Minimal Nativity Set made of plain wooden blocks by Emilie Voirin
London designer Emilie Voirin has created a minimal nativity set where characters in the Christmas story are represented by wooden blocks with their names printed in plain black capital letters.
![Minimal Nativity Set by Emelie Voirin](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2013/12/Minimal-Nativity-Set-by-Emelie-Voirin_dezeen_1.jpg)
"The characters have lost their features and colours for a modern appearance that could appeal to both believers and atheists," said Voirin.
![Minimal Nativity Set by Emelie Voirin](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2013/12/Minimal-Nativity-Set-by-Emelie-Voirin_dezeen_61.jpg)
The contemporary nativity set is handcrafted in beech. It includes blocks with different proportions to represent Mary, Joseph, three wise men, an angel, a sheep and a donkey, plus baby Jesus,placed on a slightly lighter block representing a manger.
![Minimal Nativity Set by Emelie Voirin](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2013/12/Minimal-Nativity-Set-by-Emelie-Voirin_dezeen_1sq.jpg)
"The holy scene that has been broadly reproduced is here recognisable by the names only, giving free rein to people’s imagination," the designer added.
![Minimal Nativity Set by Emelie Voirin](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2013/12/Minimal-Nativity-Set-by-Emelie-Voirin_dezeen_2.jpg)
The Minimal Nativity set comes tessellated in a square black box and Voirin is selling them via her website.
![Minimal Nativity Set by Emelie Voirin](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2013/12/Minimal-Nativity-Set-by-Emelie-Voirin_dezeen_3.jpg)
She graduated from the Royal College of Art earlier this year and her work focusses on re-choreographing traditional Catholic iconography.
![Minimal Nativity Set by Emelie Voirin](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2013/12/Minimal-Nativity-Set-by-Emelie-Voirin_dezeen_4.jpg)
You might also want to check out Sebastian Bergne's nativity set where characters are represented by wooden blocks and identified by colour.
![Minimal Nativity Set by Emelie Voirin](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2013/12/Minimal-Nativity-Set-by-Emelie-Voirin_dezeen_5.jpg)