Basel 2019 – British designer Micheal Young debuts its MY Collection at DesignMiami/ Basel developed for Los Angeles and Beijing Gallery ALL. The new series comprises a sofa, a chair a side table and a coffee table made of polished stainless steel with white enamel surfaces. All pieces feature a cluster of hollow metal structures capped at each end and covered with enamel.

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“The concept behind MY Collection came in two ways,” says Micheal Young. “A while back, I had worked with cloisonné in Northern China and began to look at how patterns and colours came together and how metal could be shaped to create divisions of form. Some of my earlier attempts were inspired by oil on water and the natural patterns generated by this when taken in a snapshot.”

The designer looked at those patterns in a new way combining traditional craft techniques with new technologies. “The distinct sleek look and self generating forms of the MY Collection was generated by a computer, and then we extracted the patterns in two dimensional slices.” 

“We had differentiated various functional forms into seating, consoles and tables,” explains Young. “Next we applied these patterns so they would then be twisted into 3 dimensions and extruded vertically. In production you cannot color the vertical surfaces of the pieces, so we played with making a stunning polished edge.”

The metal was molded around huge clay forms, and the internal structure is created over several weeks. “It is completely artisanal,” say Micheal Young. “There is no other way to produce this than with historical methods combined with contemporary craft techniques.”

Tech-craft is an emerging trend bridging traditional techniques with cutting edge technologies. Earlier this year, Gareth Neal digitally crafted a Georgian chair trapped in a raw oak lumber using a robotic arm as an extension of the craftsman’s hand and tactile knowledge. TAKT project’s Kishu+ series combined ancient Japanese lacquering techniques, 3D printing and rippling computer effects.

Photos: courtesy of Gallery All and Design Miami.