Design profile: Dezion Studio A new twist on classic Danish design
INDUSTRIAL DESIGNER ASHER ABERGEL DRAWS ON DANISH DESIGN PRINCIPLES TO CREATE SOPHISTICATED, SUSTAINABLE FURNISHINGS
Juxtaposing the time-honoured techniques of classic joinery with 3D printing, Sydney-based Dezion Studio’s founding director, Asher Abergel, creates a dialogue between old and new technology. He enjoys experimenting with raw materials – timber, ceramics and cork – to achieve a handcrafted appeal. For Asher, stripping back his designs to their essential elements is key. “I believe in simplicity,” he says. “Ironically though, simplicity takes great effort to achieve.” Growing up in Jerusalem shaped Asher’s attitude. He says living in such a complex city, thinking outside the box was a survival skill.
“If you’re resourceful, you can always find a way around a problem,” he explains. “Improvising is ingrained in my design approach.”
Dezion is all about clean design to reduce environmental impact, and with a growing number of consumers seeking to invest in quality pieces that last a lifetime, he believes manufacturers need to consider the whole life cycle of a product, including the carbon footprint. “There is plenty of greenwash at the moment,” he says. “Just because something can be recycled, that doesn’t mean it will be. Using some amazingly sustainable product from the US defeats the purpose if it has to be brought over on a container ship.” Being truly sustainable can be hard, Asher points out. “Does the world really need another pendant light?” he says. “Not really, but I’m trying to show my clients a better way to consume. It’s my small contribution.”