Eimear Ryan On the Importance of Collaboration
Project: Dam Chair, 2020
Words: Eimear Ryan
This project was a commissioned design piece for Amelie Maison d’art, a gallery in Paris 9éme. I presented 3 sketches of statement armchairs of which they chose one, the ‘Dam chair’ to be created and displayed. I decided to do a design collaboration, even though trusting someone new can be a big challenge. This was the first design whereby I had incorporated upholstery and a concrete element. The important lesson I took from this project was to collaborate with others, share skills, and ask for help instead of struggling alone on a project.
Collaborate, Share, Ask
Collaboration between designers can be so enriching, enabling both parties to learn and progress in their own prospective processes and are pushed to consider a different way of doing things. It’s easy to get protective of your designs and want to be in control of the whole process. I am used to wood and to my father as the maker. Trusting someone new to realise design was a big challenge.
I decided to collaborate with a friend and great designer Alfredo Lopez of Owl Studio. I know and love Alfredo’s work so it made for a perfect fit. He brought so much more to the project! We bounced ideas off one another for form, materials, specific details and finishes, pushing each other to consider new ways of doing things.
Trust someone new. Collaborate, and push each other to consider new ways of doing things. It can be remarkably rewarding.
Founded in 2018 by Irish designer Eimear Ryan, Argot is a creative design studio based in Paris with a focus on the exploration of spaces and the objects that fit within them. Realising these concepts until now via the Phelim series of solid wood modular furniture, Eimear principally works with her father who makes the oak pieces by hand in Ireland. Objects include Argot vases 3D printed in renewable biomass developed and printed in Paris. Past works include projects in art direction, spacial design and scenography. Future projects include Ten Sustainable Chairs and the Saddle Collection.
