“ENOUGH DESIGN FOR DESIGN’S SAKE.”
the mensch bench
Liam holds quite strong views on the individuality of design. He firmly believes that we, as South Africans, are not exempt from having to deal with all matters out there around creating good design. “You need to carry on doing what you do, only do it better,” he says. “Although, determining what’s ‘better’ is getting a little more complicated.” For him, “vernacular manufacturing techniques and local materials” will inevitably inform design wherever you might find yourself. In his latest project, he has reappropriated used wine barrels from the Backsberg Estate in Stellenbosch to create his new furniture range. The barrels are crafted from French oak, used for the vanilla, butter and spice flavours they impart to wine during the maturation process. However, the French oak takes about 200 years to mature before they can be used to make barrels that only have an average lifespan of five years. He’s hoping to extend the longevity of this beautiful wood before (as he so appropriately puts it) ”it dies a potplant death”.
mechano coffee table
Currently, he finds himself sharing studio space with some fashion designers and he admits to a couple of stolen moments larking about with their fabric. As the interview ends, he mentions that he has ideas for some ”pretty crazy upholstery” in store. This new range is sure to expose us to the softer side of Liam Mooney.
one small seed
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