BRAVE NEW WORLD Table Lamp & Floor Lamp by Freshwest (Marcus Beck & Simon Macro, 2008) from MOOOI
The BRAVE NEW WORLD Table & Floor Lamps, made of a solid oak wood frame and featuring two cast iron weights, were created by the British design duo Freshwest (Marcus Beck & Simon Macro) in a sort of a “haphazard” way.
In effect, as the designers explain: “… following the example of old Far Eastern bamboo scaffolding the Brave New World Lamp was developed without a design or plan in place however each piece of wood is carefully notched and pegged together to form an integral part of the overall mechanical structure. The limitations of using small pieces of wood to create a large form allowed the design process to be as responsive as possible. Much like a sculptures’ relationship to their material.”
Marcus Beck and Simon Macro gained first class honours in fine art from Manchester Metropolitan University and University of Brighton respectively. After graduating, Marcus concentrated on the production of limited edition furniture, whilst Simon worked with renowned designer Thomas Heatherwick. Having known each other since childhood, and sharing the same design ideals, Marcus and Simon combined to establish Freshwest in 2005.
Located in Pembrokeshire, West Wales, the studio and workshop see development, prototyping and fabrication take place under a single roof. Freshwest embraces both experimental and functional design and is driven by their desire to realise ideas. Their collection demonstrates their exploration into creating what they call “objects of intrigue”. Their work often involves a sculptural response to materials, designing and prototyping objects without a preconceived design in place; after all, this is exactly how the “Brave New World” Lamps came to be. This process is a response to their fascination with structures and the accidental aesthetic quality that occurs in forms such as scaffolding. Much of their work contains a narrative or plays on scale offering the observer a sense of discovery and intrigue.
Self initiated concept pieces are at the heart of the studio, while they have participated in many exhibitions to date. However, the commercial aspect of Freshwest has also seen them win awards and contracts in furniture, interiors and branding. The studios ethos is never to be restricted to a single design discipline and to experiment with different ideas and genres.
MOOOI, the distributor of the “Brave New World” Lamps, is a venture founded in 2001 by Marcel Wanders (the world-renowned designer) and Casper Vissers. The Company is named after their native Dutch word for beautiful – the third ‘o’ in the brand name stands for an extra value in terms of beauty & uniqueness.
In addition to Marcel Wanders’ designs, the MOOOI portfolio contains a range of work from other nationally and internationally recognized designers. The collections’ style is exclusive, daring, playful, exquisite and based on the belief that design is a question of love. MOOOI takes pride in producing timeless objects of beauty which posses the uniqueness and character of antiques combined with the freshness of modern times.
With this unique and iconic mix of lighting, furniture and accessories, which outlast everyday interiors, MOOOI creates interior environments decorated with an inspiring variety of patterns and colours to embrace any kind of space.
During the last couple of years MOOOI has expanded its horizons at a rapid pace, opening several showrooms in strategically located key-cities!
Sources: www.moooi.com, www.freshwest.co.uk
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