London visit

Jasper Morrison

The Shop contains products that ‘have about them a subtle quality which make them better everyday performers’.(1)

It was beautifully laid out with products that had a very understated, timeless quality about them. Even the shop front reflected this.

Labour and Wait

Labour and Wait offer an evolving range of timeless, functional products for everyday life. All the products are traditional and have that everlasting quality. I like the simplicity of the products here. They look like they would last a lifetime.

Unto This Last

I love this shelving unit! In particular I love how it is flat packed for delivery – it’s beautiful!

I love the furniture here, it’s great to see the workshop at the back of the store. I love everything about this place.

 

Antoni and Alison

This is a place I previously visited a number of years ago. Over the years the products have developed immensely. The shop still has a very comfortable and relaxing atmosphere, with the basement floor reflecting someone’s living room, with vintage  items.

 

Paul Smith

I went to Paul Smith to see this photography exhibition by Jim Eyre. I have included some images as I was interested to see the 1960s furniture and the concrete floor in the store.

 

References

(1) https://jaspermorrison.com/shop/about-shop

(2) https://www.labourandwait.co.uk/pages/about-us

 

All images are my own photographs except for the links below:

https://www.labourandwait.co.uk/pages/about-us

Leather Tool Case

Housekeepers Bucket Galvanised

Twine Stand Refill

Enamel Mug

Chair 40

CD Oval

Greg Lamp

Tulip Lamp

Manchester visit

URBANSUITE

Design shouldn’t be trendy. Good design should last over time, until it wears out. Achille Castiglioni.

Eames plastic side chair

Forms using repeating shapes:

FERRIOUS

More repeating shapes:

Lighting details:

SELFRIDGES:

Handbags at Selfridges

Dior,  Gucci, Mulberry, Prada

Ideas to develop – week 4

Ideas I am interested in:

• sustainability
• utilitarian design/products
• classic design
• supernormal products
• materials

Why do we keep items? Good design, aesthetic qualities,

Why do we love them? Look good, comfortable,

Tripp trapp chair, foldable chairs, flat pack, have  look of transience about them. Look like camping chairs.

I want to look more in depth at  classic, supernormal design/products, reuse and sustainability.

(LABOUR AND WAIT | Bucket with Wooden Handle, 2016)

 (LABOUR AND WAIT | Enamel Mug, 2016)

Teapot my own

Utilitarian items:

Galvonised bucket has a historical narrative

Materiality – look at the materials: leather, card, galvonised metal, enamelled metal, specific colour

So, this is what I want to develop for my own design research. I looked at the Robin Day polypropylene chair last week as a Supernormal product. It was relaunched last year at The 2015 London Design Festival by John Lewis and Hille. Again it is a classic recognisable chair, but is it a product that we really like?

(Robin Day Polyside and Armchair, 2016)

(Buy Robin Day Polypropylene Armchair | John Lewis, 2016)

Another ‘Supernormal’ chair is the Eames Moulded Fibreglass Chair.

(Pham and Pham, 2017)

It was originally produced using fibreglass until the 1990’s when fibreglass was deemed to be harmful to the environment. It was then manufactured using polypropylene, to mixed reviews: Michael Marriott commented, ‘Fibreglass is nasty stuff to work with and you can’t recycle it, but I don’t think that matters when that chair has already lasted 40 years and will easily last another 40 or more. The new ones will need to be recycled, because they are much less robust and will soon become grubby and rough looking.’ (Elliott, 2008)

Over the years, the manufacturers have been testing more sustainable ways to produce fibreglass, and now over 25 years later, Herman Miller has released a new environmentally conscious Eames Molded Fiberglass Shell Chair, in 8 colours.

(Eames Molded Fiberglass – Guest Chair – Herman Miller, 2016)

Classic designs:

Examples of classic designers, that produce quality products are Ercol, Robin Day & Hille. The Robin Day Forum sofa was relaunched by Habitat a number of years ago, and the Ercol unit is original 1960’s; however Ercol are still producing quality products today.

Labour and Wait

Labour and Wait offer an evolving range of timeless, functional products for everyday life.

They search out specialist makers from around the world, many of whom manufacture their goods in the traditional way and to their original designs.

They believe in a simple, honest approach to design, where quality and utility are intrinsic.

They offer products that celebrate functional design and are therefore appropriate in a traditional or contemporary environment.

They source a collection of everyday classics which will not date, but which will mellow and improve with age, and which are destined to become favourites.

The leather tool case is made from quality naturally tanned leather, the bucket made from recycled rubber, tote bag from military cotton/linen with leather handles,  the green bucket bag is a classic from Sweden originally made in the 1950’s made from recyclable plastic, and the housekeeper’s bucket is galvanised steel.

(LABOUR AND WAIT | Leather Tool Case, 2016)

 (LABOUR AND WAIT | Rubber Bucket, 2016)

(LABOUR AND WAIT | Small Canvas Tote Bag – Black, 2016)

(LABOUR AND WAIT | Bucket Bag Green, 2016)

(LABOUR AND WAIT | Housekeepers Bucket Galvanised, 2016)

 

QUALITY & UTILITY, TIMELESS

Materials – leather, waxed cloth, oil cloth

Packaging:

John Grey (Paper & Twine), Thomas Street, Manchester

Shopfittings, Thomas Street, Manchester

twentytwentyone

ettore sottsass pattern

freedom of creation

jeop and jeroen verhoeven

laurens van wieringen

marcel breuer

 

IMAGES & REFERENCES

LABOUR AND WAIT | Bucket with Wooden Handle. (2016) Labourandwait.co.uk. [Online] [Accessed on 21 October 2016] https://www.labourandwait.co.uk/collections/household/products/bucket-with-wood-handle.

LABOUR AND WAIT | Enamel Mug. (2016) Labourandwait.co.uk. [Online] [Accessed on 21 October 2016] https://www.labourandwait.co.uk/collections/kitchen/products/enamel-mug.

Green teapot – my own, own photograph

Robin Day Polyside and Armchair. (2016) Hille.co.uk. [Online] [Accessed on 21 October 2016] http://www.hille.co.uk/robin-day-polyside-and-armchair.

Buy Robin Day Polypropylene Armchair | John Lewis. (2016) John Lewis. [Online] [Accessed on 21 October 2016] http://www.johnlewis.com/robin-day-polypropylene-armchair/p2147270?navAction=jump&colour=Dark%20Grey.

Pham, D. and Pham, D. (2017) The Iconic Eames Shell Chair is Now Available in New Recyclable Fiberglass!. Inhabitat.com. [Online] [Accessed on 13 January 2017] http://inhabitat.com/the-iconic-eames-shell-chair-is-now-available-in-new-recyclable-fiberglass/.

Elliott, D. (2008) ‘A Reviews of: Lucienne Roberts, “Good: An Introduction to Ethics in Graphic Design”’. Visual Communication Quarterly, 15(1-2) pp.139-140.

Eames Molded Fiberglass – Guest Chair – Herman Miller. (2016) Hermanmiller.com. [Online] [Accessed on 21 October 2016] http://www.hermanmiller.com/products/seating/multi-use-guest-chairs/eames-molded-fiberglass-chairs.html.

LABOUR AND WAIT | Leather Tool Case. (2016) Labourandwait.co.uk. [Online] [Accessed on 21 October 2016] https://www.labourandwait.co.uk/collections/accessories/products/tool-bag.

 LABOUR AND WAIT | Rubber Bucket. (2016) Labourandwait.co.uk. [Online] [Accessed on 21 October 2016] https://www.labourandwait.co.uk/collections/outdoor/products/rubber-bucket.

LABOUR AND WAIT | Small Canvas Tote Bag – Black. (2016) Labourandwait.co.uk. [Online] [Accessed on 21 October 2016] https://www.labourandwait.co.uk/collections/accessories/products/small-canvas-tote-bag-black.

LABOUR AND WAIT | Bucket Bag Green. (2016) Labourandwait.co.uk. [Online] [Accessed on 21 October 2016] https://www.labourandwait.co.uk/collections/accessories/products/bucket-bag-green.

 LABOUR AND WAIT | Housekeepers Bucket Galvanised. (2016) Labourandwait.co.uk. [Online] [Accessed on 21 October 2016] https://www.labourandwait.co.uk/collections/household/products/housekeepers-bucket-galvanised.

 

 

Reduce, reuse, recycle, upcycle

My own presentation was on Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Upcycle. I chose this topic because many moons ago I was inspired by this theme of design and making: there was a time when I was interested in the debris washed up on beaches, comparing natural and manmade objects, and contrasting colours & materials. This came from the sea theme in my degree work and was the initial starting point that developed into my textile work which was eventually inspired by 1950’s design.

• reduce: make smaller or less in amount, degree, or size.

• reuse: use again or more than once.

• upcycle: reuse (discarded objects or material) in such a way as to create a product of higher quality or value than the original

• recycle: convert (waste) into reusable material; return (material) to a previous stage in a cyclic process; use again.

Peter Opsvik (reduce)

• Is a Norwegian product designer who specializes in designing innovative and ergonomic chairs. His philosophy is to look at ergonomic aspects and design seating solutions that inspire the user to become active sitters.
• Reduce – his products reduce the need for us to buy multiple items as the chairs can be adapted to suit a person’s changing height or needs; e.g. from infant to adult.
• Social design agenda: he is designing for people’s needs rather than their wants.

Tripp Trapp chair (1972)

• An incredibly successful product, first designed in 1972, still in production today. It aims to reduce the need for multiple chairs, allowing the chair to grow with you, with use from newborn baby to fully-grown adult.

Nomi chair (2013)

• This chair is a version of the Tripp Trapp chair and is suitable from infant to teenager
• It is constructed from a central stem of wood with rounded plastic parts, that give it a playful, sculptural shape. It weighs 5kg.
• It’s more streamlined and less rigid than the Tripp Trapp.

Citrus prototype (2015)

• Citrus is a scooter that can be folded for transportation and also used as a trolley case. This reduces the need to buy multiple items, and makes it easier for transportation and storage.

Stuart Haygarth (upcycle, reuse)

• Is a British artist whose philosophy is to give banal and overlooked objects a new significance. His design projects revolve around the collection of objects, which he assembles to create new pieces.
• Upcycle – his products transform the collections into beautiful, decorative pieces that have new meanings.
• DESIGN AGENDA: material led. Although using discarded objects, it is the objects that dictate the look or aesthetic of the final piece

Tide (2005)

• This is a 1.5m diameter spherical lighting piece The components of the piece are a collection of debris Stuart found washed up on the beach near his home in Kent.

Drop (2007)

• This work, measuring 1.5 x 1.9m, is constructed using hundreds of bases from empty plastic water bottles, that were confiscated at security at Stansted Airport.
• Haygarth is reusing objects that would go into landfill, and is using them to produce beautiful decorative objects.

Tejo Remy (upcycle, reuse)

• Is a Dutch designer whose philosophy is: “By making everything our material, the world is our toolkit, we transform the familiar and incorporate the circumstances. By applying this as a kind of design rule we create our own freedom.”
• Upcycle – he uses materials available to him, to transform into new products that have new meanings but the aesthetic is determined by the materials used to create that product.
• DESIGN AGENDA: material, social led

Tejo Remy (upcycle, reuse)

• Chest of Drawers, Rag Chair, Milk Bottle Lamps Chandelier (1991)
• The drawers, rags and milk bottles are all found materials and are the starting points for the design of each product.
• His philosophy for the 3 pieces was to ‘make your own world with what you encounter’. The final products very much take on the appearance that is dictated by their starting points; colour, texture and scale.

Smile Plastics (recycle, reuse)

• Smile Plastics (Recycle) 100% recycled and sustainable
• Smile Plastics makes specialist handmade decorative panels from recycled plastics. They are available from different waste sources, and in various colours and thicknesses.
• Materials they work with range from plastic bottles, mobile phones and CDs to wellington boots and yoghurt pots.

Goldfinger Factory (upcycle, reuse)

• Located on the ground floor of the iconic Trellick Tower in London, Goldfinger Factory has a furniture showroom and café with a woodworking workshop and teaching academy in the basement. Here the designers introduce young adults to training and learning furniture making skills.
• Upcycle – It is a design, build and teaching platform centred around upcycling that creates bespoke furniture and interiors. They use mainly reclaimed wood, that would be destined for landfill, to construct the products. If new materials are used, off cuts are used to produce other smaller items.
• Social design agenda: The materials used are upcycled and young adults are being trained in new skills. Profit from sales is fed back into the teaching academy, making this a sustainable venture.

Goldfinger Factory

• To celebrate the London Design Festival, Tom Dixon worked with Goldfinger Factory and designed a furniture range, that combines traditional carpentry skills with cutting edge fabrication techniques. The range has positive environmental and social impacts. It was constructed by the trainees, using upcycled materials where possible, and money from the sale of the products is fed back into the teaching academy.

Sprout Design

• Sprout Design are a UK company who believe that sustainable and inclusive design should be incorporated into mainstream design practice. They are an industrial design consultants who research and design products, ready for manufacture.
• Recycle –Packaging Can we design the packaging so that it uses minimum materials but still provides excellent performance from protective, communications and branding perspectives? Can the packaging be disposed of in an environmentally appropriate way?
• Rake attachment for B&Q Garden Vacuum Cleaner, made from 100% recycled High Density Polypropylene

MA week 3

Today we presented our research to the rest of the group. It was really interesting to see what the others in the group had researched, are inspired by and if that research links to their own development of ideas. Also it was beneficial to pick up on themes that I would like to research more fully to help with my own development.

Materials: Colour, texture, how people relate to this. For my own development, I have been thinking about materials and how by choosing a particular material, signifies the market it is aimed at, also the functionality of the product.

Ian talked about Benjamin Hubert, I have had a look at his website and I think this screen is really interesting, it is made up of repeating components, to suit any scale needed. Each tile is 330 x 330mm, absorbs sound, and is produced from sustainable materials. http://layerdesign.com

Function/Interaction/Supernormal

Reduce functionality – keep things simple. Ben talked about not overcomplicating products. I think good design is simple design, so this resonates with this.

He also talked about Supernormal design, this Robin Day chair is an example of this. It was relaunched by John Lewis and Hille at The London Design Festival 2015. It is such an iconic design, and so familiar to everyone. It’s likability is questionable though as they’re often seen on skips and not valued as a design classic by some.

Digital Production & Generative Design

I was inspired by the Bram Geenan’s Gaudi chair, which was inspired by the construction of the Sagrada Familia by hanging weighted chains to create the optimal arches that were then turned upright. Bram created a very lightweight, strong 3D printed, furniture piece. Also Oliver Van Herpt’s use of the 3D printer, connecting it to a speaker, is revolutionary and is taking 3D printing into a new direction.

Environmental/Ecological
Yves Behar and Puma, created the ‘Clever Little Bag’. This is something that really interests me as I would like to develop ideas for multifunctional products, or products that cleverly fold away.

Biomimicry

Mimicking nature by function or aesthetic. we looked at David Trubridge, a product designer that we had talked about at the Special Collections last week. Again, the idea of individual components that are assembled after purchase, on site, interests me.

Global/Local

The Coffee/Tea glass by Ahmad Sami Angawi interested me because of its functionality.

Social Inclusion

Phoebe’s starting point for social inclusion, giving out sweets in the box with restricted access, was a great unforgettable example making the point that we should all be aware of. Henry Dreyfuss pioneered that industrial design should be user led rather than client led and in 1960, published a book: The Measure of Man: Human Factors in Design., soon changed to Man & Woman! This paved the way for ergonomics in design.

The first image is an anthropometric drawing from Dreyfuss’s book, and the second is an image from the 1964 ‘Horlick’s Home Book’ by Good Housekeeping. It shows all the dimensions needed when planning a kitchen! Dreyfuss paved the way for designers to produce products that were fully adjustable or available in a variety of sizes, like the Aeron chair by Herman Miller.

Performance Work Chairs: Making people more comfortable, organisations more productive and spaces more inspiring

http://www.hermanmiller.co.uk/products.html

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Upcycle.

 

This is an incredibly successful product, first designed in 1972, and still in production today. It aims to reduce the need for multiple chairs, allowing the chair to grow with you, with use from newborn baby to fully-grown adult.

This, although a very angular piece, is by far one of my favourite pieces of useful design. Having had the experience of children and all that comes with them at a very young age (masses of stuff!), this piece of furniture should be a must for everyone! I don’t think you would ever tire of it; maybe aesthetically it’s not to everyones taste, it could even be seen as an ugly piece of furniture! But usefully it would last a lifetime, even for all those times when your own children have grown up and you get visitors from friends with young children. Facilitating young children is difficult; and for most people that can’t accommodate younger children, this is the perfect solution!

Goldfinger Factory (upcycle, reuse)

This is another favourite of mine. I came to hear about them because I was familiar with the building where they are based, Trellick Tower, designed by Ernö Goldfinger. I am inspired by modernist architecture and have visited the building a couple of times now.

I love this image showing the internal corridor. I love the variety and contrast of materials and colours.

This is Goldfinger’s home, 2 Willow Road, which is owned by the National Trust.

Goldfinger Factory

Located on the ground floor of the iconic Trellick Tower in London, Goldfinger Factory has a furniture showroom and café with a woodworking workshop and teaching academy in the basement. Here the designers introduce young adults to training and learning furniture making skills.

Upcycle – It is a design, build and teaching platform centred around upcycling that creates bespoke furniture and interiors. They use mainly reclaimed wood, that would be destined for landfill, to construct the products. If new materials are used, off cuts are used to produce other smaller items.

The materials used are upcycled and young adults are being trained in new skills. Profit from sales is fed back into the teaching academy, making this a sustainable venture.

I had researched Michael Marriott who, back in the 1990’s, had produced furniture pieces that incorporated existing cardboard boxes as drawers. His products today have developed and changed but coincidentally he has produced a hook called the ‘Ernö’.

Plastic Ernö is an installation and product launch of a coathook called Ernö, at 2 Willow Road, the home of Ernö Goldfinger, to mark twenty years of the house being made open for public access by the National Trust.

As part of the project a special Edition of 222 hooks were made for 2 Willow Road, with all proceeds going towards the house.

 

MA week 2

On Tuesday we started the Solidworks sessions, I found it so difficult! It was difficult to navigate myself around the toolbar as I’d never had any prior experience of CAD or Solidworks, I’ve got a lot to learn!

So on Wednesday I spent all day learning and redoing the exercises we did on Tuesday and I feel like I’ve learnt a lot already. I think it will be a slow process but if I keep on top of it each week I should be ok.

I have spent the rest of the week researching Reduce, Reuse, Recycle & Upcycle. I have been looking at the book: Thinking: Objects Contemporary Approaches to Product Design by Tim Parsons. It’s very informative and interesting to see many familiar products in the book, some of which we have at home!

Designers I have looked at include:

Michael Marriott

Goldfinger Factory

Tom Dixon

Michael Marriott

Stephen Bretland

Smile Plastics

Silo Studio

Stuart Haygarth

Tejo Remy

Peter Opsvik

I particularly like Stuart Haygarth’s and Peter Opsvik’s work.

I am also looking at packaging and sustainable and compostable packaging. I often pop into Grano on the way to college to get a coffee. It is a new cafe bar that describes itself as being ‘fresh, ethical & independent’. The food is fresh, organic and locally sourced. They are particularly proud of their packaging as it is compostable as it is made from corn starch. Cleaning products are eco and the furniture up cycled. I think it is a wonderful place to go for a coffee and I find their ethos inspiring.