It’s a dream for so many of us; to throw in the office job and follow our creative dreams. Well, George Harper took that leap, going from working behind desks, to designing and making them.
“Design to me is a means to an end – not the end itself,” he says. “Design is all around us, it’s all pervading, and its ends can vary so much – from purely function to purely aesthetic to everything in between.”
George set up Tide Design in 2007 to market the furniture he had been making, also finishing his 2-year designer/maker course in the same year. “I had spent many years in various office roles and was at a point where a change was needed – so why not turn the part time hobby into a full time career?”
Function is of the highest importance to George: “I wouldn’t want to produce an uncomfortable chair for example”. From there it’s all about elegance, lightness, detail and quality for the designer, “and producing something fresh – but not necessarily ‘of the minute’. I’m striving to produce furniture that is timeless”.
Influenced heavily by Scandinavian design of the 1950s – “I love the simplicity but also the character and warmth that they both embody” – George finds an endless stream of ideas coming from his own experiences as a designer/maker.
“Sometimes inspiration comes from things that happen by accident – an irregular-shaped off-cut for example. Sometimes it’s found in my direct environment. But most often it comes down to cold hard persistence with pencil on paper trying to find an appealing form or line.”
There are a few Tide Designs that George is particularly proud of, including the Yo chair and round Lyssna dining table. “Both of these have evolved from earlier designs and although they were developed independently it was great to see how well they sat together.”
When it comes to sustainability George has a straight forward view: “The more sustainable our environment the better – surely there can be no argument. And I think the responsibility falls on everyone’s shoulders – from designer to consumer… The cornerstone of my philosophy is that I’m making furniture that is designed and built to last for generations.”
We hear you on that George, our thoughts exactly.
Tide Design
tidedesign.com.au
George set up Tide Design in 2007 to market the furniture he had been making, also finishing his 2-year designer/maker course in the same year. “I had spent many years in various office roles and was at a point where a change was needed – so why not turn the part time hobby into a full time career?”
Function is of the highest importance to George: “I wouldn’t want to produce an uncomfortable chair for example”. From there it’s all about elegance, lightness, detail and quality for the designer, “and producing something fresh – but not necessarily ‘of the minute’. I’m striving to produce furniture that is timeless”.
Influenced heavily by Scandinavian design of the 1950s – “I love the simplicity but also the character and warmth that they both embody” – George finds an endless stream of ideas coming from his own experiences as a designer/maker.
“Sometimes inspiration comes from things that happen by accident – an irregular-shaped off-cut for example. Sometimes it’s found in my direct environment. But most often it comes down to cold hard persistence with pencil on paper trying to find an appealing form or line.”
There are a few Tide Designs that George is particularly proud of, including the Yo chair and round Lyssna dining table. “Both of these have evolved from earlier designs and although they were developed independently it was great to see how well they sat together.”
When it comes to sustainability George has a straight forward view: “The more sustainable our environment the better – surely there can be no argument. And I think the responsibility falls on everyone’s shoulders – from designer to consumer… The cornerstone of my philosophy is that I’m making furniture that is designed and built to last for generations.”
We hear you on that George, our thoughts exactly.
Tide Design
tidedesign.com.au
abc
From his base in Sydney, Guan Wei has built for himself an impressive portfolio that includes 40 solo exhibitions worldwide. The award-winning artist has also participated in many notable contemporary exhibitions both in Australia and abroad, and one would easily find his work in major public collections and numerous university and corporate collections both in Australia and around the world.
In his latest solo exhibition Bird Island, currently held in Singapore at Chan Hampe Galleries, Guan Wei combines a visual record of Australia's colonial history with contemporary issues such as the socio-economic conflicts in immigration and racism – which he illustrates on a Chinese landscape with Chinese imagery and motifs. In the spacious mythological canvases, the simple yet mystifying silhouettes and coastline scenes of intrigue follows Guan Wei's distinctive style.
“Since globalisation, the colonial culture has faded. But there is still a poignant sense remaining in our memory. Bird Island is talk about this feeling,” says Guan Wei.
“The memory of the desolate beauty has been expressed through distance. The flowing, wavering clouds, blocking and enhancing the sense of moving distance. The birds through time and space here shows a sense of beauty. The hands in the painting represent a mysterious force.”
“My work has always wanted to show a novelty, a sense of humor, honesty and kind-heartedness. At the same time it is intoxicating.”
Guan Wei reflects that from his early days in Australia being called a “Chinese artist' to being described as an 'Australian-Chinese artist' and finally an 'Australian artist', the transformation has taken all of 20 years.
In the last few years however, Guan Wei has also started spending more time in China, exploring his roots and making new connections with the Chinese arts community. He now flies between Sydney and Beijing, where he has set up a studio.
Bird Island is being held at Chan Hampe Galleries in Singapore from now till 6 August.
Chan Hampe Galleries
“The residents had an appreciation for design and this gave us inspiration to create something quite unusual in appearance yet contain all they required,” says Vibe Design’s Michael O’Sullivan.
“To the north there was loss of privacy issues from a double storey residence across the street, outside of that we saw the corner block as a bonus in that the shape and dynamic of the design could have a greater impact.”
The resulting structure is a bold, tapering form, which is highly visible from the street on the North side. With 3 storeys at the front, this tapering has the additional benefit of ‘softening’ in a way the progression from single-storey at the rear.
As a renovation, this home barely resembles the home that came before. This was in fact at the core of the direction for Vibe and the residents.
“Given this was a renovation, and we have designed many, I guess it’s fair to say we set out to really alter the perception of what the house should look like.”
The internal timber panelling allowed the designers to achieve the modernist aesthetic they and the owners love so much. A timber-battened wall runs the full length of the home, delineating the shared and private zones.
“We look for possibilities beyond the conventional street frontage, one that creates great interest to the passer by and perhaps seeks to redefine perceptions of the traditional home. The interior takes a break from the complexities of the outside world with the disguise of doorways and the link between living spaces.”
The home once again goes to show that limitations and a challenging site can produce stunning results.
Vibe Design Group
Graze features the culinary stylings of Australian chef, Chris Donellan, serving a menu of Modern Australian dishes to Singapore diners. Donellan’s food continually pushes the boundaries of creativity, so the interiors had to match.
This uniqueness can be seen in design elements such as the “quirky chair wall display”, the giant vintage coffee pot and the creative wall displays of custom hand-painted plates in the Plate Room.
“We are passionate about creating an exceptional dining experience beyond good food. This is exactly what we did with Graze at Rochester Park, and now Graze at Martin No. 38,” says Yenn Wong.
“Interior design has always played an extremely important role in all of our projects as we feel very strongly about creating the right ambience to deliver a multi-sensory experience for our diners – one of the reasons we are constantly on the lookout for unique designers like Hecker Guthrie, who think out of the box.”
The close relationship with Hamish Guthrie and Paul Hecker has resulted in a casual, yet elegant restaurant environment at Graze, translating well to the design of the Provisions retail store – which provides the best, freshest ingredients for locals to create their own delicious food.
Both establishments, along with Kha at Martin No. 38, join the trendy residential enclave of Roberston Quay, which is popular for its book cafés, art galleries and “bistros of hip bohemian vibes”.
“Both Hamish and myself thoroughly enjoyed the entire design process of Graze and Provisions,” says Paul Hecker.
“The process with Epicure was one of collaboration and enthusiasm. We particularly appreciated the opportunity to deliver a refreshing dining concept that allowed us to be creative with the use of humour, palette and special planning and not being restrained by seating capacities or a briefing requirement.”
Graze is already popular with the locals as well as the expatriates in the neighborhood and is especially liked for its weekend. If you’re in the area, this one’s definitely worth dropping in to.
Graze at Martin no. 38
While we’re told it may not quite produce a café-quality drop, there’s nothing quite like hiking to the top of a mountain and enjoying a hot espresso in the cooler months.
There’s something really nice about the design of the device itself, somewhere between a compass and bike pump. We also love the design of the travel pack; the way the thermos, Handpresso and “unbreakable” cups all sit nicely in the bag.
Why not tell us about your favourite Design Hunter travel accessory in the comments below. If we feature your suggestion we’ll send you out the next issue of Habitus magazine free!
Handpresso
The Commuter Range has been specifically designed with the cyclist commuter in mind, with a number of features aimed at adding functionality, while maintaining that classic jeans look.
There’s the Trucker Jacket, which features extra pockets for your iPod and other bits and pieces, with angled side pockets for easy access while cycling. It also has side button tabs, which have reflective material underneath for increased visibility at night. There’s also extra fabric around the arms for air flow and movement.
The skinny leg commuter jeans feature a “utility waistband” allowing you to keep your U-lock on you at all times, while the same reflective material has been used on the inside seams – meaning you can just role them up (as you would ordinarily to avoid the chain) for extra visibility.
There’s also a hidden phone pocket and reinforced belt loops, double-layer back pockets and seat. These jeans come in a couple of different colours and styles.
All the new items come with stretch fabric and use NanoSphere® nanotechnology, which makes them super water resistant.
So commuting to work or riding to meet friends doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your style.
Levi’s
