www.ryanfrank.net
RYAN FRANK Lauded internationally as an eco-designer to keep an eye on, Ryan claims it was not a conscious decision to become a sustainable designer but a natural progression. He’s always been drawn to materials that inspire him and has an innate respect for the environment. This modest attitude towards his origins, and the realisation that the resources they make available to us should be respected, has garnered Ryan top accolades across the globe. Now living and working in East London in the UK, this respect has become a philosophy that the designer carries through all aspects of his life. Working as a furniture designer, he calls his creations “edgy freerange furniture”. “Edgy”, he says, in the “experimental, cheeky, uniqueness that I try to include in my work,” and “free-range” in the sustainability that’s “built into the pieces as a standard”. Ryan is adamant on the point of sustainability. “I am convinced there are currently enough materials in our world, for us to re-use, recycle, reclaim and remake the products we need. It’d be great if we could really slow down on creating virgin plastics, cutting down trees, or mining more minerals, and focus our attentions on reusing the resources already in use.”
“Underlying rawness”, in Ryan Frank’s opinion, is the most acutely African motif that has arisen in his free-range design. The fascinating story told by corrosion and the natural effects of time is one that resides as a major narrative throughout his work. We chat to the Jo’burg-born product designer to learn the rest of the tale.
inkuku chair
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one small seed