While in Singapore, Tom Dixon speaks to us about his recent projects, British design, his plans at the Milan Furniture Fair, and more.
April 2nd, 2014
Tom Dixon hardly needs any introduction. A household name in the British design scene and recognised around the world, the self-taught designer continues to make his mark whether he’s working on a piece of furniture, an interior or putting out a new range of accessories. While in Singapore for Maison&Objet Asia, we caught up with him for a quick chat.
(Left) New – Etch Shade Black. (Right) Etch Shade Brass
Can you tell us how being a self-taught designer impacts the way you go about your work?
I think I still do almost everything with a level of amateurism, which is quite naive in its outlook. This means I end up probably making more mistakes than other people, but it sometimes brings an original way of looking at things, which I think is important.
If you could turn back time, would you have gone to design school?
Had I trained as a designer, I might not be doing design anymore. I think there’s something about being an outsider that I quite like. And I am constantly putting myself in situations where again, I’m no expert. The restaurant that we have in London is a very good example. I don’t think if I’d trained in the restaurant business I would have enjoyed it nearly as much as doing it by accident. It just so happened that the building we moved into had previously been Virgin Records and they had a canteen so the kitchen was there. So rather than rip the kitchen out and make a showroom, which was what I had in mind, the idea of combining a showroom and a restaurant became a reality. But I would not have done it if the kitchen had not been there.
I think there’s something nice about not predicting your path too much. And it seems to have served me rather well…
Tell us about your book, Dixonary. What made you decide to come out with your own monograph?
What was happening was that books were being published by other people about me, by just taking things off the Internet. And so I didn’t really set out to do a book, but it just so happened that I didn’t want other people’s books about me, because they weren’t accurate. So I thought I’d just put some accuracy and some order into it all. And it was much harder than I thought it would be actually.
Which project are you most excited about right now?
Probably the hotel Mondrian [in London], which is part of the Morgans Hotel Group. It will be [opening] in July. It’s been four years of pain and we’re finally getting there. And what’s kind of nice [for me] is this idea that you can create a whole big world of stuff that you’ve never been particularly interested in before, like Spa, Cinema, Rooftop Bar, Corridor, Lobby space… there are many different environments that I’ve never designed before.
It’ll be interesting. And because I’ve no idea what’s going to happen, I’m nervous, I’m excited, I’m stressed out, and I’m bored, because it’s been four years… and so there’s a lot of conflicting emotions.
One of your mission statements is to “revive the British furniture industry.” Can you comment on the state of the industry when you first started Tom Dixon studio till now. How is it doing?
Well you know it’s been a pretty rubbish one hundred years for British interior design. I think the UK was very strong when it had a very strong industry in the 19th century. It had a very strong style, and it was also interested in the arts and crafts… but really from a stylistic perspective, at least from the Second World War, it’s been looking back a lot. Although there still is a significant furniture and interiors sector, it tends to be very nostalgic and very much about the past glory rather than the future glory.
And so I think I’m trying to work out what are the interesting bits of heritage and adding on other interesting things like the pop culture of the 1960s or British engineering or British contemporary arts, and trying to work out what furniture could have looked like if it had continued to be significant internationally, which it just didn’t manage to do. The Americans were amazing at it in the ‘50s, the Italians were fantastic in the ‘60s, the French kind of great in the ‘70s, and the British furniture industry was just looking back. It was just classical. So we’ve got quite a big job but what’s quite nice is that no one else is really doing that, so it gives us this kind of space
You’ll not be exhibiting at MOST at this year’s Milan Design Week, you’ll be at the fairgrounds. Why the move?
Because I’ve never tried it before, and I always like to try new things. And because I think Milan has become so much of a playground for the big corporate brands, and that it becomes more and more difficult to stand out every year by doing something bigger and more crazy. Ultimately I think it would be more radical for me to go into the fair and try doing a booth for a change and see what happens, and think of something really unexpected for next year as well. Also, people were starting to expect me to do what I do in Milan, and if I’m not surprising people anymore by being radical, then maybe I’ll surprise them by being conventional (laughs). That’s my plan.
At this year’s Milan Design Week, Tom Dixon makes his debut at the main fairgrounds at Hall 20, Stand B06.
Also, check out more of our interview with the designer in the June/July issue of Cubes Indesign.
A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
Suitable for applications ranging from schools and retail outlets to computer rooms and X-ray suites, Palettone comes in two varieties and a choice of more than fifty colours.
Sub-Zero and Wolf’s prestigious Kitchen Design Contest (KDC) has celebrated the very best in kitchen innovation and aesthetics for three decades now. Recognising premier kitchen design professionals from around the globe, the KDC facilitates innovation, style and functionality that pushes boundaries.
The Sub-Zero Wolf showrooms in Sydney and Melbourne provide a creative experience unlike any other. Now showcasing all-new product ranges, the showrooms present a unique perspective on the future of kitchens, homes and lifestyles.
In the pursuit of an uplifting synergy between the inner world and the surrounding environment, internationally acclaimed Interior Architect and Designer Lorena Gaxiola transform the vibration of the auspicious number ‘8’ into mesmerising artistry alongside the Feltex design team, brought to you by GH Commercial.
Discover the latest furniture, lighting and accessories from the 21st edition of the London Design Festival, from previously unseen designs from Mid-Century masters to innovative new materials.
Celebrated British designer Tom Dixon recently landed in Australia to visit, amongst other stops, Sydney’s Quay Quarter Tower (QQT). Dixon’s design firm Design Research Studio was supported by Living Edge to create richly layered interiors at this award-winning building, proving how a global brand can deliver with a local touch.
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
July has arrived in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane and this exemplary luggage brand has a new home that ticks all the boxes.
Suitable for applications ranging from schools and retail outlets to computer rooms and X-ray suites, Palettone comes in two varieties and a choice of more than fifty colours.
Simon Liley, Principal Sustainability Consultant at Cundall, writes about how cyberpunk dystopias haven’t (quite) come to pass yet – and how designers can avoid them.
Welcome to the year of the Design Effect. This year’s theme aims to showcase the profound ripple effects that exceptional design can have on people, place and planet. Join in shaping this narrative by contributing your perspective before May 3, 2024, and become a part of the Design Effect movement.