apartment Zero’s commitment to preserving and sharing groundbreaking design for future generations. Burton believes that museums provide a safe and enduring space for these pieces, where they can be appreciated by the public for years to come. He also notes that the enthusiasm of the design curators at these institutions made the collaboration particularly rewarding. Among the pieces donated are four works that hold special significance for Burton, each reflecting his deep appreciation for innovative design and its ability to challenge and inspire. These pieces not only represent the essence of Apartment Zero’s curatorial vision but also highlight the organization’s dedication to fostering a dialogue between design, art, and culture.
One of the standout pieces Burton has chosen is Richard Hutten’s No Sign of Design Chair, created in 1992 for Lensvelt. This chair exemplifies Hutten’s minimalist and functional design style, which broke away from the decorative aesthetic that dominated the design world at the time. Hutten, a graduate of the Design Academy Eindhoven, gained international recognition with this piece, which is both a critique of unnecessary ornamentation and a celebration of simplicity. Burton is drawn to the chair’s enigmatic quality, as it strips away all extraneous design elements, leaving a piece that is both timeless and perplexing. “Stripped bare of any design elements and decorations, this fascinating chair is totally impersonal,” Burton observes. “It tells us nothing about the designer’s point of view and keeps us guessing as to what generation it was actually created.” Hutten’s work, known for its conceptual innovation and sustainability, can be found in over 40 museums worldwide, including MoMA in New York, the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, and the Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein. This chair’s inclusion in Apartment Zero’s donation is a nod to Hutten’s enduring influence on modern design.
Another piece that resonates deeply with Burton is Brian Alfred’s Along The Banks of The River High Above, created in 2010 for Maharam Digital Projects. This work is a masterful exploration of form and perspective, transforming found images into flat, depopulated landscapes composed of color fields. The mural-style installation is both scalable and repeatable, inviting viewers to interpret its open composition in countless ways. Burton is particularly drawn to the way the distorted angles and perspectives evoke the farmland vistas seen from an airplane window, as well as the eerie resemblance to Vitra’s Polder Sofa by Hella Jongerius. This piece exemplifies Alfred’s ability to distill complex imagery into its essence, creating a work that is both introspective and expansive. For Burton, the beauty of Along The Banks of The River High Above lies in its ability to evoke a sense of place and memory while remaining open to interpretation.
Burton also holds a special affinity for the Wet Lamp, a hand-blown glass lamp designed by Scott Franklin and Miao Miao of Los Angeles–based NONdesigns in 2006. This piece is a masterful blend of surprise and functionality, combining water and electricity in a way that is both unexpected and elegant. The lamp features a borosilicate glass orb filled with water and salt, which illuminates only when a silver rod is submerged in the water through a silicone gasket. The rod acts as a dimmer switch, controlling the intensity of the light. Burton is captivated by the lamp’s internal mechanisms and the interplay of its elements. “This borosilicate glass orb filled with water and salt only illuminates when the electrical device meets with these two elements,” he explains. “It’s a completely safe and isolated system of low-voltage power, with easily replaceable bulbs.” The Wet Lamp is part of a larger collection of playful and elegant hand-blown glass lamps, each featuring a water-submerged light bulb at its core. This piece is a testament to NONdesigns’ innovative approach to materials and their ability to create objects that are both surprising and thought-provoking.
Finally, Burton is equally enamored with Amanda Levete’s Edge Lamp, designed in collaboration with Philips for Established & Sons in 2010. This architectural gem is reminiscent of the fluid motion of a cake knife spreading frosting, with its curvilinear form and organic design. The lamp is a celebration of OLED technology, which is lightweight, energy-efficient, and free from the glare and heat associated with traditional lighting. Composed of a twisted steel ribbon on a support platform, the Edge Lamp appears as a mirror when turned off but transforms into a soft, even glow when activated. Levete’s design is deeply tied to her architectural sensibility, creating a piece that is both functional and emotionally resonant. For Burton, the Edge Lamp captures the essence of Levete’s work: “It’s organic, curvilinear, emotional, embracing the user instead of discouraging engagement.” This piece, like the others in Apartment Zero’s collection, reflects Burton’s passion for design that pushes boundaries while remaining deeply human.
Looking back on Apartment Zero’s 25th anniversary, Burton reflects on the organization’s journey with a sense of gratitude and wonder. He never imagined that Apartment Zero would reach such a monumental milestone, given the ever-changing landscape of the design world. Yet, despite the challenges, the organization has thrived, building lasting partnerships with museums and embassies and fostering meaningful connections with designers and curators. For Burton, the most fulfilling moments have been the non-profit cultural exhibitions that have allowed Apartment Zero to bring people together through design. These collaborations have not only celebrated innovation but have also forged enduring friendships and inspired new generations of designers and enthusiasts. As Apartment Zero looks to the future, Burton remains as curious and passionate as ever, driven by his belief in the transformative power of design. “I am still immeasurably impressed with what creative people can compose, just from the depths of their mind,” he says. “Relating design history with architecture, art, performing arts, graphic design, and more is a true passion of mine.” With its commitments to cultural diplomacy, bold curation, and collaboration, Apartment Zero continues to chart a course that honoring the past while embracing the future.
