tom dixon: industry at clerkenwell design week 2010

‘industry’ collection

tom dixon launches ‘industry’ at clerkenwell design week 2010. the collection takes advantage of ‘real’ industrial production and the forms of these objects are dictated by the production process itself.

‘void’ copper, stainless steel and brass lights

copper is a rarely used material in lighting and furniture. it was one of the very first metals to be worked by man and naturally occurs as an un-compounded mineral. the copper shade is created by employing the technically advanced process of vacuum metallization. a thin layer of pure metal is exploded onto the internal surface of a polycarbonate globe using an electrical charge.

invitation poster

the installation will show a series of ‘void’ lights that reference the olympic medals. solid metal sheets are pressed, spun and braised to form a double wall shade. these ‘mysterious lighting objects’ are hand polished to create a mirrored surface which is then lacquered to maintain a high gloss finish.

copper expression

commonly used to make architectural products including head lamps or glass insulators, the bead and top are manufactured in industrial plants.

heavy-weight shades made from extra thick pressed glass

pressed glass light bead

pressed glass light beads

pressed glass light beads

part of the process requires each individual shade to be polished by hand for a lengthy forty minutes

‘industry’ by tom dixon

‘industry’ is the first in a series of self-published tom dixon books. the paperback outlines a critique of various design production formulas, followed by tom’s own proposal for a future industry. the book includes previously unpublished conversations between dixon and design critic laura houseley, along with product profiles of the designs that demonstrate the future industry.