QUALITY TIME
Furniture brand District Eight merges contemporary design with the beauty of traditional handcrafted techniques
To delve into the sources of inspiration behind internationally lauded furniture brand District Eight is to gain a deeper appreciation of its innovative designs, artful use of unconventional materials and artisanal manufacturing processes.
That its founder, Australian native Darren Chew, began his career as a chef and then worked in the fashion industry before entering the furniture-design milieu gives further insight into the vision behind the brand. ‘I have always been involved in creative pursuits,’ notes Darren, who launched District Eight in 2010 after successfully opening his trendy L’usine café and retail spaces in Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City, where he’s been living ever since. He named District Eight after the location of his first factory.
Darren’s inaugural, industrial-styled collection, L’usine, debuted at the International Furniture Fair Singapore to high acclaim. A‘s a designer and maker of things, I always consider my surrounding environment as an unlimited source of inspiration,’ he explains. Darren is drawn especially to heritage buildings and other old structures with ‘a history worth preserving. For me, the balance between new development and historical
preservation is crucial in our products’ design and creation.’
Subsequent ranges have seen a continued use of industrial materials such as concrete, steel and solid wood, employing traditional craftsmanship in the making of furniture notable for its timeless quality. Yet the brand has also evolved. ‘Previously this was with a nod to that bygone industrial age; now, as our environment is becoming more modern, so is our aesthetic,’ Darren says.
This is evident in the new Salk range, which draws heavily on modernist architect Louis Kahn’s iconic Salk Institute in La Jolla, California. Completed in 1965, its building materials comprise concrete, teak, lead, glass and steel.
This strong materiality is echoed in this unique collection of tables, seating and accessories, in finishes of charred oak with acid black concrete, and raw and seared oak matched with grey concrete. The refined lines of sculpted concrete combined with solid oak make for distinctive pieces that balance a contemporary industrial aesthetic with clever, efficient design.
‘I think our designs have a broad appeal around the world, whether it be South Africa or Scandinavia,’ Darren says.
‘They fit in easily with existing elements people have in their home.’
La Grange Interiors, the sole distributor of District Eight in South Africa, has previously stocked the brand’s Kahn,
Theo and Distrikt ranges. ‘Darren’s designs mix easily with our own bespoke pieces, contributing a bold but understated feel to any room,’ says La Grange Interiors’ Sumari Krige. ‘District Eight pushes the boundaries with every collection it designs, and the quality of its handcrafted pieces is outstanding.’
Launching in South Africa in September, District Eight’s new Salk range is available exclusively at La Grange Interiors’ Cape Town and Johannesburg showrooms.