Above: Casper Vissers, Marcel Wanders

It was the thinking underpinning Fereday’s design response, along with his presentation and extensive technical skills, which were the key factors that impressed the judges. Tom’s demonstrated ability to get things done along with his affable personality resonated with Moooi’s ethos.

Tom Fereday submitted the Shove chair collection that encapsulates an impressive mix of design and technical development. Ultimately, the Space+Moooi Design Residency was about choosing a “winning person” with a product that best met the brief.

“We believe Tom’s handwriting / DNA is a fit with Moooi – he is not searching for ‘me too’ products, instead he wants to achieve something exciting and unexpected,” remarked Casper Vissers.

As the Space Design Residency winner, Fereday will spend eight weeks at Moooi headquarters in The Netherlands where he will learn about the inner workings of a professional European design brand. This experience will provide insights into the business operations, the production techniques and back-end thinking that inform the design and development of a successful product with a world-leading manufacturer.

Tom Fereday

The ultimate outcome of the Space + Moooi Design Residency for all parties would be that the product developed in collaboration with Moooi would go into production. “I seriously believe we should be able to achieve a product for Milan 2015 with Tom,” Casper Vissers comments.

“The Space+Moooi Design Residency is unlike any other design programme in Australia. The residency not only provides the opportunity to learn from one of the most celebrated design companies in the world it also helps me to build a relationship as a designer in Europe with Moooi,” Fereday says.

In the development of his furniture range, Fereday says he looked to the way Moooi’s designs “truly connect with the user and form a memorable experience” and drew on traditional methods of manufacture as a channel to form the user connection.

Space Furniture worked closely with coveted design company Moooi, with whom they share a 10-year association, to initially arrive at a short list of eight talented contenders. All applications were reviewed by Marcel Wanders, Moooi Founder and Art Director and Casper Vissers, Moooi Founder and CEO.

Space Furniture
spacefurniture.com.au

Moooi
moooi.com

Fereday Design
feredaydesign.com