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A Portrait of a Design Icon – David Trubridge
One of the most successful lighting and furniture designers in New Zealand, David Trubridge is internationally renowned. The acclaimed designer is returning to Australia to seek renewed design inspiration from the native environment, as revealed throughout his latest designs, recent book and sustainability-focused endeavours.
With a reputation as a leading figure and visionary in the world of lighting, David has finely crafted and honed a stunning collection of lighting designs over more than two decades. His works have been displayed in prestigious venues such as the Victoria & Albert Museum, Pompidou Centre, Musée National d’Art Moderne and the Nobel Peace Center. This year, he celebrates the 20th anniversary of his first launched lighting design and one of his most iconic creations, the Coral Pendant, which reveals his enduring influence and profound creativity.
The Coral Pendant, which was first conceived in Australia whilst he was teaching at Central TAFE in Perth, represents the beginnings of David’s appreciation of the beautiful nature found in Australia, specifically in the ocean, whilst also drawing attention to the environmental challenges that coral reefs face. “The Coral was very much inspired by nature, which has been a grounding for my work throughout my career, but now I think we’re seeing more and more designers recognising the importance of our environment and starting to appreciate their impact on the world around them,” he explained.
Twenty years on from the launch of Coral, his latest book, The Other Way, dedicates an entire chapter to Australia. “I always take time out to wander the Australian countryside whenever I visit these shores, because I love the open landscape, which allows you to see for miles, and this is something I find nurtures creativity,” he explains. The inspiring book marries David’s practice with the details and textures of different landscapes through a series of poetic and philosophical musings about the land and his relationship with it, including photographs, pencil sketches and doodles from David’s diaries. “One of the things I address in The Other Way is the idea of getting off the beaten track. In terms of my design thinking, this means I’m always trying to find a new route or a different way of doing things, and this fundamental philosophy is something that started in Australia during the many walks and hikes I’ve taken over the years.”
David is a pioneer for a necessary shift in the industry towards more traditional ways of thinking about design to reduce its environmental impact.
The book also reflects a core part of who David is as a person and a designer – a leader in environmentally responsible design. David is a pioneer for a necessary shift in the industry towards more traditional ways of thinking about design to reduce its environmental impact. As such, David has long championed more sustainable approaches to production in order to protect the natural environment. For example, his latest creation, the Toru, is inspired by microscopic diatoms and is named after the Te Reo Maori word for ‘three’. These diatoms are especially important for the health of our oceans as they convert dissolved carbon dioxide in the water into oxygen – and so, for each Toru sold, the company makes a donation to Sustainable Coastlines.
David Trubridge’s sustainable and ethereal designs remind us of the intrinsic link between the world around us and the prophecy of design – a tool for inspiring and creating change. In Australia, David Trubridge’s designs are available through Mondoluce.
