PHOTOS: Dook and Michelle le Grange | WORDS: Alma Viviers
Pedersen + Lennard’s website features an idealistic declaration of intent – a credo that guides their designs. Yet they also have their feet firmly planted in the reality of material process and product.
Luke Pedersen and James Lennard began to forge their approach towards product design while studying Industrial Design at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. In 2009 they teamed up with Jozi-based entrepreneur Nhlanhla Ngwenya to put their ideas to the test as Pedersen + Lennard.
Their Cape-based Salt River workshop, which is piled high with wood off-cuts and discarded drawers waiting to be transformed into new objects, is the scene of many debates around the pros and cons of using materials such as textiles versus leather, waste materials, and working with local manufacturers to create products of high quality.
“I can see how it might seem idealistic but much of our creative process is fuelled by material exploration,” Luke explains. “Not everything has to be brand-new; we think old objects can be renewed with a different perspective.”
The Bucket stool, one of the signature pieces from their first collection, is a case in point. Using a bucket for seating may not be a new idea but when it is transformed into a beautiful designed object that better suits this practical function, an original object is the result. The removable upholstered cushion also allows the bucket to double up as a storage unit or even as an ice bucket, while the handle makes it easy to move around.
The Bucket stool is a perfect example of the pair’s belief that “great things can happen when handmade and machine-made come together.” The buckets are made by a crafter in Nyanga, powder-coated and fitted with digitally cut plywood legs.
