Interview duverellGIERTZ
Design duo duverellGIERTZ. Image: Olagiertz.se
The Swedish design duo duverellGIERTZ consists of Roger Duverell and Ola Giertz. Spatial perception is the focus of their collaboration, with the goal of finding smart design solutions with added value. Their design is characterized by a poetic simplicity combined with a practical approach. Playfulness and experimentation pervade their work. On May 20, 2017, they won the NYCxDESIGN Award for "Mr T" (designed for Materia), in the category: Furniture: Seating: Stool. The prestigious award honors outstanding design products and is given by Interior Design Magazine and the International Contemporary Furniture Fair. Over 700 submissions from 109 different countries participated in the competition.
Mr T is designed to let you sit several different ways. The stool comes in two heights and can be upholstered in many different fabrics, making it easy to create a varied and interesting environment for both short and long discussions.
•Congratulations on winning the NYCxDesign Awards 2017 with Mr T stool. Where do you seek design inspiration?
duverellGIERTZ: Thanks a lot! All our designs are an outcome of a playful design process, where nature of course is a big source of inspiration. We love to investigate new ways to use and solve everyday functions and needs in our daily life. With a clean and pure approach, our aim is to create products that are easy to understand and that comes with a twist.
•How did you come up with the idea to create such a unique piece as Mr T?
duverellGIERTZ: We studied the alphabet. Which letters can you sit on? The more we explored the idea, the more we started to know the personality of the letter and soon Mr T was born. We sought interactive and playful seating, and in the archetypal T-shape we found the solution. A stool that you can sit on with a smile.
•What type of environments are best suited to incorporate Mr T?
duverellGIERTZ: Everywhere where people interact and meet. What is the essence of a flexible and creative surrounding? We want to inspire to straight conversations and interface between people.
•Have you designed any other pieces for Materia in the past?
duverellGIERTZ: Ola Giertz was the Materia Newcomer 2014 when he designed the easy chair “Frame” that won the Red Dot Award.
•What interior trends do you predict will evolve at the workplace or office?
duverellGIERTZ: What is an office? Whats is a workplace? We foresee less walls and more open space areas. An increasing desire for multipurpose furniture and environments that adapt to our needs. The office will increasingly become an arena, a meeting spot where you share information and co-work with colleagues. Therefore we predict more flexible solutions and furniture that create a mindful oasis in today’s stressful environments.
Mr T has been nominated for Interior Design’s Best of Year Awards in the category Stool. The winners are announced in December.
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