Redefining Design
Design Thoughts
Arc Chair frames ready for finishing – also testing the stacking functionality.
Designer this, designer that…
It’s a word often associated with bespoke objects for the elite. It’s a word some believe is synonymous with artists – whose goal is to make one-off, revolutionary, centrepiece objects admired by many. It’s a word we’ve seen thrown around carelessly one too many times, often in the aims of inflating an object’s value.
This has lead to a confusion – which the media perpetuate – and suddenly we hear, “Design just means expensive.”
It’s a noble word, yet so prone to misuse and misinterpretation. Its meaning to many has veered significantly off track, and part of our vision as a company is to set a fresh take on the word.
At its most elementary form, to design is to solve a problem; to give form; and to give function.
There is a reason why a door handle is curved a certain way, and why the buttons on a TV remote are laid out in a particular order. All were deliberate choices, made to arrive to the final product. What this means is that in theory, all manufactured objects around us are designed, and therefore are designer products.
The world focuses too much on whether or not a product is designer, yet it forgets to ask the most important question – is this good design?
We like to challenge the notion that the definition of good design differs based on personal taste. Subconsciously, we believe everybody has a sense of what looks and feels good – be it through an object’s form, material, and proportions. We focus on details that cater to this subconscious mind, resulting in objects that have a democratic appeal and easily understandable by many.
To us, good design neither shouts nor makes a statement; instead they are neutral and restrained. But most importantly, how well does this object harmonise with its environment?
Observing the form of the Flow Chair.
Some might say such products are boring, but we think it’s quite the contrary. There is an inherent beauty when an object does its job well, and does so quietly. When an object simply disappears and simply becomes part of the user’s subconscious mind. That’s when we know the object has filled its purpose.
This invisibility, this unobtrusiveness is the forefront of our designs – all this in pursuit of providing well-thoughtfulness to everyone.
To us, this is good design.