America’s Shining Talents

Dror Benshetrit, Director Studio Dror

Established in 2002, Studio Dror collaborates with prestigious companies such as Alessi, Cappellini and Tumi, just to name a few. “I’m continually interested in innovation that always mixes opposing ‘ingredients’ which in time result in transformation, whether it be physical or metaphysical. A lot of my work is re-imaginations of existing objects, systems, and environments,” says Benshetrit, who draws inspiration from nature or cultural heritage. “I’m a curious sponge absorbing people’s behavior and their emotions.”

Ian Collings and Gregory Buntain, Co-Founders and Design Directors Fort Standard

Describing their work as ‘warm contemporary’, Fort Standard finds a balance of clean minimal form and sensitivity to quality of craft and natural material palette. “It’s the small differences in what we see that makes things interesting,” says Collings, who recalls their first line of lighting for Roll & Hill and the Spruce Candelabras that helped to define their practice.

Todd Bracher, Creative Director & Strategic Designer, Todd Bracher Studio

“Reduction is a very important part of my design studio…how we can take away everything and just leave what we need to behind. That reveals for us something new, something that’s genuine and truthful, that’s not trying to be anything but what it is. It’s the one idea…it’s not hidden in complexity,” says Bracher, who finds inspiration from science and anthropology. “My strategic work with 3M was without doubt the most exciting client to collaborate with, and of course I can’t forget to mention my retrospective at the Museo Casa Da Brasileira in Brazil last year.”

Stephen Burks, Founder and Design Director, Stephen Burks Man Made

Since 2005 Stephen Burks has dedicated his time to both his design consultancy based in New York and the rest of the world, collaborating with craftspeople and artisans around the globe. “I’m both a traveller and a designer,” says Burks who travels one to three weeks each month. Burks’ talent was spotted by Cappellini in 2000 and later by Missoni, the latter resulting in hand-made patchwork vases. Exhibitions, including ‘Stephen Burks Are You A Hybrid’ at the museum of Art & Design in New York continue to make sure Burks is on the radar. He is also close to brands such as Dedon, Roche Bobois and collaborates with the iconic luxury jeweller of timepiece designs, Harry Winston.

Christian Wassmann, Principal Studio Christian Wassmann, Architect, Designer

“We are an idealistic architecture studio with a passion for realising designs that allow users to understand their surroundings in new ways, interconnecting with the arts and a love for geometry,” says Wassmann, whose commissions range from temporary installations to permanent structures, from furniture to buildings. The AIA New Practice New York award in 2012 and the Swiss Art Award for Architecture in 2010 reflect the extremely high calibre of work coming from Wassmann’s studio.

Fernando Mastrangelo and Samuel Amoa, Co-Founders AMMA Studio

“There’s always a conceptual idea at the basis of our work. “I’m trying to find a form that will best describe that idea,” says Mastrangelo, who searches out materials that metaphorically connect the form and content together to form a harmonious result. “At the moment, I’m inspired by reduction, the least amount of components with the most amount of impact. I still get inspiration from Richard Serra’s work, the idea of taking one material, bending it, and creating architecture, form, space, weight and line,” adds Mastrangelo, who was delighted to see his work ‘Avarice’ purchased by the Brooklyn Museum in New York.

David Wiseman, Artist and Designer

David Wiseman can be described as a designer, but he remarks: “Artists can make tables, designers can make sculptures, I like making both.” His studio is based in Los Angeles, but he’s currently preparing for a solo exhibition at R & Company in New York. “I strive to bring the beauty of natural phenomena indoors through architectural installations, furniture and objects,” says Wiseman, who regularly works with timeless materials such as porcelain, bronze and crystal. “A lot of my inspiration comes from the southern Californian landscape, with its remarkable oaks, succulents and rock formations.”