Now in the final days of the NESCAFÉ Azera Project, Sophia Watson goes behind the scenes with designer Jacob Pemble.
April 15th, 2014
As a furniture designer and maker, Pemble is interested in sustainability and recycling – ideas that are inherently based on ‘evolution’. Here, Pemble has addressed the brief with a singular product aimed at “bringing people together with sustainable design.”
Coffee is a connecting force that often signifies social engagement over the shared experience of drinking coffee. Coffee then, is considered a catalyst for social interaction. Specifics not withstanding, Pemble has taken this basic principle and fused it with the idea of recycling so to capture the brief of ‘evolution’ with sociability.
Timber furniture is Pemble’s bread and butter, so the task of manipulating glass and metal presented him with an interesting challenge. “The two week lead time meant that I didn’t have time to contract a metal or glass worker, so I asked a few colleagues who are familiar with metal and glass to give me some advice on how to work with the materials. It was really great to have the chance to experiment with something different and outside my discipline.”
Without spoiling the unveiling, Pemble’s reaction to the evolution theme is a fascinating intersection between ‘sustainability’ and ‘culture’. Here, the product’s function is indicative of interactivity and people coming together, and the materials used represent recycling and reuse – the evolutionary aspect of the project.
He explains: “I wanted to create something that people could potentially emulate; inspiring users to engage with upcycling or recycling old products and artifacts.”
Tune in for the live unveiling Tuesday 15th April, and vote for the ‘People’s Choice Award’ here: facebook.com/nescafeanz
THE AZERA PROJECT
nescafe.com.au/azera-project
INDESIGN is on instagram
Follow @indesignlive
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!
The new range features slabs with warm, earthy palettes that lend a sense of organic luxury to every space.
A curated exhibition in Frederiksstaden captures the spirit of Australian design
London-based design duo Raw Edges have joined forces with Established & Sons and Tongue & Groove to introduce Wall to Wall – a hand-stained, “living collection” that transforms parquet flooring into a canvas of colour, pattern, and possibility.
We are used to high-rise living and high-rise working, but what about high-density schools? What’s the big hoo-ha and is it justified? Hayball’s design of two new vertical schools in Melbourne rethinks the education model for densifying urban environments, how a school operates in its community and what it provides.
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
Tickets for Architecture & Design’s 2025 Sustainability Summit are on sale. This 19 November, engage in ten expert-led panels on urban planning, AI, and circular economy. Join industry leaders in Sydney or online, and gain CPD-accredited insights to drive innovative, sustainable building solutions shaping our shared future. Plus on demand access to recordings.
Collingwood is one of three precincts at Saturday Indesign 2025 on 6th September – find out what’s on there!