gallery ALL premiers michael young's MY collection at design miami/basel 2019

gallery ALL presents the premier of MY collection designed by british hong kong design studio, michael young. commissioned by gallery ALL of los angeles and beijing, the furniture collection will be seen for the first time at design miami/basel 2019. showcasing a sleek look made of polished stainless steel with white enamel surfaces, the collection features a cluster of hollow metal structures capped at each end and covered with enamel.

for these pieces and for a body of work characterized by innovative and avant-garde techniques, michael young was recently nominated for THE DESIGN PRIZE 2019 in the category of experimentation. 

‘the concept came in two ways,’ explains michael young. ‘a while back, I had worked with cloisonné in northern china and began to look at how patterns and colors came together and how metal could be shaped to create divisions of form. some of my earlier attempts were inspired by oil on water and the natural patterns generated by this when taken in a snapshot. for gallery ALL, we looked at these in a new way by self generating forms created by the computer, and then we extracted the patterns in two-dimensional slices.’

‘we had designed various functional forms into seating, consoles and tables,’ he continues. ‘next we applied these patterns so they would then be twisted into 3 dimensions and extruded vertically. in production, you cannot color the vertical surfaces of the pieces, so we played with making a stunning polished edge. the metal is molded around huge clay forms, and the internal structure is created over several weeks. it is completely artisanal and there is no other way to produce this than with historical methods combined with contemporary craft techniques.’

project info:

name: MY collection

designer: michael young

gallery: gallery ALL

presented at: design miami/ 

THE DESIGN PRIZE is energised by edison

edison, one of the largest energy companies in italy, has been a partner and promoter of the initiative since its inception in 2017. this year, edison continues its collaboration with THE DESIGN PRIZE, the international award dedicated to project culture, which is also a virtuous expression of co-planning based on the efficient use of resources for the construction of a sustainable future. edison brings its unique experience, know-how, and 130-year-long history in the energy sector to the design prize, helping foster a horizontal approach to design. together with the leading professionals and architects, edison proposes intelligent solutions for cities and people in favor of a more evolved and sustainable lifestyle.