One of the highlights of designjunction was the Designers in Residence stand. Designers in Residence is a Northumbria University scheme for graduates that provides workspace, equipment and mentoring to selected alumni of the BA(hons) 3D Design course there. Graduates use the program to develop their professional practice before fully going it alone – and get the opportunity to exhibit at places like designjunction.
There were three stand-out pieces; the first was Submariner, by Neil Conley, which launched at the show. The dim-able lamp was inspired by port holes, diving helmets and periscopes. It’s made from two pieces of bead-rolled steel held in place by two clamps. Bead-rolling does two things – it make the lightweight structure more rigid and provides a space to slot the diffusers and the clamps into. The diffusers are available in several colors, all of which provide a heavy tint, enabling the bulb to be at its brightest without creating glare. The body is available in a combination of three finishes; galvanized, enamel gloss, or textured matte.
The Rivet Lights have been designed for Juniper by David Irwin. A designer’s design, Button, Cone and Pan are a family of three lamps named after and inspired by different types of solid rivet, a permanent mechanical fastener. They are wireless – the base cylinder houses an integrated rechargeable battery. The LED light is diffused by various shaped heads in copper and polycarbonate to create a warm light that can be adjusted with the dimmer switch.
People often use pencils for purposes other than to write with. We use them to put our hair up, use them as rulers, nudge things into tight spaces with them… Trevor Duncan has taken this idea one step further and fitted each pencil with a threaded brass ferrule into which fits a series of bespoke tools.
As well as the obvious rubber, the series includes a spirit level, a saw, a magnifying glass, a scalpel and a brush. In keeping with the focus of Designers in Residence, they are beautifully crafted and genuinely useful.