Daniel Boddam

Designer Of The Month

Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia

The effect of design on one’s psyche cannot be overstated. We are attracted to things that are beautiful and retreat from things we find awkward and overwhelming. Design then should be crafted to help guide our daily experience, to assist as well as embellish.

Architect and designer Daniel Boddam embodies this in his practice. Upon studying architecture, Daniel delved into fine arts, exploring abstract forms in drawing and sculpture. This experience is evident in his design where a deep appreciation of silhouette and linear movement is transferred into the corporeal world.

Interactivity – both between the individual and the space, and the elements within – permeates Daniel’s studio practice. Merging architecture, interiors and furniture, he offers a unified service that extends his client’s vision throughout the length of the built space.

Aptly named the Monument Collection, Daniel’s latest assembly of furniture draws from the eternal materials and forms of historical architecture, offering pragmatic pieces with a transcendental charm. Each is designed according to use, be that the attention to ergonomics or amplification of social activity. The collection is about creating positive space; pieces to be used, enjoyed and enhance the everyday.

Tell us about your practice; what kinds of projects do you work on?

After working as an architect for 11 years, I founded my own design practice four years ago. Our focus is to create environments that enhance one’s quality of life. We provide clients with a refined, considered and holistic approach to residential architecture. By creating an integrated look and feel from the exterior, interior, through to the furniture you experience in the space. Our projects are mostly one-off homes with some significant alterations and heritage work. The locations range from exclusive suburban enclaves to the iconic coastal and waterfronts of Sydney.

Tell us about Monument Collection; what were the main influences and how did you incorporate materials into the design?

Whilst travelling in Europe and the Americas I was moved by the monumental architecture that I experienced there. I was inspired to create a collection that captured the essence of these great classical works. Looking through the lens of modern design, I explored the architectural ideas of the ancient world and translated these concepts into my furniture.

Monument is a tribute to the past’s foundation in considered geometry, pure form and the permanence of natural materials. Allowing for a personal touch, each piece can be customised in a range of different palettes, materials and finishes.

What were you trying to elicit or highlight in this collection?

I wanted the collection to have an architectural quality to it, to be subtly different, both new and familiar. I’m trying to illicit a sense of enduring elegance into each piece.

What’s your favourite aspect of this collection?

My favourite aspect of Monument is that each item can look so different in each material combination. Whilst there are few pieces, there is a lot of versatility.

What were the main challenges that you faced in creating this collection?

I found this quote by Mies van der Rohe to be very true; “A chair is a very difficult object. A skyscraper is almost easier.” The chair was the most challenging to get right. I worked closely with multiple craftsmen, checking through every detail and proportion, to make sure that this chair was not only beautiful but also extremely comfortable.

It was also important to me that the collection was as sustainable and environmentally conscious as possible. I spent a great deal of time researching each element to source a luxurious product that was ethically produced.

How do you see the design industry right now; are there any shifts or changes that you’ve noticed and how do you feel mass media has influenced the furniture industry?

I can see a certain plurality or ‘group consciousness’ happening now, I liken it to a kind of mass media ‘Chinese Whispers’. You see ideas from an amazing building such as Ricardo Boffil’s La Muralla Roja strike a chord on multiple social media platforms. Suddenly his ideas are everywhere in object design and set design, and almost immediately pink is the latest colour trend. These can be interesting, however, I’m looking to transcend small moments in time and create something that has more substance and longevity.

Running parallel to the social media ‘appropriation’, I think there is an underlying shift in consumer behaviour. We are looking for things that last as opposed to fast and wasteful consumption. We want to know where things are made and the impact these items can have on our planet. We are waking up to the harm of disposable, mass-produced products and starting to understand the true value of things.

How important to you is the relationship between furniture and interactivity? Do you think our surroundings influence how we live, work, or play?

We experience and interact with furniture through all of our senses. A beautiful table set, perfectly designed for our bodies and proportions, can bring us closer together in the ritual of food. The relationships between materials, textures and surfaces are an important part of our sensory comfort.

I feel a responsibility to curate and produce designs that can positively connect us and bring a sense of wellbeing. Monument’s dining table, for example, is designed to give each person equal attention and the ability to face one another, encouraging social interaction.

What materials do you enjoy working with and why?

I enjoy working with three main materials; wood, metal and stone. These three base ingredients have very different qualities and characteristics. I love the warmth of wood and the expressive quality of various grains, the solid permanence of natural stone and the luxurious contrast of a highly finished metal. All of these finishes have a palpable realness that adds an authenticity to Monuments tactile appeal.

How does manufacture affect your design process and final product?

All of our product finishes are applied locally. The stone tops, upholstery and glassworks are 100% locally produced. Components are made both locally and internationally; artisans in Indonesia produce the base wood and metalwork while local French polishers and metal fabricators complete these pieces. Logistically combining and delivering Monument has not been without its challenges, however the final quality achieved has made this process worthwhile.

Why is furniture important to our daily lives?

We shape furniture and in turn furniture can help shape our lives. This symbiosis takes up a significant part of our daily experience, influencing our work and play. We spend a great deal of time directly connected to furniture and so the importance of good ergonomic design cannot be underestimated.

How do you define design?

To design is to exert your creative will over a material. It’s both a rational and irrational process to be able to bring your imagination into something tangible.

What’s your favourite aspect of being a furniture designer, interior designer & architect?

My favourite part is realising meaningful works for clients that enrich their lives in some way. For me this is achieved when all the design layers come together; the architecture, interior design and furniture design form one beautiful environment. I love it when clients call to tell me how much they enjoy ‘just being’ in the spaces I have created.

Head to Daniel’s Architect & Designer Profile to view his project archives.