BENJAMIN HUBERT
INTRODUCTION KEY ELEMENTS I D E AT I O N
D E TA I L E D D E S I G N REFLECTION
REFERENCES
HUBERT’S DESIGNS
Unlike many designers and design firms, Hubert doesn’t believe in beginning with developing a brief and with market research and user analysis to define a product, but rather from the inside out with a very ‘MATERIAL-CENTRIC’ approach.
Hubert is untraditional both in process and in thinking. Rather than drawing from influences in the design world, he prefers to take inspiration from that which is “undersigned”4. “I love everyday things. The kind of thing that you look at that don’t scream ‘design’, that don’t scream ‘look at me’.”5
layer -Hubert’s design studio describe’s their approach is described as “insightful design stories that turn user experiences into a way of life”, “simple statements [that] cut through the world’s visual noise by eliminating what’s unnecessary and identifying the essential”6
“The traditional model in consultancies (which is my background) is this kind of user analysis, starting by talking to users- breaking it down and finding the market need things like that. But now we kind of do the reverse, we now just do material construction research -and it’s a universal appeal. Brands love it because it’s not about a styling choice and just -it’s something that is timeless.”7
RETHINGKING OBJECTS IN A SEAMLESS INTEGRATION WITH EVERYDAY LIFE.
CELEBRATING RAW MATERIALS AND MANUFACTURING PROCESS.
PROBLEM SOLVING TO CREATE EFFORTLESS EASE OF USE.
DESIGN IS INTUITIVE AND USER FRIENDLY BUT AT THE SAME TIME, CHALLENGES SOCIAL NORMS OF WHAT A BACKPACK IS CONSIDERED TO BE
PROMOTES CLEANLIENESS AND SERVES HUBERT’S GOAL OF “DESIGN WITH PURPOSE”.
WARDROBE REDESIGN. AGAIN CHALLENGES CONVENTIONAL FURNITURE IDEAS BUT AIMS TO BE EAQUALLY IF NOT MORE INTUITIVE.
CENTRE ROD CAN BE ANY LENGTH.
SLIDE OUT MIRROR
RECYCLED PET BAMBOO RODS
REFELCTION TAKING DIRECT INSPIRATION FROM A SPECIFIC DESIGNER AND PERFORM AN IN DEPTH ANALYSIS OF THEIR STYLE, PROCESS AND GENRE HAS FORCED ME TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY OWN TENDENCIES AS A DESIGNER TO LEAN A CERTAIN WAY. WHEN IT COMES TO DESIGN DECISIONS, I HAVE REALISED THROUGH THIS PROCESS THAT I HAVE CERTAIN (MOSTLY UNINTENTIONAL) TENDENCIES TO CHOSE CERTAIN MATERIALS AND FORMS OVER OTHERS, SIMPLY BECAUSE I AM USED TO THINKING THAT WAY. TRYING TO PUT MYSELF IN ANOTHER DESIGNERS SHOES HAS FORCED ME TO ACKNOWLEDGE THESE TENDANCES AND OPENED MY EYES TO THE BROAD POTENTIAL ANY PERSON CAN HAVE THROUGH DESIGN. LOOKING SPECIFICALLY AT BENJAMIN HUBERT WAS ESPECIALLY ENLIGHTENING AS MANY OF HUBERT’S FOCUS’S ARE OF DESIGNING WITH PURPOSE. WETHER THAT BE FROM AN AID OR CHARITY PERSPECTIVE OR JUST SIMPLY CREATING HOUSEHOLD OBJECT THAT NOT ARE NOT ONLY BEAUTIFUL BUT ARE ALSO HIGHLY FUNCTIONAL. RECENTLY IN HUBERT’S CAREER, ONE CAN NOTICE A SHIFT FROM CREATING HIGH QUALITY MASS PRODUCED FURNITURE TO A MUCH BROADER DEFINITION OF HIS BRAND. STUDYING THIS HAS MADE ME REALISE HOW LITTLE I CARE FOR FURNITURE THAT CAN ONLY BE PURCHASED FOR THE “ONE PRECENT”. THROUGH MY PERSONAL DESIGN THOUGH THIS PROJECT, SOMETHING I CHOSE TO FOCUS ON WAS USING LOW COST, READILY AVAILABLE MATERIALS AS HUBERT DOES AND CREATING AN ITEM THAT IS STILL AFFORDABLE FOR A WIDE RANGE OF PEOPLE. I TRIED TO DO THIS WITH AN EFFORT TO MINIMISE MATERIALS.
REFERENCES 1. http://www.contemporist.com/2010/03/18/designer-profile-benjamin-hubert/ 2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2oIUc9u2F0 3. Hubert speaking at Design Junction at the London Design Festival https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIyenBNkc1w 4. https://www.australiandesignreview.com/features/2347-interview-benjamin-hubert 5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2oIUc9u2F0 6. http://layerdesign.com/ 7. Hubert speaking in as interview with Dazeen Live at 100% design. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtBmuE6GRB8#t=438.309409 8. Anon, (2016). [online] Available at: https://au.linkedin.com/in/benjaminhubert1 [Accessed 17 Aug. 2016]. Anon, (2016). [online] Available at: http://www.stylepark.com/db-images/cms/designer/img/l2_v309769_973_320_336-1.jpg [Accessed 17 Aug. 2016]. Australiandesignreview.com. (2016). Interview: Benjamin Hubert | Australian Design Review. [online] Available at: https://www.australiandesignreview.com/features/2347-interview-benjamin-hubert [Accessed 17 Aug. 2016]. Cafecultureinsitu.com.au. (2016). Benjamin Hubert - Cafe Culture + Insitu. [online] Available at: http://cafecultureinsitu.com.au/designer-benjamin-hubert.html [Accessed 17 Aug. 2016]. Dezeen. (2016). Benjamin Hubert news, design and interviews | Dezeen. [online] Available at: http://www.dezeen.com/tag/benjamin-hubert/page/3/ [Accessed 17 Aug. 2016]. Layerdesign.com. (2016). Cradle : Layer. [online] Available at: http://layerdesign.com/projects/cradle-3/ [Accessed 17 Aug. 2016]. Nest.co.uk. (2016). Benjamin Hubert at Nest.co.uk. [online] Available at: http://www.nest.co.uk/browse/designer/benjamin-hubert [Accessed 17 Aug. 2016]. South China Morning Post. (2016). Interview: Benjamin Hubert of Layer design studio talks about his big break and plans for charity. [online] Available at: http://www. scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/1875673/interview-benjamin-hubert-layer-design-studio-talks-about [Accessed 17 Aug. 2016]. South China Morning Post. (2016). Interview: Benjamin Hubert of Layer design studio talks about his big break and plans for charity. [online] Available at: http://www. scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/1875673/interview-benjamin-hubert-layer-design-studio-talks-about [Accessed 17 Aug. 2016]. Wallpaper.com. (2016). [online] Available at: http://www.wallpaper.com/design/design-for-life-benjamin-hubert-rebrands-with-layer#1xXkjD0CQqbBXtlt.99 [Accessed 17 Aug. 2016]. Yanko Design. (2011). 20 Questions with Benjamin Hubert. [online] Available at: http://www.yankodesign.com/2011/01/10/20-questions-with-benjamin-hubert/ [Accessed 17 Aug. 2016]. YouTube. (2016). Benjamin Hubert at Dezeen Live. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtBmuE6GRB8#t=438.309409 [Accessed 17 Aug. 2016]. YouTube. (2016). Benjamin Hubert on how to redesign the way you work to make a bigger, better impact. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ t8rzMfWg4M [Accessed 17 Aug. 2016]. Youtube.com. (2016). benjamin hubert - YouTube. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=benjamin+hubert+ [Accessed 17 Aug. 2016].