YIANNIS GHIKAS, GREECE

Born in 1969 in Koropi, Greece, Yiannis Ghikas is an Athens-based designer whose journey into design took an unexpected turn. He first earned a degree in Computer Science from the Athens University of Economics before pursuing art and design at AKTO Art and Design College. This combination of analytical thinking and creative freedom has shaped his distinctive approach to design.

“It all started from an inner impulse whose existence I can’t explain,” he recalls. That impulse led him to create furniture and everyday objects where minimalism, functionality, and emotional connection come together.

Among his most recognizable works are the Soda glass tables, designed for the Italian brand Miniforms, which have earned him numerous awards and international recognition.

In 2018, Ghikas spent three months in Arita, Japan, working alongside local ceramic artisans. The experience deepened his appreciation for traditional craftsmanship and materials, inspiring his exploration of porcelain objects and collections.

For a broader perspective on Ghikas’s work and the region’s furniture design scene, explore Creative Balkans: Contemporary Furniture Design.

Good design is the one that makes everybody happy. The designer, the producer, the retailer, last but not least, the user.

What you can see at the exhibition?

Soda High Side Table

Producer: Miniforms

Distributed in Bulgaria: Design District

Year of production: 2020-2025

Dimentions: D38 X 45 cm /  D55 X 30 cm

Soda is blown upside down and shaped by three master glassmakers into a single, 20 kg volume of glass. Three large petal-like forms create its stem.

In Soda, the hammered surface fragments the glass’s transparency and gives the table a raw, almost primitive character. The effect brings sculptural expression to an industrial product.