Tabla de contenidos para Habitus #62 en Habitus

HELLO! As a designer, it is such a privilege to step up for my fellow makers as Guest Editor and let the spotlight shine on some of our incredibly talented designers, artists, craftspeople and architects shaping our world. It’s impossible to include everyone so I have put together some of my favourites from the past and working now, plus some people who just really surprise me with work that continues to resonate (p. 55). Judith Neilson is such an incredible person I had to include her with an article by another of my favourites, David Clark (p.76). The theme, ‘living in the environment’ really threads its way through the whole issue, but Earthitects, building homes in coffee plantations (p.84) and the Duchess of Northumberland, creating a Poison Garden (p. 90)…

Gorgeous blocks of deep rich colour and the newly introduced surface options for outdoor use, make BREEZE by ROSS GARDAM one of the most engaging and versatile ways to bring a bright dash of colour to both indoor and outdoor spaces. Launched at Saturday Indesign with Stylecraft, the range includes a new marble option sourced from the Pilbara. stylecraft.com.au Sydney-based design studio OBJECT DENSITY riffs on the philosophy of Ai Weiwei — “When a person attempts to determine his relationship to a space, he attempts to understand that which is outside his own body, he attempts to understand existence beyond the material” — to deliver the latest explorative collection PROPORTIONS OF SPACE. objectdensity.com Always at the forefront of the design movement, Ligne Roset’s new reedition of the emblematic KASHIMA seating…

Starting in fashion Martyn Thompson slipped into fashion photography before shifting first to lifestyle photography, then to personal photography and textile design, which remains an ongoing passion. “At some point, about eighteen years ago, I started moving more towards a personal photography practice. And that led back into a sort of design practice, which was mainly working with textile, Jacquard textile, which I work with still,” says Thompson. In turn, his fabric designs led to ceramics, “Someone asked me, ‘Would you like to do what you do with the textiles? Would you like to make some ceramics with us?’ And I said ‘yes’, and that was 1882 Ltd in England. It’s been a very organic process for me,” says Thompson, whose collection for 1882 Ltd won Best Tableware 2020 from…

Led by Tokyo-based architect Keiji Ashizawa (the architect of Trunk, the hippest hotel in Tokyo) and former sushi chef (and Ishinomaki local) Takahiro Chiba, Ishinomaki Laboratory began as a common utility space ‘for the people’ where residents in the disaster area could freely access materials and tools – as provided by designers and volunteers – to conduct their own repair work. Donated Canadian red cedar was the crucial material at this early stage. DIY workshops were the primary vehicle for residents affected by the disaster with simple designs being freely shared to make furniture-making as easy as possible. “Utilitarian forms, functionality and durability merge with simple design. Our products have been created for ordinary people and everyday lives,” says Ashizawa. During the crisis Ishinomaki Laboratory started restoring local shops and…

Goodrum fondly remembers Todd Taylor’s dad, Mr. Taylor. “If we needed something turned on a lathe, we’d go to my friend’s father. And if it was something really intricate, we’d go to his father, a fitter and turner with a number of metal lathes in his back shed. He was incredibly skilled and always had a solution.” This hands-on culture was perfectly aligned with Goodrum’s design sensibilities, further inspired by his mother’s hand-spinning at home. “The spinning wheel was such an honest object,” he reflects. “Its analogue nature was beautifully transparent in how it worked. The mechanics were so thoughtfully designed, with timber construction and lovely forms. And then there was the rhythmic sound it made – absolutely mesmerising.” With craft and engineering and makers around him, Goodrum was a…

Presenting the complex interwoven cultural landscapes of Australia, Asia and the Pacific poses challenges. How can these diverse perspectives across this vast geography be explored in any real depth? Developed over a three-year period, the exhibition has been assembled by a curatorial team led by Tarun Nagesh, curatorial manager, Asian and Pacific Art. Committed to strong regional engagement through co-curated projects developed with in-country partners, an interlocutor program and community engagement initiatives, the result is rich, engaging and cohesive. The exhibition spaciously spans both museums and maximises each site’s architectural environment and context. It’s an approach best demonstrated by the site-specific, ambitious work of Thai artist Mit Jai Inn, whose immersive painting installation transforms Queensland Art Gallery’s Watermall entryway. The artist’s practice is embedded in politics, consciousness and spirituality; through…

ADAM GOODRUM Arguably the loveliest person in design, Adam is a firm believer that every environment is defined by the objects within it. As such, he designs to the philosophy that an object must justify its existence – through its story and detailing. Celebrating process and craftsmanship, his designs accentuate components and joinery to create functional pieces with spirit and personality. Adam’s work has been awarded a host of design accolades including the NGV Rigg Prize, Vogue x Alessi Design Prize, and the INDE Luminary Award. His work has been commissioned by global luxury brands including Veuve Clicquot, Alessi and Cappellini. He is also an artist and with Arthur Seigneur is A&A, noted as one of the top 100 designers working today by Louis Vuitton. ADAM GOODRUM #72 ALEESHA CALLAHAN…

The leaves of this little pearl, Ligularia dentata reniformis (Ragwort), form a glossy colony of legumes, geometrically uniform but diverse in scale. AKA the Tractor Seat plant, the agricultural reference reminds me of the comfort of functional furniture. Congenially huddled, the foliage is so calmly balanced it begs to be reclined on, like a mound of glossy throw pillows. Alocasia sanderiana has the tensile strength and tenacity to populate spaces at eye level where their poise captures and holds the gaze. Specimens with projectile shaped leaves and pure curves are like a complementary feature floor lamp – the unbelievable cantilever is best celebrated in varieties with dark, velveteen leaves, feline veins and a pseudo-translucency to the stem. There are plenty of popular indoor fig species, but my heart cannot stray…

Arthur Seigneur is an unusual designer by anyone’s standards. He reinterprets the traditional making of straw marquetry in a contemporary style, and the results are singular objects of beauty. Born and raised in Paris, France, Seigneur’s pathway to product design and his particular focus of straw marquetry, came by a circuitous route. At an early age he was fascinated by his father’s artistic prowess as an engraver but also energised by his love of music. In fact, at once stage, he wanted to become a musician but was persuaded by his parents to apply himself to a more stable career. Next to becoming a musician, the best idea was to become a musical instrument maker and so Seigneur commenced study. After four years of an Ébénisterie or cabinetmaking course, he…

Activated by the development of Central Park on the old Carlton United Brewery (CUB) site opposite UTS, it has also become one of the richest architectural quarters of the city with a collection of buildings by excellent international and Australian architects. A significant player in the transformation of the area is collector, philanthropist and patron, Judith Neilson. White Rabbit Gallery came first, opened with her former husband Kerr Neilson in the heart of Chippendale in 2009. A significant survey collection of Chinese contemporary art, the gallery had an immediate impact on the Australian and international art scene. It was a prescient move for the Neilsons. Construction on the award-winning development of the nearby CUB site would not start until the year later. They were early players. Neilson is a pragmatically…

Perhaps what he didn’t expect was a tiny bit of world domination, a direction the company is now embracing with both the Osaka World Expo and 3daysofdesign in Copenhagen in its sights for 2025. For Munao, there is a serendipity to how things work out, but he is also a chance taker and doesn’t let opportunities pass him by. “We had Copenhagen locked in and were in conversations with DFAT (Foreign Affairs and Trade) and the Buchan Group, who were looking at the Osaka World Expo. And we said: ‘Well, wouldn’t this be a great way to showcase Australian design?’” he says. Taking on the exercise from an environmental point of view each piece will be returned to Australia via Cultivated, the arm of Cult Design that refurbishes used furniture…

Modular and prefabricated construction is not a new concept. And it isn’t a silver bullet for the housing affordability crisis. But it can offer a different methodology for building – one that puts designers and trades in the same room, while increasing efficiencies and minimising waste. Seeing this potential architect Daniel Burnett, founder of Blok Modular, struck up a partnership with Stuart Vokes, principal Vokes and Peters, back in 2017. The result has brought a fresh perspective on sustainability and efficient building. Putting this design thinking on show, the pair recently hosted an ambitious 1:1 exhibition in Brisbane showcasing a full-scale modular house – car, tree and all – to demonstrate how modular design can shift perceptions and challenge our notions of housing and construction. The 1:1 exhibition was not…

Gong’s House ARCHITECT Various Associates INTERIOR DESIGN Various Associates CHIEF DESIGNERS Qianyi Lin, Dongzi Yang DESIGN TEAM Yongliang Huang, Liangji Lin, Chao Luo, Yuewen Cao VARIOUS ASSOCIATES various-associates.com FINISHES Custom designed and made on site: Floors, Herbal brick; Walls, Herbal brick; Floors, Teak; Cabinetry, Teak. FURNITURE Clients own. LIGHTING Clients own. Garden House ARCHITECT Keiji Ashizawa Design ARCHITECTURAL TEAM Keiji Ashizawa & Rie Honjo STRUCTURAL ENGINEER ASA. Akira Suzuki KEIJIASHIZAWADESIGN keijidesign.com FINISHES Tatami mat. Diatomite interior walls. Exterior walls, rammed earth with sum, a charcoal ink mixture. Ceiling, cedar plank. Floorboards, mulberry. FURNITURE Camphor slab with client’s own natural stones. Tokonoma, alcove post, wrought iron. LIGHTING Isama Noguchi, Akari lamp Airleys Inlet House ARCHITECT multiplicity INTERIOR DESIGN multiplicity ARCHITECTURAL TEAM Tim O’Sullivan, Natasha Wheatland, with Shayne Lacy INTERIOR DESIGN LEAD…

“I found myself drawn to the silent, sculptural qualities of sand dunes, fascinated by their ability to offer shelter and protection from the winds,” says DANIEL BODDAM of his latest exploration of ‘the poetry of reduction’ realised as the wonderfully sculptural collection DUNE. danielboddam.com Celebrating 60 years since the iconic UNIKKO print came into this world, the MARIMEKKO go-to design continues to reinvent itself and impress. Designed by Maija Isola to be an abstraction of a poppy rather than a photorealistic impression, it was instantly loved the world over. Now available in gorgeous rugs for indoor and out, Unikko is just one stream of the 17 new iterations. myer.com.au Fabulously tactile and decidedly Italian, the VENICE range from S’48 tells the story of the Satori family’s bold move into outdoor…

Driven by the three pillars of quality, health, and sustainability PARISI in partnership with Newform, has developed a water purification system that eliminates hexavalent chromium for better health, safety, and environmental protection. Thanks to the switch to trivalent chromium, PARISI has redefined standards of sustainability and quality in Italian-made excellence. parisi.com.au Created in collaboration with industrial designer ZACHARY HANNA, the lamp collection from MUD AUSTRALIA was a year in the making and represents Mud Australia’s first foray into collaborative design. Each of the three lamps merges traditional artisanal porcelain-making methods with the intricate demands of contemporary lighting. Photo, Sean Fennessy. mudaustralia.com An exploration of biomorphic shapes and structures, PIETRA by GREG NATALE is inspired by the contrast between organic forms and man-made geometry within modern and contemporary design and architecture.…

In 1968 artist and designer Noguchi wrote: “Concepts appear and disappear. How easy it is to lose track of them in the myriad relationships, of depth to shallowness, of volume to plane, of density to clarity, small to large, palpable life to something dead.” He was writing about his stone sculpture Time Thinking, but the philosophy underpins all his work from the quintessential Noguchi Coffee Table to the breathtaking bubbles of sculptural light known as the Akari. For Noguchi, “Everything is sculpture. Any material, any idea without hindrance born into space, I consider sculpture”. As such, all lines between art, architecture, design and landscape are blurred into the simple pronouncement of art. Granted, he trained as a sculptor under Gutzon Borglum, the artists who conceived and created Mount Rushmore, but…

The dreamy utopian world of Suna Fujita plays on the quirky moments of everyday life, while providing respite from the harshness of the world. These are the thoughts behind the work of ceramic studio duo Shohei Fujita and Chisato Yamano, whose ceramic studio Suna Fujita is bringing delight and whimsy into homes all over the world. “We are overloaded with unpleasant news in our daily lives,” Fujita says, who counters, “So I wanted the world we depict to be somewhere dreamy, almost utopian, where people can escape to.” Yamano is in accord with the memorable moments from her life (from feeding to chickens, to walking in the forest with their son and dog) fuelling her wonderfully peculiar drawings. “My drawings hide playful scenes among them, which I hope people will…