go find a branch
'the user adds a branch to complete the design and create
a coat rack. it demands them to be active, to go and walk
and find the right branch. they have to look and think,
which one has the most interesting form? and choose,
which will accommodate their needs?'

perforated paper blinds
'this project started with a consideration of the entire life
cycle of the object, from production through to the time it
is in use, to what happens to it when it is thrown away.
my aim was to create something with minimum environmental
impact and maximum user benefits in terms of the experience
and what the user gets from it. I found the extra consideration
I gave to the choice of material a much-needed breakthrough
in my work, as until then it had too often been an afterthought.
the decision to use paper proved key to the design’s success;
the paper’s impermanence and the fact it is not considered
valuable or precious, frees the user to play, take risks and be
creative. the fact too that paper can be recycled when the
user tires of the design or cheaply replaced and recreated,
means the experience of creating becomes more valuable than
the object itself. the blind itself is a very simple system; a paper
sheet with a perforated hexagonal grid stamped into it, that
only comes alive when it is brought home, taking energy from
the user and the natural light coming through the window in
order to achieve its full potential. the user pushes out the
pattern and sun light pierces through the holes to project the
pattern across the room. this was the first time I became
aware of this potential for objects to draw energy from their
surroundings in order to create more stimulating user
experiences.'

unfinished objects
'I have been exploring the idea of unfinished objects left open
and incomplete, until the owners add something of themselves
by injecting their own style, bringing the object to life through
use, thus becoming an expression of their creativity and choice.
these objects pose a dilemma, demanding the user to think and
solve problems, engaging them in the process of creating,
providing the satisfaction of doing and becoming connected
through making something their own.

in our streamlined society we engage with most everyday
tasks without thinking; practically everything is done for us,
the questions have been answered, the problems have been
solved and the mysteries are demystified. I want to bring delight
and wonder into the small tasks we perform in our every day
lives, providing objects that demand more of the user, objects
that require consideration and inspire the user to play - let their
imaginations fly, turning the anonymous into something
creative and fun.'

daily routine
'oh for the easy life'

'in order to raise funds for my endeavours I have evacuated
the ‘big smoke’ (london) and am now working on a farm in the
sticks. my current daily routine consists of:

waking-up bleary eyed at six o’clock in the morning,
then stumbling down to drink coffee, then I bike through the
lanes to work on the farm, where I start the day fighting with
large bales of straw to bed down the frisky heifers. strong
and ferocious am I! after this I continue with my varying tasks
that make up the cycles that are farming; normally involving lots
of tractor driving and back breaking manual labour. while
undertaking the more mundane tasks, I dream of sparkling
sugar mountains or statues made out of birdseed or whatever
ideas are in my head that day. at lunchtime I eat my sandwiches
in the field and make business calls. the afternoon consists of
more of the same till I finish at five, and head into the workshop
at the farm to make and experiment with my ideas, my favourite
part of the day. I bike home at about eight, cook and enjoy my
meal with a nice glass of wine. then it’s onto the computer to
catch up with my emails and the demands of my own projects,
mostly till midnight or as long as I can keep my eyes open before
collapsing into bed. that’s my day!

my future aim is to make a living from producing work that I
believe in, to collaborate with others in combating the myriad
objects without depth that leave no trace on our memory but
leave instead a growing mountain of waste.'

dash macdonald
in 2004 he graduated from university college falmouth,
since then he has exhibitted in london, milan and at the
2006 ICFF designboom mart in new york. he plans to
study for his masters in the near future.

see dash at the 2006 ICFF designboom mart in new york.