Trending Designers under 40 at Design Miami/ Basel 2014

Design Miami/ Basel, the global forum for design, is a prime destination for spotting up-and-comers in the field. We offer below 10 pioneering designers, working in materials from porcelain to mother-of-pearl to bespoke software, and ranging from go-to contemporary designers to emerging names, just hitting their stride.

The Haas Brothers: Twin brothers Simon and Nikolai Haas run their eponymous furniture design and fabrication studio out of Los Angeles, where they create a range of signature works, from set design to wearable art. At Design Miami/ Basel the duo unveil playful, pelt-covered chairs and benches at R & Company, that exemplify a sense of humor, rich materials, and impeccable craftsmanship.

Dominic Harris: Since establishing Cinimod, his 15-person, London-based studio in 2007, designer Dominic Harris has gained international attention for his technology-enabled works of interactive art. At the fair the Priveekollektie shows Harris’ mesmerizing installations, developed through bespoke software, and executed in slick materials.

Kang Myung Sun: In a mélange of past and present, South Korean-born artist Kang Myung Sun combines the traditional craft techniques of her ancient heritage with modern practicality and innovation, resulting in delicately curved organic furniture. Gallery SEOMI shows her signature glimmering white mother-of-pearl pieces, including a cabinet, a table, and a bench.

Danful Yang: Danful Yang delves into the history of art and design, incorporating objects and materials in playfully unexpected ways. Also the head of Pearl Lam’s Shanghai-based consortium XYZ Design, Yang explores Chinese arts and crafts techniques, alongside contemporary issues of consumerism and globalization. At the fair, find Yang’s incredible hand-embroidered canvas boxes that resemble commercial cardboard containers and a porcelain sculpture that recalls a delicate wedding cake.

Max Lamb: British designer Max Lamb has travelled to China, Australia, the Catskills, and closer to home—the beaches of Cornwall, England—to source materials for his one-of-a-kind furniture pieces. Whether forging chairs from solid Chinese granite or casting pewter stools in sand through an age-old technique, Lamb’s methods are often labor-intensive and deeply entwined with his materials. Johnson Trading Gallery shows Lamb’s pewter stools, three-legged feats of process and elegance.

Humans Since 1982: Collaborating under their studio name Humans Since 1982, Stockholm-based design duo Per Eman and Bastian Bischoff repurpose common objects to create conceptual sculptures and installations that explore the relationship of function and design. The pair are known for their innovative, awe-inspiring clocks—created from small analog clocks—that move continuously, creating patterns and ceasing momentarily each minute to display the time. See the works for yourself at Victor Hunt Designart Dealer.

Chris Schanck: Furniture designer Chris Schanck is interested in materials and design processes that are not traditionally associated with luxury, mass-production, and standards of perfection. We recently caught up with the designer to talk about his best-known pieces from his “ALUfoil” series, where industrial or discarded materials are covered in aluminum foil, painted, and then sealed with resin. Don’t miss these works at Johnson Trading Gallery.

Sam Baron: The work of French designer Sam Baron plays on ideas of classic European elegance by reimagining traditional shapes and functions in stylish new forms. Through his eye, Portuguese ceiling ornaments are transformed into dining plates, sausages are envisioned in mouth-blown glass, and the boombox and VHS tape become ceramic sculptures. At the fair Cristina Grajales Gallery shows his austere walnut coffee table. 

Bae Se Hwa: Combining methods of digital rendering and physical craft, Bae Sehwa creates beautifully balanced benches in futuristic forms composed of natural walnut. Beginning by designing his shapes digitally, he then uses steam to soften strips of wood, waits until they are malleable, then bends them by hand, placing them into molds to stiffen into new organic shapes. These works, inspired by harmonious forms from nature, can be seen at Gallery SEOMI. 

Kim Sang Hoon: Also at at Gallery SEOMI are Kim Sang Hoon’s layered birch and Luxteel “Phenomena” series—pieces that led the designer to become a phenomenon. The Korean-born, New York-based designer finds inspiration in architecture, and creates pieces that define spaces while adding beauty to environments.

Explore Design Miami/ Basel 2014 on Artsy.