Istanbul Design Biennial 2014: Design Academy Eindhoven graduate Rianne Koens stacked sets of different-sized wooden boxes on top of angled legs to form these furniture pieces.

Rianne Koens' Otura modular furniture system is based around a series of open-fronted boxes, available with and without drawers inside.

Handmade in Istanbul from birch wood, these stack on top of one another to create high and low cabinets, side tables, bedside tables and stools.

The customer can buy as many or as few boxes, legs and drawers as they need and arrange them as they wish. There are 12 units in total – three different box sizes come with or without drawers inside and with or without legs underneath.

"Otura Basic are friendly, designed, separate stackable drawers," Koens told Dezeen.

"This playful modular furniture system shows a different way of thinking about furniture – it fades the sharp line between the meanings of a cabinet, side table, nightstand and stool. With these basic elements, many furniture items are conceivable."

The collection is a development of Koens' Otura Original, a similar collection made from acer wood and leather.

The modules simply stack without being fixed together and drawers just slide into the boxes. "As all carpenters know wood on wood slides perfectly, that's why there is no need for guides or sliders," said the designer.

The legs come off and fit inside the drawers, making the modules easy to ship.

Rianne Koens graduated from the Man and Activity department at Design Academy Eindhoven in 2011.

Her project is on show at the Galata Greek Primary School for the Istanbul Design Biennial 2014, which continues until 14 December.