Design in Balance: A Visit to YUUE Studio in Berlin

As a brand rooted in Scandinavian values of simplicity, function, and atmosphere, Northern has always believed in the power of collaboration. Over the past two decades, our partnerships with designers across the world have shaped our collections and defined who we are. One of these collaborations is with Berlin-based studio YUUE, the creative force behind Northern’s acclaimed Balancer lamp series.

A Studio in Prenzlauer Berg
We visited YUUE’s studio in Prenzlauer Berg, a leafy district in the north of Berlin known for its mix of residential calm and cultural vibrancy. The studio has been home to designer Weng Xinyu since 2017. Situated in a quiet street, it combines two spaces that perfectly reflect his process: a front room for sketching, drawing, and conceptual thinking, and a workshop in the back for prototyping and hands-on experimentation. Between them lies a gardened courtyard.

“I always need to make ideas tangible,” Xinyu explains. “It can be a model in paper, wood, or even 3D-printed plastic. Switching between sketching and making helps me test ideas with my senses before refining them on the computer.” This fluid approach echoes in the open nature of the studio, which frequently hosts pop-up shows and collaborative events with friends and partners.

A day at YUUE doesn’t follow the rigid schedules often associated with design. “I’m not as diligent as a typical German designer,” Xinyu laughs. “I work when the energy is there, sometimes late into the night, sometimes after a long break.” This rhythm is balanced by rituals that keep both body and mind agile: runs in the nearby park, or bouldering sessions that reset the mind when projects feel heavy. Balance, it turns out, is more than a design principle here, it is a way of life.

The Making of the Balancer Series
That philosophy carries directly into the Balancer series, which has become one of Northern’s signature designs. The lamp originated from a university project in which Xinyu experimented with counterbalancing mechanisms to adjust light angles. For Northern, he reimagined the idea in geometric metal, creating a striking composition where arcs meet clean lines. “The curve among the straight lines is not just decorative,” he says. “It’s central to the lamp’s structure and identity.”

The journey of bringing Balancer to life was as seamless as the design itself. Xinyu recalls presenting his prototype at the Stockholm Furniture Fair, where Northern’s team immediately recognized its potential. What followed was a collaborative process marked by trust, clarity, and mutual respect. “Working with Northern is always smooth and direct, even if informal,” he says. “From the very beginning, the team understood the essence of the design and helped refine it into a functional, enduring object.”

Looking Forward
The Balancer series today includes a floor, a wall and a combined wall and table mini version. For the future YUUE’s goals are to stay curious and experiment beyond the boundaries of the product design profession.