Category Archives: sustainable furniture

Cracked Timber lights by Duncan Meerding

Our feature interviewee for today is a true inspiration to all budding designers out there. Tasmanian based designer Duncan Meerding is just 26 years of age, and already has a long list of achievements under his belt.  After making his own guitar at just 14 years of age, he went on to win the “Design In Wood Award” at Hobart College aged 18. At age 23 he completed a 4 year Bachelor or Arts, History and Furniture Design Major degree at the University of Tasmania. Not one to sit back, he then went straight on to score the coveted Designed Objects Tasmania Springboard Scholarship AND the Biennial Ministers Youth Arts Award in the same year!  This then led to an amazing opportunity to be mentored with acclaimed designer David Trubridge in New Zealand.

In the last two years alone Duncan has been listed as a Top Ten Finalist in the Bombay Sapphire Design Discovery Award (2011), shortlisted in Australia’s Launchpad (2012) and accepted to be part of the Red Dot Design Awards in Germany this year. Feeling exhausted? I haven’t even mentioned all the exhibitions he has participated in over the past 5 years!   Now here’s the icing on the cake. Duncan’s exquisite timber designs have all been handcrafted by him whilst legally blind.

Propeller Light by Duncan Meerding

Mini Cabinet by Duncan Meerding

Mini Cabinet by Duncan Meerding

Coat stand and nest sculpture by Duncan Meerding

Duncan Meerding in his North Hobart studio

Duncan ‘s love of nature and high level of skill is reflected in the beautiful pieces he creates. Taking a few moments out of his busy schedule, Duncan has graciously shared with us further insight into his work;

1. You work predominantly with timber. Why is this your material of choice?

First of all I have had an interest in the material from when I was at school – I seemed to have been drawn to wood. The making process can feel very rewarding and the feeling and appearance of wood can be very warm and relaxing.

2. This may be a hard question, but do you have a favourite piece, and why?

I recently made a Mini cabinet from salvaged materials. Everything except the draw fronts were made from off cuts in the workshop. The drawer fronts were made from She Oak which was salvaged. I really enjoyed the making process with this project and the playful method of designing I employed during it. I would like to do more projects like this.

3. What inspired you to become a designer?

I’m not sure how I ended up becoming a designer. I think it stemmed from my interest in wood craft. At first it was purely from the making perspective, it later became more of an interest in being creative with my work. This also meant I experimented with other materials and I ended up designing in my own unique way. I did not think I’d be making things with wood, when my vision degenerated when I was 18, but after doing the design course at the University of Tasmania I discovered I was especially keen on creating new ideas using

wood and other materials and continue to evolve as a designer.

4.  Can you give us a sneek peek into what’s in the pipeline for Duncan Meerding?

I have a few projects I wish to work on in the near future. I wish to establish some of the designs which I have recently come up with, such as the flat pack Leaning Leaf Coffee table and the Spirals light range.

Leaning Leaf Coffee Table by Duncan Meerding

In terms of new works I wish to combine my interest in lighting and cabinet making and create some cabinets which integrate the two. I also wish to refine the Propeller light, which was inspired by having pieces of timber and feeling the way the grain would twist and determine the propeller inspired form.

Often I focus on the form of a piece with less concentration given to complex detailing, I keep on being drawn towards the dispersion of light. Combining these two interests I hope to create some pieces which have a simple looking form, but have some unexpected or interactive lighting component to them.

Spiral Lights

5. Share with us your easy eco living tip

I suppose lots of people put out there that they have the answers to sustainability. I think a lot of it has to be tackled as holistically as possible, society wide. It is not just enough to purchase things which we think are more environmentally friendly. I think a general mind-shift has to take place as well. People need to think, need to consider, the impacts that their choices have, both on the humanitarian and environmental fronts.

For example in Australia we hit an all- time high of new car sales at over 1 million cars sold last year. I think for me this brings up some larger questions regarding mind-sets of the Australian community but also the funding that government gives to public transport infrastructure in Australia.

In terms of the consumer side of things, I think we are seeing a change in the mind-set; people are more interested in the story behind the pieces – for example who made it and why. We are also seeing people more interested in buying products which are going to last longer.  Things which will stand the test of time may be a little more expensive in the short term, but will prove to be more economic in the long term.

Thanks so much Duncan Meerding! If you would like to admire Duncan’s handcraft up close, he is participating in the following exhibitions this year:

• Wood Design Architecture (Jam Factory & Botanical Gardens Adelaide) ~ March 2013 (followed by national tour. See schedule here)
• Objects in Place (curated by Designed Objects, Hobart)~ 13-20 March 2013
• Object Future (Brunswick) ~ May 2013

~~ Duncan Meerding ~~