Rising Star: Tandem Design House

For the creative duo behind Tandem Design House, design is a balance between bold experimentation and thoughtful sustainability.

WORDS Dumisani Mnisi PHOTOS Supplied; Marijke Willems (portrait)

Created by industrial designers Pia Findlay and Josh McNally, Tandem Design House is a collaboration that opens a fresh dialogue around materiality and its influence on space. Their latest collection, Phlat, is an intergalactic-inspired range of tables, shelves and lamps craft ed from recycled plastic, designed to be modern and well-made, and enduring as heirlooms.

The collection stems from extensive conversations about and research into plastic, and its potential for ethical repurposing. The retro-futuristic aesthetic, evident in both form and colour, asks a provocative question: what does the future of furniture look like in a world that’s drowning in plastic?

From their light-filled studio in Victoria Yards, Johannesburg, the pair shares how they keep ideas flowing.

Pushing each other is the foundation of our relationship.

Josh: As a designer, you have to practise letting go of ideas that you think are amazing if they don’t work.

Pia: Josh brings his technical and manufacturing knowledge to the table, and turns wild ideas into actual tangible objects. I tend to challenge the idea of the square box and come up with things that push boundaries.

When it comes to materials, it’s all about ingenuity.

Pia: Our designs are heavily based on our context. In South Africa – and in Johannesburg specifically – we have limited resources and manufacturing processes. Wood and steel are readily available materials. We reimagine how these are used, and how we can develop them into beautiful, innovative ranges.

Josh: We don’t want to just add to the world of waste; we want to create products that last a long time and have value. Oak, for instance, is an heirloom-quality timber that’s always been used to manufacture furniture, and it’s well suited to our variety of climates. We need to use timber that’ll stand the test of time. We design for South Africa, for ourselves, and that tends to bring us to materials we can trust, like steel. It’s strong and dependable, but it also allows us to keep up to date with modern manufacturing techniques such as laser cutting and CNC bending.

Inspiration for us comes from a mindset of curiosity.

Josh: Our inspiration is ever-evolving, and we are constantly seeking new ideas. We’re behind-the-scenes people. We don’t want to see what’s in the storefront; we want to go to the workshop at the back. Who is making the product, and what tools are they using? How do they do it? That hunger has always led us to value craftsmanship.

Pia: A word that definitely comes to mind is curiosity.

A well-designed piece of furniture is intentional and considered.

Josh: It’s easy to tell the difference between a piece that’s just been put together and a piece that has been designed. Is it balanced? Does it serve its purpose? Does it make sense visually and functionally? Consideration and intention are key in design.

Pia: Being intentional is the process of designing. It’s all about doing things on purpose.

Our favourite pieces are the Tall Boy locker (inspired by the Muizenberg huts) and the MeshMash chair.

Josh: The Tall Boy locker is my favourite because it’s inspired by our Foldi range, and was designed with that aesthetic in mind. We used wood exclusively from the Muizenberg huts, and our Foldi legs. The product ties in with our design beliefs: reusing this reclaimed timber, learning, and creating a modern piece that’s both beautiful and innovative.

Pia: I love the MeshMash chair because it’s playful – and play is such a crucial part of designing and unlocking creativity. | tandemdesignhouse.com

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