London – British designer Benjamin Hubert presented a new range of furniture for Portuguese brand De La Espada at Tramshed, as part of the London Design Festival.
The collection includes the hand-woven Coracle chair, inspired by the boats that have been used in Wales since the Bronze Age. The chair is constructed from a triple-weave leather base, wrapped around a supporting steel frame. The range also includes the Silo side table, which features a solid granite base with a light ash top, and was inspired by grain storage devices.
‘The collaboration with De La Espada presented the opportunity to develop a range of interior products using the skills and knowledge of artisan craftsmen, affording fewer compromises than more industrialised projects,’ explains the designer. ‘This allowed greater exploration of the hand-made and the manipulation of natural materials with a greater emphasis on quality.’
In our Soft Reduction design direction we explored how combinations of contrasting natural materials can create tactility and emotional resonance.