At the recently concluded Milano Design City, UK-based Australian designer Brodie Neill, creative director of furniture brand Made in Ratio, showcased his products, the Alpha chair and Cowrie chair.
Brodie Neill
The Alpha chair is a solid-wood, all-purpose stackable chair produced using the latest technologies of shaped wooden furniture with hand-finished craftsmanship. The name Alpha is derived from the strong architectural gesture that gives the chair its inherent strength: the A-shaped structure of the back legs and backrest that are organically moulded into one.
Alpha Chair
The Cowrie chair, on the other hand, is a contemporary manifestation of Neill’s ongoing fascination with natural, organic forms recast as functional design. Inspired by the concave lines of seashells, the curvilinear form is the result of an extensive research and innovation process that bridges the handmade with the digital. Sweeping lines are displayed in a perfectly proportioned, single surface monocoque fold to form a strikingly sculptural lounger.
Cowrie chair
Neill is known for creating striking, sinuous and sculptural designs engrained in material research, technical rigour and craft know-how. His Gyro table presented at the inaugural London Design Biennale in 2016 at Somerset House was well received for championing design to combat ocean plastic waste.
Cowrie chairs by Brodie Neill
His impressive roster of clients features collaborations with international brands including Microsoft, Mercedes-Benz, Alexander McQueen, and Swarovski. His limited-edition works can be found in museums, galleries, and private collections around the world.
Photos: Made in Ratio
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