Relaxed Yet Considered – Refract by Hayden Cox and SP01

A distinctly Australian casualness balanced with refined sophistication grounds the Refract collection, a new capsule of locally-made furniture created by multi-disciplinary designer and founder of Haydenshapes Hayden Cox, in collaboration with SP01. The collection combines an innovative approach to materiality with uncomplicated, lineal shapes to create furniture that interacts with its space in a truly distinctive way.

A designer of surfboards, fashion and now also furniture, Hayden Cox is synonymous with innovative collaborative design, markers which also define his latest collection. Refract comprises a console, side table, coffee table and resin sculpture surfboard. The individual pieces were handcrafted in Sydney from resin and will be available exclusively via Space Furniture.

Refract encapsulates a blend of delicate craftsmanship and lineal minimalism.

Integral to the collection’s impression is its distinct materiality, drawing on the innovative application of resin and the way it interplays with light to create furniture that appears almost alive. Hayden refers to the use of resin as a “familiar materiality that I really enjoyed,” as it allows light to shift and refract in a way solely unique to the resin material. Translating the conventional design language of resin and exploring new ground in the world of furniture was one of the objectives of the collection. “Materiality and pushing ways in which it can be applied is something that’s always driven my design,” says Hayden.

Refract encapsulates a blend of delicate craftsmanship and lineal minimalism. Choosing to work with minimal, linear shapes was discovered naturally during the design process, reflecting SP01 and Hayden’s collective preference for the simple and the casual. “The intersections of the transparent top with the base elements created these unique iridescent lines as the light catches from different angles,” Hayden describes. “They are like sculptures that perform as furniture pieces.”

 As the shape and thickness differ, each piece is able to uniquely interact with its environment in the way it filters and refracts light.

The textures of resin also influence the collection’s relationship with light and space. As the shape and thickness differ, each piece is able to uniquely interact with its environment in the way it filters and refracts light. “Each pour and mix is done by hand, with a slight variation to this texture. At close inspection you can see subtle characteristics, bubbles and waves within each piece that make them one-of-a-kind,” Hayden explains.

Hues are therefore ever changing depending on the time of day and point of view — each piece has between 20 to thirty 30 of colour. The terracotta hue of the coffee table may appear electric during morning light before shifting to a moody, darker tone as the late afternoon arrives and the natural light in the room fades. As Hayden says, “resin is far less consistent, and it’s that inconsistency that creates the light refraction and ‘glow’.”

“There is something to be said for the ocean influence within this collection and the similarities in the way that seawater and resin interact with sunlight and the environment,” says Hayden.

The look and feel of Refract is reminiscent of Australia both in its sense of casual sophistication as well as in the memories it evokes. Foremost, the minimalist design of the collection speaks to a sense of calm and stillness associated with Australia – its vastness and its untouched beauty. In this way, the collection seamlessly blends into the relaxed, minimalistic design aesthetic typical of Australian homes.

The collection also draws parallels to the Australian ocean in the shared way resin and seawater interact with light. The way light retracts on the pieces is like the sun through the ocean, bouncing off each piece. “There is something to be said for the ocean influence within this collection and the similarities in the way that seawater and resin interact with sunlight and the environment,” says Hayden. The shapes also share a likeness to waves. Wave sets inform the stacked lineal shapes, and the elongated triangular slabs or ‘abstract waves’ glow from the tip and deepen in colour as the prism expands, like a wave.

 The collection embodies a distinct materiality that innovates in the realm of shape, opacity and colour, transcending typical conventions of furniture design.

Originally born from Hayden’s long-time passion and expertise designing surfboards, Refract represents a new epoch in his practice. The collection embodies a distinct materiality that innovates in the realm of shape, opacity and colour, transcending typical conventions of furniture design. “I like to build things by hand and understand the nuances of the process and materiality in order to achieve the best design outcomes,” he reflects. It is this simple tactile curiosity that shapes not only the Refract collection, but the tools of design innovation itself.