Interior Design Blog

Marc Newson is considered by many to be the leading light of contemporary design today. He describes his work as instinctive, creating what he believes to be a 'representation of fantastical objects'. His work flows from design concepts with artistic connotations to designs that are functional and mass-produced. Newson is unable to define his initial concepts as either fantasy art or product design. He himself is unaware of the forces that may emerge to influence his final creation. Where will his work ultimately be placed: in a home or a gallery? When questioned if the Lockheed Lounge (1986) was comfortable, Newson answered: 'No, not really'.  He conceives his designs firstly by visualising the end product. His subsequent reversal of the Modernist methodology means the initial idea supersedes the process of creation. He develops new methods so that the work reflects his mental visualisation.

A difficulty that Newton had to overcome while creating the Lockheed Lounge was his inability to achieve the effect of a shining, metallic-like material while still maintaining an original, fluent form. The solution was found in his understanding of materials and by choosing the best technique. It is a universal conception that the function of a chair is to be comfortable, yet the circumstances needed to achieve the chair's desired effect (completely metallic) made it extremely uncomfortable. Therefore this chair, minus its core function, assumes the connotation of 'art', as its lack of comfort prohibited its mass production.

Newson graduated from the College of the Art in Sydney in jewellery and sculpture in 1984. He has since worked in Sydney, Tokyo, Paris and most recently in London for private and corporate clients, designing furniture, interiors, bicycles, homewares, shoes as well as an inspirational concept car, the interiors of a private plane and even the interiors of a space jet.

The key element of Newson's work is his ability to manipulate materials. He is able to utilise and apply different techniques of manipulation to the same material, creating a vast range of original effects. He describes this instinctive attitude towards materials as a need to explore their tactical and versatile nature. Therefore playing with their properties becomes a game in which Newson attempts to discover the widest rage of effects that a material can embrace. He maintains a visual and creative approach to different projects, transferring his methods and techniques out of their initial framework, utilising his skills and applying them in various different contexts with the aim of creating an alternate perception of his work.The attitude of Newson, to explore and undertake new paths in the direction of his designs, reflects and explains his wide range of production in different fields.

Frayling: 'Is there anything you haven't designed?'
Newson: 'Yes, but I can't remember what it is.'

Newson is a designer without limits. He spans the fields of design, manipulating and using material in the most absurd contexts.  A designer, an artist, but mostly Newson is an ingenious creative thinker and inspirational explorer. He describes himself as a 'geek' and as someone who knows how to visualise an idea. In fact, he believes that a designer must be a geek to be considered any good. The reasoning behind this statement is that the designer must have an obsession for the details and be precise in the execution of every aspect for the product to work. Yet again he doesn't place himself within the conventional limits of a design. Nor does he define himself as an established member of a specific framework. Instead he embraces his talents and journeys to connect subject areas that are apparently unrelated.

Newson has been able to move from one discipline to another and find the connection between art, design and engineering. He is the 'supersonic guy' who has given no limits to design and, willingly or not, we have to keep up with his creativity and his speed.

Written by: Elena Bianchini

(Elena Bianchini is studying for an MA in Design Writing at the London College of Communication)