Rolling Summer House
Charlie Whinney is the leading exponent of the art of steam-bending wood to create beautiful, unusual curved furniture and sculptural work. His projects are among the most challenging and ambitious in the UK currently, each taking the art (and science)-form further along an unbeaten track of innovation. His most recent projects in 2009 include a unique Champagne Trolley for the Dorchester Hotel and a 50m long sculpture – ‘Spirit of the Forest’ – for the window display of Harvey Nichols, Knightsbridge (pictured below).
Spirit of the House [Harvey Nichols Knightsbridge]
Spirit of the Forest at Harvey Nichols Window
Road to trip the Moon
Leaving sixixis (the popular Laurent Perrier Award-winning company he founded three years ago) enabled him to focus on bigger products and projects, working with leading architects and garden designers. He also creates bespoke large-scale plasma-cut steel screens, popular in homes and commercial interiors alike. Current products are on his website, and Charlie’s work is also currently being featured at the Crafts Council ‘Hand Made’ showcase at the V&A during September 2009.
Notorious products include the Rolling Summer House, the GallopyGallopy Bed and the CurlyShade. Large-scale specialist benches, the Coral Arbour and the Fountain Bench sold at Sotheby’s last Autumn. Many creations are based on natural or microscopic life forms and Charlie works with a strong environmental ethos using only locally sourced wood.
Rolling Summer House
Designersblock London 2009 takes place during the London Design Festival over 5000 square meters of space alongside 100% Design in Earls Court One.
24 – 27 Sep 2009
Opening times:
Thursday 24 September 10.00 – 21.00 Friday 25 September 10.00 – 19.00 Saturday 26 September 10.00 – 18.00 Sunday 27 September 11.00 – 17.00
Register on the Designersblock website.
Tags: London Design Festival
