Cool Hunting

Although it's been out for a decade, the Foster Series of desk accessories for the German office brand Helit hasn't aged a day. Unless you work for Hearst, or you plan to attend the Summer Olympics in Beijing, your experience of Lord Norman Foster's ingenuity is likely limited to press reviews and the occasional tourist jaunt. Kitting an office desk with these accessories (which, when grouped, resemble an abstract city block) is the next best thing to working in a Foster building.

Predating Apple's use of aluminum, the Foster Series is characterized by simple rectangular boxes of anodized aluminum that are capped with a tactile, rubbery material called Perdur. The lines are so precise, the lids fitting just so, that even the design legend Dieter Rams would be impressed with this level of perfectionism and restraint. In fact, covering your desk with the Foster Series, a MacBook Pro, and a vintage Braun radio is like curating a miniature MoMA design display. Good luck getting any work done.

The Foster Series is comprised of numerous pieces, such as a pen box ($120), a paperclip box ($65), a tape dispenser ($130), a writing pad, and filing trays, many of which are available online through Moss.