Aleesha Callahan talks with Rhys Cooper, an emerging Australian furniture designer, about all things design, materials and manufacturing.
April 20th, 2021
With the launch of Jam – JamFactory’s new all-Australian line up of locally designed and manufactured products, furniture and lighting – Aleesha Callahan chats with Rhys Cooper, whose Cusp Collection features in the Jam range, about his approach to design, materials and manufacturing.
Rhys Cooper: The Cusp collection is made using contemporary joinery techniques such as solid mortise and tenon joinery along with bent plywood for the backrest and seat.
I designed the Cusp range early in my career, the initial concept was simply to design a contemporary tub chair. The early stages of development involved a lot of model making and prototyping, with feedback provided by my peers. I then made the initial prototype and after some minor changes JamFactory agreed to produce the collection.
“Without Australian manufacturing, we will continue to lose valuable trades and craftspeople, and before we know it the industry will be lost.”
Material selection comes pretty early on in the design process and helps inform the direction, I find that if I don’t decide on the material and production process I tend to jump between ideas too much. I work with a variety of materials, predominantly timber, but really enjoy working with ceramics, glass and textiles.
Without Australian manufacturing, we will continue to lose valuable trades and craftspeople, and before we know it the industry will be lost. People should support local manufacturing where they can.
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!
Channelling the enchanting ambience of the Caffè Greco in Rome, Budapest’s historic Gerbeaud, and Grossi Florentino in Melbourne, Ross Didier’s new collection evokes the designer’s affinity for café experience, while delivering refined seating for contemporary hospitality interiors.
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.
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.
Savage Design’s approach to understanding the relationship between design concepts and user experience, particularly with metalwork, transcends traditional boundaries, blending timeless craftsmanship with digital innovation to create enduring elegance in objects, furnishings, and door furniture.
The future of Australia’s last surviving woollen furnishing textile mill and dye house has been secured thanks to its joint acquisition by Instyle Contract Textiles and Colan Australia.
Vipoo has taken home the winning title in the biennale MAKE Award for Australian creatives. Learn who took home second prize and highly commended in what is Australia’s richest, non-acquisitive prize for craft and design in Australia.
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
From housing affordability to questions of density, multi-residential design and the future of cities, here are eight varied stories from our archives.
Archie Moore’s kith and kin unveiled in the Australia Pavilion at the 60th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia.