A thriving design network in New York
New York’s design scene is a hub of creativity and collaboration, especially among independent designers who emerged during the financial strain of the 2008 recession. With limited resources and high rents, these designers often band together, sharing spaces and participating in group exhibits at events like NYCxDesign. One such space fostering this collaborative spirit is Assembly Line.
The impact of Assembly Line
The Assembly Line, stemming from General Assembly’s interiors practice, stands out as a vital platform supporting designers with furnishing and finishing solutions. Besides featuring top designs during New York Design Week, it has housed several solo exhibitions, providing fledgling designers with opportunities to showcase new collections.
Introducing the Amica lighting collection
This year, Kawabi and Christopher Merchant introduced the Amica lighting collection at Assembly Line. This collection exemplifies Assembly Line’s role as a nurturing gallery that does more than exhibit designs—it also aids in production and fosters connections between designers and manufacturers.
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The artistry behind Amica
The Amica collection uniquely blends Merchant’s ceramic expertise with Kawabi’s skills in joinery and papermaking. The pendant, table, and wall-mounted luminaires highlight their complementary styles. Merchant’s earth-toned ceramics serve as bases for Kawabi’s tan-hued, geometrically complex paper structures.
A seamless collaboration
The duo’s innovative approach showcases wood-joined, paper-wrapped sconces with textured ceramic foundations and impressive hanging pendants. This synergy transforms their knowledge into imaginative lighting solutions, indicating limitless potential.
The path to partnership
Although they operated studios near each other in Brooklyn, it wasn’t until a chance realization of this fact that their collaboration began. To counteract New York’s high rental costs, Merchant recently relocated to Minneapolis, accessing a spacious and cost-effective workspace.
Photography by Ben DeHaan.
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Sources & Links
Source: design-milk.com