It’s the last day of Pulse London today, and already time to get ready for Clerkenwell Design Week (no rest for the wicked!). I am especially excited about seeing the work of the newly formed Camberwell Collective, a bunch of Camberwell College of Arts 3D Design students and graduates. I grabbed five minutes with Dunia Gensler to find out more…
What’s the most important thing to know about the Camberwell Collective?
We’re an odd bunch of designers! We specialise in different media but all coming from the 3D Design course at Camberwell College of Art has led us to approach our work in a similar fashion, which is to focus on development through making. The course is really hands on, and while some of us use more advanced technologies and design for mass production, we are makers first.
Why is it important to you to be part of Clerkenwell Design Week?
The exposure is great, especially as we are all at the beginning of our careers. It’s very exciting for us to be part of a show with such high standards. We’re so grateful that CDW is willing to support new designers.
What are you most looking forward to?
There are a few parties and talks that I’m excited about, but mostly I just want to see our work in the space. This is the first show we are officially putting on as the Camberwell Collective and we’ve put a lot into it over the last few months.
Tell me about some of the work you’ll be showing on the stand.
We’ve got a beautifully mechanical lamp by Roland Beaven based on the Peaucellier linkage, Harry Owen’s leatherwork – all handmade and locally sourced, Lewis Williams has been developing a material based on ancient Greek armour using animal glue and urine, and there’ll be ceramics, furniture, jewellery and textiles. We’re kind of all over the place… but in a good way!
Tell me about your project.
I’m showing a set of individual dining tables that are a direct response to my dissertation on the design of dining. The structure and surface design are an illustration of contemporary sociality in the context of our oldest means of bonding: sharing food. Over the last year I’ve started to use marquetry, working by hand not by laser, as an expression of my belief in craft.
Some of you had work in Milan on the UAL stand in Ventura Lambrate – how was that?
It was an amazing opportunity to be in Milan. Exhibiting along with all of the other schools in the Lambrate Academies gave us a chance to meet other students and young designers. Personally Ventura Lambrate is my favourite area during design week, so it was an honour to be showing there.
What advice would you give to someone thinking of studying design at university?
Try to think about what kind of designer you want to be in order to find the right place for you. I was previously studying in the States but no matter how good the school is, if you don’t share their ethos you won’t be getting the education you want.
What’s your favourite colour?
My favorite colour is grey – because it’s all colours and no colours at once!
The Camberwell Collective will be showing at Platform during Clerkenwell Design Week.
Further reading for the especially geeky:
- interview :: vera & kyte
- interview :: the future perfect
- interview :: timorous beasties
- interview :: resurface designs
