As admirers of your work, we were thrilled to invite you to be part of Dancer Editions. What appealed to you about the collaboration, and what aspects of the project resonated with you?
The fact it is a collaboration was very appealing to us – we admire the work of both Kate and Belinda. The fact it is fast and it crescendos in Design Week is another very appealing factor – as architects we are used to working on projects that take a very long time to realise.
We loved seeing your interpretation take shape. How did you approach tackling this brief and reimagining the Dancer collection, balancing its existing visual language with your own creative voice? Did you have a clear direction from the beginning, or did the idea evolve along the way?
Our approach internally in our studio was a collaboration that started with a conversation. The weight and texture of the ceramic component was an early consideration - the earthiness was so appealing to us.
We discussed scale – could this be a big small light or a small big light? - scale is something we think very carefully about. We discussed practicality – it should feel balanced and easy to move.
This collaboration invited a shift in material thinking. How did you find the experience of designing in a different medium, specifically ceramics, compared to your usual practice?
We don’t typically design lighting, but this collaboration didn’t feel like it sits outside of our normal practice. Design sometimes feels like there is a code to be cracked, or a riddle to be solved. Good design feels like the outcome is reached with the fewest moves.
In this instance, we did not feel like the light needed to be the hero in the room – it should be a useful and beautiful edition.
We see this collection as a celebration of creative voices. What does your design represent for you and your practice? Was there a particular story, feeling or idea you set out to explore?
At the end of the day, anything we design we should want to have in our own homes.
Thank you again for working with us on Dancer Editions. At Coco Flip, we're fascinated by the different ways designers approach process and creativity. Could you tell us a bit about how your studio practice informed your response to the brief?
We talk; we look at precedents; we think of the typical challenges/problems that are often poorly resolved.
We think about what the light needs to do.
We think carefully about what is going ‘too far’ or ‘over-design’…we think about what is ‘enough’.
You're such a valued part of the local design community. What’s been inspiring you lately, any people, places or ideas influencing your practice? And looking ahead, are there any upcoming projects or directions you're excited to explore?
Conceptually, we are thinking about what it means to be ‘helpful’ in design.
Learn more about Dancer Editions
View the Dancer Editions Auction
View the Dancer Collection
Learn more about Kennedy Nolan
Product Images by Matthew McQuiggan
