“Design is not an end in itself, it is a means to serve us, to improve our lives. For design to be meaningful, it needs to celebrate not only use but purpose and idea. It must also think about how it is made, its physical and visual presence.”
Sir David Chipperfield on his exhibition
‘Design for living. Material, process and everyday objects’
Fundación RIA, Santiago de Compostela, 2026
British architect Sir David Chipperfield and Esther and Dimitrios Tsatsas teamed up to continue their ongoing collaborative project: the CASE COLLECTION. The latest addition is BACK-PACK, a sophisticated, minimalist unisex backpack, handcrafted in Germany of supple calfskin. Conceived with the clarity and restraint that define both the architect’s work and the designer duo’s philosophy, the bag combines architectural precision with artisanal craftsmanship.
The BACK-PACK blends seamlessly with the architecture of David Chipperfield and with the leather bags and cases created together with TSATSAS, first launched in 2019 with the luxurious SUIT-CASE – a piece of luggage David had been searching for for many years before meeting Esther and Dimitrios in 2017.
Minimalist and functional, the backpack was designed as a discreet companion that proves itself in everyday use, thanks to its thoughtfully organised interior and understated exterior.
Based on an analysis of daily habits and the need for a backpack that is both practical and minimalist in design, the bag features a spacious inner compartment, fully lined in soft lamb nappa, that keeps a laptop, charger, a notebook, and documents secure while maintaining a compact form. With a zipper placed along the back of the bag, the contents remain close to the body, reducing the risk of unwanted access from outside.
Particular attention was devoted by the three creatives to ergonomics: through an extended process of refinement, the design was carefully developed to achieve a balanced and comfortable fit, allowing the backpack to sit securely on the body, supported by adjustable shoulder straps.
